Sexual sin is a major topic in the Bible that is addressed repeatedly throughout Scripture. There are several key reasons why God places such emphasis on sexual purity and warns so strongly against sexual immorality.
Sexual Sin Distorts God’s Good Design for Sexuality
God created sex and designed it to be an amazing gift to be enjoyed within the covenant of marriage between a husband and wife (Genesis 2:24, Hebrews 13:4). Sex was meant to unite and strengthen the marital bond. When we engage in sexual activities outside of marriage, we distort God’s good plan for sexuality.
Premarital sex, adultery, pornography, homosexual behavior, and other forms of sexual immorality go against God’s design. Sexual sin treats sex as a means of selfish pleasure rather than as a gift for marriage. It cheapens and degrades the beauty of sex.
Sexual Sin Damages Relationships
Sexual immorality always damages relationships – whether it’s relationships in a marriage due to adultery, relationships with family/friends due to promiscuity or premarital sex, or relationships within the church body due to scandals caused by sexual sin (1 Corinthians 5:1-2).
God wants us to have healthy, uplifting relationships that are protected by purity and faithfulness. Sexual sin has destructive ripple effects that hurt people around us, not just ourselves.
Sexual Sin Forms Harmful Soul Ties
Sex is a deeply spiritual act that goes far beyond just a physical act. When you join physically with another person, a “soul tie” is formed (1 Corinthians 6:16). This connection can have lingering effects even after a relationship ends. When soul ties are formed through sexual sin rather than within God’s design for marriage, it can open up avenues for spiritual oppression and attack.
Sexual Sin Grieves the Holy Spirit
The Bible instructs believers to avoid sexual immorality because our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). When we engage in sexual sin, it brings grief to the Holy Spirit of God who indwells us. We are called to honor God with our bodies and flee from sexual sin out of reverence for the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:15-20).
Sexual Sin Gives the Enemy a Foothold
Sexual sin opens up doorways for the enemy to gain influence and footholds in our lives through oppression, deception, and strongholds. Demon ic spirits can attach themselves to sexual sin, so it is important to repent and walk in purity to close these doorways (1 Corinthians 7:5).
Sexual Sin Has Serious Consequences
Sexual immorality can bring very damaging consequences into our lives – unwanted pregnancy, abortion, STDs, damaged family relationships, marital distress, pornography addiction, human trafficking, broken trust, financial fallout of scandals, demonic oppression, and more. God warns us because He knows how painful the results of sexual sin are.
Sexual Sin Offends a Holy God
Ultimately, sexual immorality is so serious because it offends a holy God. God is completely pure and righteous. All sin grieves His heart, but sexual sin seems to provoke a special measure of God’s anger according to passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8. God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, including sexual sin (Romans 1:18-32).
As God’s redeemed people, we are called to glorify Him with our bodies and our lives (1 Corinthians 6:20). Flaunting immorality is utter disregard for glorifying the God who saved us. Sexual sin is a form of blatant idolatry putting our own lusts before God.
Sexual Sin Shows Disobedience to God
When believers willfully engage in sexual sin, it shows blatant disobedience towards God’s clear commands. Persistently pursuing sexual immorality with no repentance is a serious offense and reveals a deeply concerning spiritual state (1 Corinthians 5:1-2; Hebrews 10:26-27).
As children of God, we are called to radical obedience out of love and reverence for Jesus Christ. A cavalier attitude towards persistent sexual sin reveals a heart that is not truly surrendered to Christ.
Sexual Sin Defiles Marriage Beds
Marriage is supposed to be an earthly picture of Christ and the church – a holy union reflecting that spiritual reality (Ephesians 5:31-32). When we defile marriage beds through sexual immorality like adultery, we are presenting a distorted picture of that sacred covenant.
This is why God says He will judge adulterers, fornicators, and those who defile marriage beds with immorality (Hebrews 13:4). Those sins desecrate a reflection of Christ’s relationship with the church.
Sexual Sin Leads to God’s Judgment
Sexual immorality inevitably brings God’s judgment if not repented of. God promises to judge those who practice such things as premarital sex, adultery, homosexuality, use of prostitutes, and other forms of immorality (Romans 1:18-32; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:15).
Whole societies can come under judgment for rampant sexual sin as seen with Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19). God is patient, but judgment will come for the unrepentant.
Conclusion
God cares deeply about sexual purity. Sexual sin is such a big deal because it goes against God’s holy design for sex, damages relationships, grieves the Spirit, gives enemy footholds, has serious consequences, offends God’s righteousness, shows disobedience, defiles marriage beds, and brings God’s judgment.
Walking in sexual purity brings protection, blessings, and rewards. God is able to restore and forgive those who repent from sexual sin. His grace is greater than all our sin when we humble ourselves and turn to Him.