Have you been crucified with Christ?

Paul strongly rejects the erroneous conclusion that being justified by faith in Christ actually made Jews sinners, thus painting Christ as a promoter of sin.  Those who attempt to be justified through “the works of the law” are “cursed” (Galatians 3:10).  If anyone attempts to reassert the “works of the law” as having any part in justification before God, the law itself convicts that person of being a transgressor (Galatians 3:19–25).  The law itself is not sinful; its purpose is to convince individuals of their personal spiritual deadness in sin outside of faith in Christ (Romans 7:7–13).

“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!  For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.  For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. (Galatians 2:17-19)

This is the Will of God!

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.  (1 Thess. 4:3-8)

Sexual standards were very low in the Roman Empire, and in many societies today they are not any higher.  The temptation to engage in sexual intercourse outside of marriage relationship has always been powerful.  Giving in to the temptation can have disastrous results.  Sexual sins always hurt someone; individuals, families, businesses, churches.  Besides the physical consequences, there are also spiritual consequences (1 Cor. 6:18).  Sexual desires and activities must be placed under Christ’s control.  God created sex for procreation and pleasure, and as an expression of love between a husband and wife.  Sexual experience must be limited to the marriage relationship to avoid hurting ourselves, our relationship to God, and our relationships with others.