The last days of history – Part 24

Standards Of Sexual Morality Cont.
God explicitly prohibits “uncovering the nakedness of” (literally, a modern translation would be “having sexual relation with”) anyone who is not a lawful wife or husband (Lev18: 6-30; 20:11,17,19-21; 18:6).

4) The believer must exercise self-control with reference to all sexual matters before marriage. To justify premarital intimacy in the name of Christ merely on the ground of a real or a felt love for another flagrantly compromises God’s holy standards with the world’s impure ways and, in effect, justifies immorality. After marriage, sexual intimacy must be confined to one’s marriage partner. The Bible names self-control as one aspect of the Spirit’s fruit, the positive and pure behaviour that is in contrast to immoral sexual play, gratification, adultery and impurity. One’s faith commitment to God’s will with regard to purity will open the way to receiving this gift of self-control through the Spirit (Gal5: 22-24).

(5) Biblical terms used for sexual immorality, describing the breadth of its evil, are as follows: (a) Sexual immorality (Gk porneia) describes a wide variety of sexual activities before or outside of marriage; it is not limited to consummated sexual acts. Any intimate sexual activity or play outside the marriage relationship, including the touching of the intimate parts of the body or viewing another person’s nakedness, is included in this term and is clearly a transgression of God’s moral standards for His people (Lev18: 6-30; 20:11-12,17,19-21; 1Cor6: 18; 1Thes4: 3). (b) Debauchery, or sensuality, (Gk aselgeia) denotes the absence of clear moral principles, especially disregard of sexual self-control that maintains pure behaviour (1Tim2: 9). It includes the inclination toward indulging in or arousing sinful lust, and thus is a participation in Biblically unjustifiable conduct (Gal5: 19; Eph4: 19; 1Pet4: 3; 2Pet2: 2,18). (c) Exploiting or taking advantage of someone (Gk pleonekteē) means to deprive another of the moral purity that God desires for that person in order to satisfy one’s own self-centered desires. To arouse in another person sexual desires that cannot be righteously fulfilled is to exploit or take advantage of that person (1Thes4: 6; Eph4: 19). (d) Lust (Gk epithumia) is having a sexual desire that if fulfilled would be a violation of God’s law and another person’s purity (Eph4: 19, 22; 1Pet4: 3; 2Pet 2:18; Mat5: 28).

(10vi) War In Heaven; War On Earth
Satan Thrown Out of Heaven (Rev 12:7-12)

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. 9So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Rev 12:7-9)

12:7ff Much more happened at Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection than most people realise. A war between the forces of God and evil was under way. With Christ’s resurrection, Satan’s ultimate defeat was assured. Some believe that Satan’s fall to earth took place at Jesus’ resurrection or ascension and that the 1,260 days (31/2 years) is a symbolic way of referring to the time between Christ’s first and second comings. Others say that Satan’s defeat will occur in the middle of a literal seven-year tribulation period, following the rapture of the church and preceding the second coming of Christ and the beginning of Christ’s 1,000-year reign. Whatever the case, we must remember that Christ is victorious—He defeated Satan when He died and rose again for the sins of mankind. One day, Satan will be bound forever, never again to do his evil work (see Rev 20:10).
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