sex

1 Corinthians 6:9 Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

12 You say, "I am allowed to do anything"—but not everything is good for you. And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything. 13 You say, "Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food." (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can't say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 14 And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

15 Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! 16 And don't you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, "The two are united into one." 17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

One of the most disturbing things I run into particularly in the last couple of years is how many 20something dating couples, who consider themselves Christ followers of some serious commitment, are having sex.

And I'm not talking about just Bill Clinton's definition of sex (that was that only intercourse (coitus) qualified as sex - and we saw how that definition worked out for him!).

I thought that was off the list of things unmarried people could do?

I get the many of the same reasons non-believers tell me...

"Well, we're in love,"

"Well, we're gonna get married."

I don't think so.

I see so many couples affected so negatively in their lives, their emotions, their relationship with the other person, & most importantly, it harms their relationship & intimacy with God.

Don't do it, y'all. I've lived to long, seen too many lives harmed & altered by couples who have sex before they get married.

I remember one person who took months to get over breaking off a relationship. He asked me one day why it was killing him. I shared with him a number of reasons that breaking up is hard on people.

To cover all the bases, I mentioned that when people have sex, especially if they have intercourse, & the break off their relationship, it is devastating because of the DEEP bond that is created by especially having intercourse.

I didn't believe this person was sexually active in this relationship.

He said, "well, that explains it."

And yes, it took him a long time to put that relationship behind him.

Let me just say this folks...

Take it from this old guy - don't have sex before marriage. It ain't worth it.

I could quote all the studies about the negative impact that it has. That won't make any difference.

Most people don't think those studies apply to them. All the dire things that happen in people's lives, emotions, & relationships won't happen to them.

It seems that so many 20somethings feel as the great theologian, Travis Tritt once wrote - that they are "ten feet tall, & bulletproof."

Whether we're 20something, or 60something, or anysomething, the laws of sowing & reaping are the same.

With all the love in my heart, let me say this...

If you're unmarried & having sex with your partner, stop.

If you're thinking about starting to have sex with your partner, don't.

19 Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.