Fornication

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. [For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret] (Ephesians 5:11-12) [Emphasis Mine];

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment (2 Peter 2:4) …For the time is come that [judgment must begin at the house of God]: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17) [Emphasis Mine];

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man does is without the body; but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's (1 Corinthians 6:18-20) [Emphasis Mine];

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. For God has not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7) [Emphasis Mine].

This is the FOURTH and FINAL blog of a series that deals with SEXUAL SINS in the Church which grieves, quenches and vexes the Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 63:10; Ephesians 4:30; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).

SIN is alive and well in the Body of Christ due in part to the fact that every church congregation consists of professing Christians who:

Have little or no reverential fear of God, which is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom and adds length to life (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 10:27);

Have little or no respect for the divine inspiration, inerrancy and authority of God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17);

Are selective about what Scriptures to believe/obey and what Scriptures to dismiss. 

Have never actually experienced a spiritual rebirth and are doing what comes natural to their unregenerate spiritual nature/state—indulging the appetites and desires of carnal, lustful and desperately wicked hearts (Jeremiah 17:9; John 3:3; Titus 3:5);

Have experienced a spiritual rebirth, but stubbornly refuse to crucify their pre-Salvation carnal, fleshly nature aka the “old man” (1 Samuel 15:23; Romans 6:6);

Have experienced a spiritual rebirth, but are burdened down with the cares of this world which have suppressed the spiritual zeal they once knew and enjoyed when they were initially saved, leaving them spiritually asleep and lukewarm (Mark 4:19; 1 Corinthians 15:34; Revelation 3:15-16);

Attend church, not to worship God and grow spiritually, but because church is a social club—a place to be seen and heard, to be entertained, to criticize, gossip and to slander (John 4:23; Romans 1:29; Proverbs 6:14,19);

Attend church under the pretense of “keeping up appearances,” when in truth their heart is far from God (Isaiah 29:13);

Attend church to be seen and applauded by men (Matthew 6:5; 7:21-23; 23:5);

Attend church, not to hear the uncompromised Truth of God’s Word, but to have their itchy ears tickled by a preacher that delivers a watered-down, “feel good,” politically-correct gospel (Galatians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:3).

If you are a true Christian and know someone who falls in one or more of the above categories, you are aware that: 1) Jesus Christ knows who His true disciples are and who are “playing church” (John 10:14) and, 2) that neither God nor Satan play games.  Such people are deceived and they are playing an irresponsible and dangerous game of Russian Roulette with their eternal souls!  If they do not believe in Hell or that a willfully-sinning, unrepentant Christian can go there, they are in for a rude awakening and should read:

Baxter, Mary K. A Divine Revelation of Hell. New Kensington: Whitaker House, 1993. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/divine-revelation-of-hell-mary-k-baxter/1100623143?ean=9780883682791

According to 1 Peter 4:17, “judgment must begin in the House of God.”  God demonstrated this hard truth when He executed the terrible and swift judgment of death on Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Ghost in the presence of Jesus’ Apostles (Acts 5:1-11).  I dare say that if God started executing similar judgments today, willfully sinning Christians would think twice before going to church!  And yet, multitudes of professing Christians think nothing of defiling their bodies (the temple of the Holy Spirit) and God’s House by bringing their sins to church, or worse, by committing their sins in church!  How thankful we should be that God’s mercy is when we do not get what we deserve, and His grace is when we get what we do not deserve!

In many churches, preaching and teaching about sin, judgment, hell, submission, obedience, holy living, crucifying SELF, spiritual warfare, walking in the Spirit and being led by the Holy Spirit is lacking or non-existent.  As far as consecration (holy living) and obedience are concerned, God is not looking down from His Throne saying, “Let’s make a deal.”  To the contrary, He gave us His Word which clearly states “This is the deal—‘be holy as I AM holy’” (1 Peter 1:16).  Holiness is simply being of ONE MIND with God which entails loving what He loves and hating what He hates, especially sin (Romans 12:9).

BIBLICAL DEFINITIONS OF FORNICATION

ADULTERY OF MARRIED

OR SINGLE PEOPLE

Adultery is unlawful sexual relationship between men and women, married or single.  All adultery is fornication, but all fornication is not adultery.

[Jesus is Speaking:]  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causes her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced commits adultery (Matthew 5:32) [Emphasis Mine];

[Jesus is Speaking:]  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, commits adultery: and whoso marries her which is put away does commit adultery (Matthew 19:9) [Emphasis Mine];

[The Apostle Paul is Speaking:]  Now concerning the things whereof you wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.  Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband (1 Corinthians 7:1-2) [Emphasis Mine];

[The Apostle Paul is Speaking:]  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand (1 Corinthians 10:8) [Emphasis Mine];

[The Apostle Paul is Speaking:]  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that you should abstain from fornication (1 Thessalonians 4:3) [Emphasis Mine];

Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts (Revelation 9:21).

BESTIALITY

Bestiality is sex between a person and an animal, which constitutes confusion and goes against God’s created order and plan for man.  God created Adam, who named all of the animals, but among them there was not found a suitable mate for Adam.  Therefore, God put Adam to sleep, made Eve from one of Adam’s ribs, and brought her to Adam.  “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth (Genesis 1:27-28).”

According to The Bible, people who commit bestiality DEFILE themselves and are CURSED!  In the Old Testament, bestiality incurred the DEATH PENALTY for both the person and the animal.

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found a help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:20-24);

Neither shall you lie with any beast to defile yourself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion (Leviticus 18:23);

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints 1 Corinthians 14:33);

Whosoever lies with a beast shall surely be put to death (Exodus 22:19);

And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and you shall slay the beast.  And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, you shall kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them (Leviticus 20:15-16);

Cursed be he that lies with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen (Deuteronomy 27:21).

FORNICATION COMMITTED

WITHIN AN ADULTEROUS MARRIAGE

Whoever puts away his wife, and marries another, commits adultery: and whoever marries her who is put away from her husband commits adultery (Luke 16:18);

Suppose that a man who had never been married, marries a divorced woman whose husband is still living.  When he discovers by reading the words of Jesus, that he is living in adultery, he has a decision to make.  He can stay in the relationship and be excluded from the kingdom of God …

… neither fornicators ... nor adulterers ... shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10);

For this you know, that no fornicator ... has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (Ephesians 5:5).

… or he can repent and end the relationship in order to escape the fornication that he is living in with her.  In this case, it is proper for a person to put away his/her partner and seek for a God-ordained lawful relationship:

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband (1 Corinthians 7:2).

Notice that in order to avoid fornication, a man must have “his own wife,” not someone else's wife, because having someone else's wife was also forbidden in the Levitical laws of holiness:

Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, to defile yourself with her (Leviticus 18:20).

We see then how the provision of Jesus, “if not in fornication” (Matthew 19:9) makes it possible for a man to escape from a relationship that would defile and condemn him, without being sentenced to celibacy for the rest of his life.  Therefore in this context, “if not in fornication” refers to the fornication (and adultery) being committed inside an unlawful marriage relationship, which has to be forsaken in order for a person to escape the sin and punishment.  The Apostle Paul commanded: “Flee fornication” (1 Corinthians 6:18).  It does not refer to some other interpretation of fornication, such as adultery with someone outside of the marriage relationship by one of the partners.  Jesus’ words also apply to us today:

[Jesus is Speaking:] Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35) [Emphasis Mine];

…whoever marries her who is put away [divorced] from her husband commits adultery (Luke 16:18) [Emphasis Mine];

[Jesus is Speaking:] He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has One that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day (John 12:48) [Emphasis Mine];

The apostle Paul also confirmed the importance of Jesus' words:

If any man ... does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, ... He is proud, knowing nothing (1 Timothy 6:3-4).

HOMOSEXUALITY & LESBIANISM

For a more in-depth teaching on this subject, read my blog titled, “HOMOSEXUALITY & LESBIANISM.”

You shall not lie with mankind as with womankind: it is abomination (Leviticus 18:22);

[The Lord is Speaking:]  If a man also lies with mankind, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them (Leviticus 20:13) [Emphasis Mine];

We see from the above Scriptures that HOMOSEXUALITY & LESBIANISM ARE FORBIDDEN!  In the beginning, God created one male (Adam) and one female (Eve) to be his wife (Genesis 1:27; 2:22-25).  He did NOT create two males to be together, or two females to be together.  These relationships oppose the command of God, “Be fruitful, and multiply” (Genesis 1:28).  Although there is no reference of a homosexual or lesbian marriage in the Scriptures, God certainly foresaw what would happen in the future, and we are living that future!  Homosexual and lesbian relationships are an abomination to God.  Since they are forbidden by Him, a homosexual or lesbian marriage is not lawful in the eyes of God even if it is legal according to secular law.  In such cases, homosexuals and lesbians are living in fornication.  Should they repent of their sin and be saved and delivered from that perverted spirit of LUST, they would certainly not be expected to continue in a relationship that is an abomination to God:

Do not be deceived; neither fornicators ... shall inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10);

Flee fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18);

For this you know, that no fornicator ... has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (Ephesians 5:5).

In Romans 1:24-29, the Apostle Paul refers to homosexuals and lesbians as “being filled with ... fornication,” (v29).  The book of Jude also refers to homosexuality as fornication:

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 1:7);

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that after should live ungodly; (2 Peter 2:6).

In such cases, it is proper for a person to put away their unlawful partner, and seek a God-ordained lawful relationship:

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband (1 Corinthians 7:2);

Notice that in order to avoid fornication, every man should have “his own wife,” not “his own husband,” and that every woman should have “her own husband,” not “her own wife.”  Therefore in this context, “if not in fornication” refers to the fornication (and adultery) being committed inside an unlawful marriage relationship, which has to be forsaken in order for a person to escape the sin and punishment.  The Apostle Paul commanded: “Flee fornication” (1 Corinthians 6:18).  It does not refer to some other interpretation of fornication, such as adultery with someone outside of the marriage relationship by one of the partners.

Homosexuals and lesbians in the secular arena and in the Church will go to Hell unless they repent and are saved and delivered.

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, [homosexuals] for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; (1 Timothy 1:9-10) [Emphasis Mine];

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21);

Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind (1 Corinthians 6:9) [Emphasis Mine];

Wherefore God also gave them [homosexuals and lesbians] up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet (Romans 1:24-27) [Emphasis Mine].

The Bible clearly teaches that God intended sexual intercourse to be between a man and woman within the boundary and commitment of heterosexual marriage.  Any other form of sexual intercourse, whether heterosexual fornication or homosexual behavior, is an abomination to God.  THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, FORGIVENESS OF SINS IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL WHO REPENT AND PUT THEIR FAITH IN HIM! (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

  

INCEST

Incest is sexual contact between persons who are so closely related that their marriage is illegal (e.g., parents/children, brothers/sisters, uncles/aunts, nieces/nephews, etc.).  This usually takes the form of an older family member sexually abusing a child or adolescent.  There are very few reliable statistics about how often incest occurs.  It is difficult to know how many people are affected by incest because many incestuous relationships are never reported.

Expectations about incest differ from culture to culture, as most standards for sex do, so what is considered taboo in the United States or other Western cultures may not be viewed negatively in other cultures.  Non-consensual incest frequently results in long lasting negative psychological consequences.  As victims of incest, children experience withdrawal; depression; sleeping and eating disorders; anxiety; guilt and academic problems.  They may even grow up fearing sex or distrusting people.

In the United States, incest is considered morally wrong, is illegal and punishable by law.  From a biblical standpoint, God forbids incest.  There are some today that would argue that since Adam and Eve had children and since there were no other people around, who did they marry?  Surely, their children must have committed incest in order to produce more children. 

We must bear in mind, however, that at the time of the Creation, everything that God created was “good” (Genesis 1:31) and the genetic line was pure.  In Genesis 1:28, God told Adam and Eve to “… Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth ….”

It was later—during Moses’ time when man’s heart became increasingly wicked—that incest was forbidden because the genetic pool had become less and less able to stand interbreeding.

[The Lord is Speaking:]  None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD. The nakedness of your father, or the nakedness of your mother, you shall not uncover: she is your mother; you shall not uncover her nakedness. The nakedness of your father shall you not uncover: it is your father's nakedness. The nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or daughter of your mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness you shall not uncover. The nakedness of your son's daughter, or of your daughter's daughter, even their nakedness you shall not uncover: for theirs is your own nakedness. The nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, begotten of your father, she is your sister, you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's sister: she is your father's near kinswoman. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister: for she is your mother's near kinswoman. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's brother, you shall not approach to his wife: she is your aunt. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter in law: she is your son's wife; you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother's wife: it is your brother's nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shall you take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness. Neither shall you take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time. Also you shall not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness. Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbor's wife, to defile yourself with her. And you shall not let any of your seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. You shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shall you lie with any beast to defile yourself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion (Leviticus 18:6-23) [Emphasis Mine];

[The Lord is Speaking:]  And the man that lies with his father's wife has uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. And if a man lie with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them (Leviticus 20:11-12) [Emphasis Mine];

[The Lord is Speaking:]  And you shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, nor of your father's sister: for he uncovers his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity. And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he has uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless. And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he has uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless (Leviticus 20:19-21) [Emphasis Mine];

A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his father's skirt (Deuteronomy 22:30);

Cursed be he that lies with his father's wife; because he uncovers his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that lies with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that lies with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. Cursed be he that lies with his mother-in-law. And all the people shall say, Amen (Deuteronomy 27:20-23);

And one has committed abomination with his neighbor's wife; and another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in you has humbled his sister, his father's daughter (Ezekiel 22:11);

For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip’s wife.  For John said to him, It is not lawful for you to have her (Matthew 14:3-4);

For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and a holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly (Mark 6:17-20);

[The Apostle Paul is Speaking:]  It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that has so done this deed, In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:1-5) [Emphasis Mine].

BIBLICAL EXAMPLES OF

NON-CONSENSUAL INCEST

Amnon and Tamar

(brother & sister)

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. And he said unto him, Why are you, being the king's son, lean from day to day? Will you not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. And Jonadab said unto him, Lay down on your bed, and make yourself sick: and when your father comes to see you, say unto him, I pray you, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray you, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him. And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of your hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not this folly. And I, where shall I cause my shame to go? and as for you, you shall be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray you, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from you. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that you did unto me. But he would not hearken unto her (2 Samuel 13:1-16).

Lot & His Two Daughters

And Lot went up out of Zoar and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters. And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go you in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father (Genesis 19:30-36).

IDOLATRY & ADULTERY

IN HONOR OF IDOL GODS

Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto (2 Chronicles 21:11);

And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of the earth (Isaiah 23:17);

But you did trust in your own beauty, and played the harlot because of your renown, and poured out your fornications on every one that passed by; his it was (Ezekiel 16:15);

But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood (Acts 15:20);

That you abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if you keep yourselves, you shall do well. Fare you well (Acts 15:29);

But I have a few things against you, because you have there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication (Revelation 2:14).

NATURAL HARLOTRY

You do the deeds of your father.  Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God (John 8:41);

Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them.  Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body (1 Corinthians 6:13).

PEDOPHILIA

A pedophile is an adult that preys sexually on children and I believe there is a special place of torment in Hell for these predators!  In America, the general consensus of most people is that if it is religious, it is a good thing, or at least it is supposed to be good.  THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE!  Regardless of denomination, sex crimes against children are occurring in churches at an alarming rate!

The first renowned case of a sex crime cover-up occurred in 1984.  Rita Milla, a devout Catholic teenager accused a priest of reaching through the broken screen and fondling her breasts while she was in the confessional booth.  By January 1980, the priest was having sexual intercourse with her.  That initial offense resulted in five additional priests encouraging her compliance, flaunting their religious authority over the sheltered teenager.  Rita told the news media that the priests had told her sex was natural, and that “priests get lonely, too.”  She complied with their wishes because she believed that she was helping them in their religious work.

When Rita became pregnant in January 1982, the priests packed her off to the Philippines to “study medicine.”  Their motive was for her to have her baby in secret and leave it there!  Living in squander and nearly dying during childbirth, Rita was eventually rescued by her family and her baby daughter was returned to the states.  A clergy malpractice suit was eventually filed, but when a press conference was called to expose the scandal, all seven priests mysteriously disappeared without a trace.  In 1988, the church finally set up a $20,000 trust fund for Milla's daughter, after she agreed to drop a slander suit against a bishop.  The church lawyer maintained it was not an admission of liability, but an act of benevolence for the child.  A paternity suit is unresolved.

How could any church allow such an atrocity to happen?  One reason is that many churches do not have PREVENTIVE MEASURES in place.  THE CHURCH IS NOT PROACTIVELY POLICING ITSELF!  For example, before any adult is instated in a position of authority where he/she has easy, unsupervised access to children, that adult should be required to pass a background check and be fingerprinted.  In addition, there should be at least two adults supervising children in nurseries and during overnight field trips.  The reason should be obvious!  Child molesters gravitate toward careers that will shield and camouflage them, while at the same time provide them access to victims.  Professionals agree that pedophiles often seek out professions or activities which bring them into contact with children.  Molesters often become youth ministers, day-care workers, Boy Scout leaders, teachers, Big Brothers and pediatricians.  More often than not, molesters are considered “good Christians.”  Roman Catholic canon attorney Father Thomas Doyle has estimated that about 3,000 Roman Catholic priests are pedophiliac abusers of children, which is an average of 16 priestly sex abusers per diocese!

Many parents assume that their children are safe in a church or with a clergyman.  Confessionals, youth groups, Sunday School outings, Christian Scouting, day camps, summer camps, church schools and athletics, church nurseries and day care all grant clergy special, unchaperoned access to children and young teenagers.  PARENTS, BEWARE, AND MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD IS NOT VICTIMIZED BY A DEVIL MASQUERADING AS A SAINT!

CHILDREN ARE PRECIOUS TO GOD!

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward (Psalms 127:3);

[Jesus is speaking]: And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones [children] that believe in Me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea (Mark 9:42).  [Emphasis Added]

[Jesus is speaking]: Then said He unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones [children] (Luke 17:1-2).  [Emphases Added]

And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

Then were there brought unto Him little children, that He should put His hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto Me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And He laid his hands on them, and departed thence (Matthew 19:13-15).

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto Him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:1-3).

Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven (Matthew 18:10);

PROSTITUTION

Prostitution extends to all ancient and modern cultures.  Described as “the world's oldest profession,” prostitution was common in ancient Israel, despite being forbidden by Jewish Law.  The Biblical story of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38) provides a depiction of prostitution as practiced in the society of that time.  The prostitute plies her trade at the side of a highway.  Waiting for travelers, she covers her face which marks her as a prostitute.  She gets paid in kind.  Though the woman in this story was not a real prostitute, but Judah’s widowed daughter-in-law, who had good reasons to trick Judah and become pregnant by him, she succeeded in impersonating a prostitute and her conduct can be assumed to be the real conduct expected of a prostitute in the society of the time.

In Joshua (chapter 2), a real prostitute named Rahab assisted Israelite spies with her knowledge and popularity.  In return for the information she provided, the spies kept their promise to save Rahab and her family during the planned military invasion.  When the people of Israel conquered Canaan, Rahab left prostitution, converted to Judaism and married a prominent member of the people.

In Revelation 17:1-6, the Whore of Babylon is “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”  The word whore can also be translated as idolatress.

There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel (Deuteronomy 23:17);

For the lips of a strange woman drop as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest you should ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that you cannot know them. Hear me now therefore, O you children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house (Proverbs 5:3-8);

To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in your heart; neither let her take you with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? So he that goes in to his neighbor's wife; whosoever touches her shall not be innocent. Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house. But whoso commits adultery with a woman lacks understanding: he that does it destroys his own soul. A wound and dishonor shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away (Proverbs 6:24-33);

For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit. She also lies in wait as for a prey, and increases the transgressors among men (Proverbs 23:27-28);

Whoso loves wisdom rejoices his father: but he that keeps company with harlots spends his substance (Proverbs 29:3);

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her (Ecclesiastes 7:26);

Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. What? know you not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, says He, shall be one flesh (1 Corinthians 6:15-16);

[Jesus is Speaking:]  But I say unto you, That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:28) [Emphasis Mine].

RAPE

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. And he said unto him, Why are you, being the king's son, lean from day to day? Will you not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. And Jonadab said unto him, Lay down on your bed, and make yourself sick: and when your father comes to see you, say unto him, I pray you, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray you, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him. And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of your hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not this folly. And I, where shall I cause my shame to go? and as for you, you shall be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray you, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from you. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that you did unto me. But he would not hearken unto her (2 Samuel 13:1-16).

But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: But unto the damsel you shall do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man rises against his neighbor, and slays him, even so is this matter: For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her (Deuteronomy 22:25-27).

SPIRITUAL HARLOTRY

But you did trust in your own beauty, and played the harlot because of your renown, and poured out your fornications on every one that passed by; his it was (Ezekiel 16:15);

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication (Revelation 14:8);

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto you the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration (Revelation 17:1-6) [Emphasis Added];

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies (Revelation 18:3);

For true and righteous are His judgments: for He has judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and has avenged the blood of His servants at her hand (Revelation 19:2);

TRANSVESTISM

The woman shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD your God (Deuteronomy 22:5).

IN SUMMARY

Fornication (Gk. πορνεία, porneia) is a general word for various types of unlawful sexual union.  In the physical sense, it may include adultery in the marital relationship, sex between unmarried persons, prostitution, incest, rape, homosexuality, bestiality, pedophilia, etc., and the interpretation depends upon the context in which it is used.  Fornication will exclude offenders from the Kingdom of God and bring His Judgment upon them if they do not repent (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21).  A man or woman who commits fornication sins against his/her own body (1 Corinthians 6:18). 

I pray that this 4-part teaching has been a blessing!