A few years ago I was reading The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman, which included this quote from Sigmund Freud: "Man's discovery of sexual love afforded him the strongest experiences of satisfaction and provided him with the prototype of all happiness." According to Freud, eroticism sits at the centre of human life. Trueman argues that this Freudian vision has profoundly shaped the modern West, where gratifying sexual desires is often presented as the pathway to happiness and fulfilment.
In many ways, our culture has embraced Freud's vision of the sexually liberated self. We've been taught that our sexual desires define who we are, that "love is love," and that fulfilling our desires is how we become our truest selves. Restraint is often viewed as repression, and biblical boundaries as harmful.
Sadly, this mindset has also influenced the church. A recent Pew Research study found that 57% of Christians believe sex between unmarried adults in a committed relationship is acceptable. It reflects a dramatic shift in how many Christians have historically thought about sexual ethics, showing how much we’ve been discipled by culture to prioritise personal happiness over God’s will.
God’s Will
But Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4.3, "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.”
Sexual immorality covers a broad range of behaviours that violate God's standards - adultery (Exodus 20.14), fornication (1 Corinthians 6.18), homosexuality (Leviticus 18.22), incest (1 Corinthians 5.1), bestiality (Exodus 22.19), and even lustful thoughts (Matthew 5.28). Paul's message is clear: God's will for his people is sexual purity.
But understanding what sexual immortality is is one thing. The question we find ourselves asking more often is why? Why does God care so much about what we do with our bodies? Why would God’s will be for me to deprive myself?
Paul’s message just a few verses later helps us understand: “whoever rejects this instruction isn't rejecting man, but God himself, the very God who gives us his Holy Spirit”. God doesn’t want us to indulge in sexual immorality because doing so means rejecting him and building relational walls between ourselves and Christ. Sexual sin breaks God’s law, dishonours the body he has redeemed and fractures the fellowship we were created to enjoy with Him. When we sin like this, we’re turning our backs on Jesus.
And not only does it grieve the heart of God, but it never brings the happiness we think it will. God created and hardwired us for greater joy than the fleeting satisfaction our culture promises. He made us to know Him, to enjoy Him and to experience the peace that comes from walking in his will.
So Christian, embrace God's will for you - a life of purity and deep, all-satisfying friendship with Jesus. Don't let the culture define your life; protect your relationship with Christ. Guard that intimacy by filling your mind with what is true, honourable, just, and pure (Philippians 4.8).
And when you fail, deal with your failures biblically. Don't let guilt or shame drive you from God who longs to restore you. Confess your sin and rest in the forgiveness Christ has secured for you. Remember that in a culture where sin abounds, grace abounds even more (Romans 5.20).
These articles are 100% man-made, without the use of generative AI.