Healthy Families Vs. The Sexual Revolution
Going back to the Pew Research Study and in particular the chart above that shows the percentage of children growing up in the various “family” arrangements. Starting in 1960, one will begin to see the gradual decline of the traditional two parent household. As stated in the previous post, when you look at the 1960’s there was also a concerted effort to push God, not only out of the schools but more importantly out of the family. The 60’s saw many “revolutions” in American society; none more damaging than the sexual revolution.
The Sexual Revolution
The following statement was taken from Wikipedia:
The sexual revolution, also known as a time of sexual liberation, was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the United States and subsequently, the wider world, from the 1960s to the 1980s. Sexual liberation included increased acceptance of sex outside of traditional heterosexual, monogamous relationships (primarily marriage). The normalization of contraception and the pill, public nudity, pornography, premarital sex, homosexuality, … alternative forms of sexuality, and the legalization of abortion all followed.
If you look at the many issues that lead to divorce today. Sexual “sins” rise to the top of those issues, Since the 1960’s (actually as far back as the 1920’s), this “revolution, and its subsequent affects, has had a devastating effect on the family in America. Unfortunately, there has been a correlating effect in Christian homes, as well.
God’s Commandment
Thou shalt not commit adultery,
Exodus 20: 14
When God gave his commandments to the children of Israel through Moses, they were given for two purposes; to establish God’s people as a separate and distinct people in the midst of the surrounding “heathen” nations and to provide a protection upon His people through their obedience. God truly wanted to bless his people in the midst of all those who did not serve Him. A way to visibly show that blessing was to establish order amongst His people by providing ten commandments. One of the ten dealt with adultery. God did not want those customs that were prevalent amongst the unbelieving nations infiltrating among his people. In many instances, those nations had given themselves over to gratifying themselves through unimaginable worldly lust. When we read of Abraham and Sarah, it was a common practice in that day for rulers to just take “wives” by killing the husband. This is why Abraham told King Abimelech that Sarah was his sister. Fortunately for the King, God intervened before he could commit adultery with Sarah (Genesis 20: 1-18).
God was as serious about this commandment as much as he was about the other nine. If one was caught in adultery, under the law, it was punishable by death (Leviticus 20: 10). When the scribes and the Pharisees brought the woman unto Jesus who was taken in the act of adultery, they were tempting Him with this very law to see what He would do (John 8: 3 – 11). However, Jesus stooped down, “and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.” As they continued to press Him, He finally states, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” … and He stooped down again and began to write on the ground again. One by one they all left because they were convicted by their conscience, leaving her alone. In the end, Jesus does not condemn her but warns her to go and sin no more. What is interesting about this passage is that the scribes and Pharisees caught the woman in the very act. However, they only brought her and not the man who was also caught. But even more interesting is that the same finger that was writing on the ground was the same finger that wrote on the tablets of stone, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Jesus was not giving in to their “political” games. He was also willing to show mercy even though the very law that He wrote was broken. However, His forgiveness was conditional … “go and sin no more.”
New Testament Dispensation
Sexual sins, including adultery, are not glossed over in the New Testament dispensation. Jesus goes so far as to say, “That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5: 27-28).” Paul further tells the Corinthians to “flee fornication.” He further states that “Every sin that a man does is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body” (1 Corinthians 6: 18-20). And there are many, many more scriptures that speak against adultery, fornication and sexual immorality. The punishment of physical death may not take place, like in the Old Testament. However, there is a spiritual death that takes place that “kills” the soul.
In an article written by Jack Wellmen entitled Primary Causes for Divorce: A Christian Study (2012), the number 1 reason for divorce among those that profess Christianity was ongoing adultery/pornography. He further states:
Pornography not only is committing adultery in the heart (Matt 5:28), it changes the brain’s chemistry in an almost incontrovertible way. Shocking as it may seem, women are becoming more and more addicted to pornography and online is the place where this is happening. Stunningly, the latest statistics are that 41% of women have looked at pornography within the last month. The percentage of men is even worse. Looking at pornography actually becomes as addictive as heroine and it changes a person’s brain chemistry in similar ways. I believe to make a covenant with your eyes, as Job said (31:1), is to make a decision in advance to not even for a second look at anything that appears to be overly stimulating. Sadly, that’s going to be about impossible to do in our present society because even on TV, the Internet, billboards, and on the magazine rack, pornographic photos abound. The pictures might be legal but that doesn’t mean that they are moral.
In our day and time, these sexual sins can be directly tied back to the “revolution” that was started in the 1960’s. That ungodly spirit has been unleashed upon a society who had already turned their backs on God. With no defenses, it was and has continued to run rampant in our society and, unfortunately, among those that call themselves to be Christian. Romans 1: 18-32 shows the spiritual degradation of those that once knew God but turned their backs on God. This degradation leads ultimately to a reprobate mind where the conscience becomes void of offense. This a spiritual condition and it is very serious.
Pornography has become the silent killer of souls. Spiritually speaking, it is more dangerous than other forms of addiction because it not only, as was stated before, changes the brain’s chemistry but it also tries to substitute lust for love. It takes advantage of natural God-given desires in men and women and perverts those desires into lusts that are so strong that they have a binding effect on the soul. It opens a door for the devil to unleash very wicked forces.
Jesus is the Only Remedy
There is no single post that can cover this issue in great depth and detail because of the vastness of the issue. Also, what once was taboo has now become mainstream. Movies, TV and other forms of media have normalized all forms of the hedonism. Unfortunately, the traditional two-parent home has been and continues to be affected by sexual sins. The only answer is for our homes to be turned back to God through Jesus Christ. Jesus let his disciples know that the sin of immorality is a heart condition. It is in the heart where those issues need to be resolved. When Jesus forgave the woman it was after she truly was caught in adultery. He didn’t deny her sin (and neither did she). However, because of his mercy, He forgave her sin … and told her to sin no more.
Sexual immorality, in any form, is sin. The only way to be delivered is to acknowledge it as such and go to the One who can forgive these awful heart conditions. These sins cannot continue to be hidden either. God still wants a people who are distinct and separate from the world and are provided the protection of God through obedience to His Word. He wants to bless His people and He wants to bless our homes. The enemy wants to kill, steal and destroy them. True believers live free from all sin. However, it doesn’t keep the enemy from trying to use, even sexual sins, as an enticement to draw souls away. The choice still remains ours!
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JEFF