A Call for Sexual Purity in the Church
by BJ Rudge, Ph.D.
The Bible is clear that believers in Christ are not to tolerate any form of sexual immorality and when it does occur within the body of Christ, we must deal with it (1 Cor. 5:9- 13; Eph. 5:3). The Apostle Paul called for the removal of a member in the church at Corinth who was involved in sexual immorality (1 Cor. 5).
Nevertheless, many churches no longer endorse an absolute moral standard when it comes to sexuality. The unwillingness of the church to follow the Apostle Paul's example and to stand firm with conviction in regard to what the Bible has to say on sexuality has resulted in a decadent state.
As a result of the current condition of the church, countless Christians are clueless concerning what it means to live a holy and righteous life. Too many youth and young adults make their decisions about what is right and wrong based upon the relativity of circumstances rather than the absolute authority of God's Word.
The message of the Gospel has been weakened because of all the sexual immorality among professing Christians. For example, a Muslim soccer coach I know closed his ears to the Gospel message because of the rampant immorality that plagues the lives of many supposed Christians he has met.
If the church is unwilling to repent and continues to tolerate immoral behavior, its ability to be the light of the world will fade into extinction. The Lord Jesus warned the church at Pergamum not to tolerate teachings that endorse sexually immoral behavior (Rev. 2:14-16).
Like the church at Pergamum in the first century, the church today needs to repent of its immoral behavior and its tolerance of those who promote and willingly engage in sexual immorality. If we do, then just as Pergamum was promised a white stone for overcoming, so too we will be given a white stone with a new name written on it (Rev. 2:17).
What is this white stone? An athlete at that time, after winning a competition, was awarded a white stone –– an admission pass to the winner's celebration. So too, believers who overcome, will receive a white stone as an admission pass to eternal glory with Jesus Christ.
