Safe Sex

The one who commits adultery . . . is lacking sense; he who would destroy himself does it.
–Proverbs 6:32

God loves sex. If that seems sacrilegious to you, then think about this: Who invented sex? Can’t you picture God thinking, “I’ve got a great idea for what would be really fun”? Then not only did God dream up the idea of sex, but He also designed the equipment for sex. God created sex so there could be a oneness between a man and a woman.

Sex is not the result of the Fall; it is the result of God’s creativity. It is a marvelous gift from God that comes with only one instruction: “Use as directed.” And the primary direction God gives us about sex is this: sex is to occur only within the marriage relationship. Have all the fun you want, but sex is reserved for marriage.

Why is sex outside of marriage so devastating? Let me mention three ways that sexual immorality destroys a person.

First, there is a physical cost to sex outside of marriage. Millions of people suffer from sexually transmitted diseases that have spread primarily by sex outside the marriage relationship.

Second, there is also a financial cost to sexual immorality. Proverbs 6:26 says, “On account of a harlot one is reduced to a loaf of bread.” After a divorce, most people experience a lower standard of living due to attorney’s fees, the division of assets, and the expense of keeping two households.

Third, there is an emotional cost to sex outside of marriage. For a while, sneaking around and having a private sexual relationship that you think nobody knows about can feel exciting. Solomon was right when he said in Proverbs 9:17, “Stolen water is sweet; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” I think it is a great error when those of us who teach the Word of God claim that sin is not pleasurable. It is time for us to start telling the truth about sin, especially the truth about sexual immorality. Of course there is pleasure in sin . . . for a while!

In Proverbs 5:3-4, Solomon said, “The lips of an adulteress drip honey and smoother than oil is her speech; but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.” The excitement that comes from sexual immorality is soon replaced with bitterness.

It is deceitful to think that sex outside of marriage is better than God’s design. The truth is, a person who is sexually immoral is “lacking sense” (6:32).

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Safe Sex” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2008.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.