Scriptures in action (#James 1:22#)
The following scriptures give reasons why unmarried Christians and celibacy go together. There should never be a need to wonder about that in the body of Christ if God's solid foundation stands (2 Timothy 2:19). These scriptures are reminders of the path that followers of Jesus have been called to walk in. Sexual relationships that God blesses are between a husband (a man) and his wife (a woman), and servants of God who are not married will find strength to remain in God's ways in these and other scriptures, prayer, and abiding in Jesus (John 15:4-5). Praise be to God for the empowering of his grace!
Titus 2:1-14
11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live sensibly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a people for his own, zealous of good works.
James 1:13-16
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each one is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.
1 Peter 4:1-3
1 Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin; 2 that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for human desires, but for the will of God. 3 For enough time in the past has been spent doing the will of the Gentiles, and having walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, carousings, and abominable idolatries.
1 John 2:15-17
15 Do not love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not the Father's, but is the world's. 17 The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God's will remains forever.
Galatians 5:19-25
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, 21 envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
Ephesians 4:17-24
17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you no longer walk as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto licentiousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That you put off concerning the former way of life the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Romans 6:1-11
1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 May it never be. We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer? 3 Or do you not know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection; 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him; 9 knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him. 10 For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:8-13
8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if it is so that the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. 10 If Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if you live after the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Matthew 5:29-30
29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. 30 If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
18 Flee sexual immorality. “Every sin that a person does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.
Colossians 3:1-17
1 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 For these things’ sake the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience. 7 You also once walked in those, when you lived in them; 8 but now you also put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and shameful speaking out of your mouth. 9 Don’t lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his doings, 10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his Creator, 11 where there can’t be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, or free person; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. 14 Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. 17 Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
1 Finally then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to live and to please God, even as you are living, that you excel more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God: your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality, 4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust, even as the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and wrong a brother or sister in this matter; because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as also we forewarned you and testified. 7 For God called us not for uncleanness, but in sanctification 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given his Holy Spirit to you.
*Following Jesus assumes understanding what sin is and understanding that salvation is salvation from sin, which has been secured by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The act of fornication is sexual immorality and it is sin. In contrast, faithfulness in following Jesus (being a Christian) establishes a path of righteousness and sanctification whereby a believer is continuously transformed to reflect Jesus' character and walk. He has walked on the earth as a human in the same weaknesses we experience in our flesh in order to be an example for us in all (Hebrews 4:15-16).
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