Jump Start # 208 

1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee fornication. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.” 

  A serious warning—few take the words to heart. God said it in the 10 Commandments, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” Now, centuries later, God states it through the apostle Paul. As I write these words my heart is heavy. A preacher I know didn’t take this warning seriously. He broke his vows to his wife and his promise to God and committed fornication. It involved a married woman within the congregation. Two families hurt. Two marriages that have taken the most serious hit and may not survive. A church that has let their preacher go. A mess. It is far reaching. Many will be hurt by this. Shame and shock fills the heart of the congregation. People feel betrayed. Trust has been shattered. Young people are confused and disgusted. Other churches that were counting on using this preacher are at a lost as to what to do. Two selfish people that only thought of themselves. And now Satan smiles. Much of the good that was done has suffered. It will take a long while to recover from this.

  I taught a class recently just for preachers. It was based upon a book that has been written by preachers for preachers. The author claimed that he knew of 52 preachers that had been unfaithful to their wives. Now he has another number to add to that list. And Satan smiles.

  This is not about preachers, it’s about us. Paul’s passage was not written to preachers but to us. We simply don’t get it. Preachers don’t get it. Sexual sins are like a drug—it just consumes our thoughts. The movies today are saturated with fornication. TV shows are all about that. Sex before marriage, sex outside of marriage—anyway and everyway a person can imagine, except God’s way! Marriages are crippled because of this. Kids grow up seeing that Dad and Mom can’t keep their promises to each other, so why should they even try. Talented men must step down from the pulpit, others are resigning from the eldership. And Satan smiles.

  The words are not hard to understand—FLEE FORNICATION! Just two words. Joseph got it. He fled. It can be done. It must be done. Don’t argue with fornication. Don’t debate it. Don’t try to convert it. Don’t stick around to see what happens. Get going—get out—get moving. FLEE. Later Paul would tell Timothy, “Flee youthful lusts” (2 Tim 2:22). This isn’t cowardly—it’s God’s way to save you.

  Two thoughts: First, flee before it happens. Fornication starts with flirting with someone you’re not married to. It’s just fun you say. It’s innocent you say. And Satan smiles. It continues by talking too long and revealing too much to the opposite sex that you are not married to. Those conversations belong to your mate, no one else. But my mate doesn’t listen. My mate doesn’t understand. I’m not doing anything wrong, we’re just talking. And Satan smiles. It continues by being alone with the opposite sex you are not married to. Fornication doesn’t take place in crowds, it’s in the dark, out of the way places. Stay out of those places. Don’t be alone with the opposite sex unless it’s your family. We’re just grabbing a bite to eat—that’s all. And Satan smiles. Are we that dumb? Satan thinks so. Are we that naïve? Satan thinks so. Flee. Flee. Flee. We do everything but flee. Why won’t we listen to God? Fornication begins in our heart and mind. What are you putting in it? Be holy like He is Holy is the plea of Peter.

  Second, why are we so reluctant to call for help when things are turning sour in our marriages? We pretend everything is great, when it’s not. We are good at hiding behind masks. Can’t we trust each other enough to get help? Would we rather have a little shame by admitting we need help, rather than the enormous shame that comes after committing adultery? Openness, honesty and godliness is God’s way. Transparency is not a new thing. James said, “confess your faults to one another.” We don’t do that. We are embarrassed. We like pretending all is fine. And Satan smiles.

 I’m getting tired of Satan smiling—how about you? Put on your running shoes—you got some fleeing that needs to be done! Satan will attack your marriage. He’ll try and try until he smiles. But you know what to do. Lace up those shoes and hit the road. It’s time to flee!

Roger