Exposure of Sexual Sin: 1- A Sovereign Act of Kindness
I believe that a child of God can fall into sin…even grievous and horrible sin. Sin that is so awful, so foul, so detestable that they can make even the godliest person want to rise up in anger, engage in gossip, or exact justice on the sinner… (please don’t do that.) I also believe that God will forgive all of his Children’s sin, even those of vilest nature… that does not mean there are no consequences for sin in this life, but forgiveness is assured through repentance and faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ…even sexual sins which can destroy lives, marriages, and families.
Now, I also believe that a child of God cannot live in sin. 1 John 3:8, 9 tells us:
“Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil . . . No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God”
While we will never be totally free from sin in this life, the heart of a true child of God has been transformed, and we cannot live in persistent, habitual sin. A child of God cannot embrace sin, love it, caress it, and anchor it in the inner harbour of his heart. A child of God cannot live in a continual pattern of sin. A child of God cannot live daily using pornography, nor live “common law”, nor live in a “committed same-sex” partnership, nor have an ongoing affair.
If a person is a true Christian, a believer, a chosen child of God… the Father will not permit him to live in deliberate and ongoing sin. And no matter how difficult it is for us to see it in the moment, God is at work when grievous sin is exposed to the light. Even if families are ruined and marriages torn apart – God is there guiding and working. Yes even when an office-bearer’s (Pastor/elder/deacon) sin is exposed and the congregation is thrown into seeming turmoil, yes even then, God is lovingly disciplining, and providentially caring for his children. I believe that exposure of sexual sin is a sovereign act of kindness of a loving Father who will not permit his child to stray completely away and fall into eternal death. Romans 11:22 says,
“Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness”
Read Part 2 Here….
Hello One Christian Dad. I appreciate reading your blog from time to time. I rarely comment because I enjoy the content and almost always concur with your sentiments. This time I have a slightly different perspective if you’ll allow me to share it.
I am a believer and I have also been addicted to a particular sin for many years. Whoa. We don’t talk about addiction, we talk about living in sin. Maybe. I think many of us Reformed still read Romans 7 and say, “that must have been before Paul’s conversion”. Whether or not it was before, we still need to remember that elsewhere Paul calls himself the foremost among sinners. He says it in the Present tense as well!!! His past life and past murderous ways were behind him, but his sinfulness still clung very tightly around him, and he wasn’t shy to admit it. So… living in sin vs. addiction? There is a difference, but only in the act of the will. If we do not commit wilful sin, but still continue to fall into the same sin over and over, this is Addiction. I would recommend a thoroughly Christian recovery group called Celebrate Recovery. This group has helped me and is helping me again with my addiction. http://www.celebraterecovery.com to find a local group in your area. It’s not Reformed you might say. Not overtly, but it is solidly conservative evangelical, based on Reformed biblical principles. Solidly. No loosy-goosy, fluffy duffy stuffy there at all, I can tell you!
Now, regarding sexual sin itself, one thing that does amaze me, is that in Reformed circles, somehow this sin has been elevated to the worst sin imaginable. In the Old Testament, I think you would have a hard time showing that to be true, and in the New, our Lord is very tough on the sin, but very loving to the repentant sinner. Do we do that? In practice? The apostle Paul is also very tough on churches with members who are continuing their old way of life including its immoral practices after confessing their faith in Christ. We should be too. But how do we go about distinguishing that from those who “through weakness fall into sin”, and remember that the Lord’s Supper is not meant to “discourage broken and contrite hearts” . “We do not come to this table to declare that we are perfect or righteous in ourselves”. We rest ourselves on the one sacrifice of Christ for ALL our sins, and that alone. Do we believe that? Or do we sometimes put ourselves on a pedestal over against those whose lives have been struggling with sin or habitual sin (addictions)? Aren’t both types of person’s sins completely covered by the blood of Christ? Of course they are! But it can be very easy (and I include myself here in my early twenties), to put ourselves a cut above the ‘real’ sinners. But we can’t do that and be mature Christians in the same breath. I believe only when we see that, can we truly reach out to those – also in our society when we witness in our daily walk of life – who need the gospel of Christ.
I am just as much a sinner and also just as much prone to sin as my unbelieving neighbour – or believing brother or sister. Romans 3 is an excellent chapter to show this. verses 21-25a say:
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in[h] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.
The only way anyone in the world can escape any of our sins’ just judgment; is by faith in Christ.
Thanks for letting me post this comment. God bless you and your work in spreading the good news through this blog.
Thanks for your comment. Mitigate, I want to touch on one point. You said, “Now, regarding sexual sin itself, one thing that does amaze me, is that in Reformed circles, somehow this sin has been elevated to the worst sin imaginable.” I have seen the damage affairs, pornography, and other sexual sins have done to countless families, congregations, and individuals. Having an affair is breaking an oath, giving to another what is not yours and despising the temple of the holy spirit. Likewise, using pornography in marriage is also breaking marriage vows. It is true that any sin is sin and will separate one from God, however there certainly are degrees of sin. There are 3 more posts in this series so just hang tight. 🙂
I would absolutely agree. The damage is phenomenal. The damage that sins like lying (which is lack of trust) can produce in a marriage is also horrendous. Lying about money, about failures, about sexual activities, or about one’s beliefs in order to appease the other partner. These all cause huge rifts in marriages. Broken trust is hard to restore, whether it is from a sexual sin or another. I believe that is the core issue : trust. So I think we ought to concentrate on the faithfulness of God to us and let that give rise to a certain level of faithfulness in our lives – in every area – as well. Thanks again for posting about this issue.