Three Preventive Steps to Protect Yourself and Your Family
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Walk with God.
The Bible tells us, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). Walking with God will give you the power, will, and resources to stand in the evil day—to resist the temptation to sin. David failed to walk with God, and he became spiritually idle and vulnerable to fleshly lusts.
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Don’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly.
Avoid relationships and friendships that are flirty as well as friendships that would encourage such activity. “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners. . .but his delight is in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 1:1–2).
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Count the cost.
Remembering biblical warnings and reasoning, along with an intense love for God and your spouse, will see you through the rough waters of sexual temptation.
Perhaps you have fallen into the sin of adultery. You may be asking if there is any hope left for you. Can you be forgiven and find a second chance? Of course the answer is a resounding yes!
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
The Trouble with Premarital Sex
Just as the sin of adultery has destroyed so many lives, there have been devastating consequences among adults and youth who have engaged in the sin of fornication (pre-marital sex).
We don’t fall suddenly.
We don’t fall overnight into sin. Many times those who commit the sin of fornication or adultery have:
- Contemplated it carefully and constantly
- Left themselves open and vulnerable
- Gone out looking for it
- Allowed their mind and imagination to be polluted with impure thoughts
Jesus tells us, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).
This does not mean just a casual glance. In the Greek, it refers to the “continuous act of looking.” In this usage, the idea is not that of an incidental or involuntary glance but an intentional and repeated gazing.
This is why Job said, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. . .if my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has been led by my eyes, or if my hands have been defiled, then may others eat what I have sown, and may my crops be uprooted” (Job 31:1, 7–8 NIV).
King David was not at fault for happening to see Bathsheba bathing. His sin was a continuous look and the following action of bringing her to his chambers. One must also wonder if Bathsheba knew the king would be there and intentionally put herself in a place where she could be seen. If lustful looking is bad, then those who dress and expose themselves with the desire to be looked at lustfully are just as guilty.
Guarding our minds
Surveys have shown that nearly 100,000 sexual references are broadcast on all major television networks during prime-time every year. This means that the average American TV viewer watches tens of thousands of references to sex in the course of a year!
We must guard our minds to the best of our abilities. This means:
- If an offensive scene appears at the movies, get up and walk out!
- If something sexually suggestive is on TV, turn the channel or turn the set off!
- If your newspaper or magazine has an offensive article or photograph, turn the page!
Always check out something before you watch it or read it.
“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).
Taking responsibility
One could easily say that it’s impossible for a man or a woman with a sex drive to not fall! But, that’s simply not true. What we must recognize is the combustible aspect of human nature. The Bible tells us, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14–15).
When we get tempted, and when we give into it, we like to place the blame on someone or something else. We often say, “That person trapped me. I’m not responsible.” Or, “The devil made me do it.” But the fact of the matter is we are responsible for our actions. Realizing this is the first step to averting sin.
“If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Hell” (Matthew 5:29–30).
In the Jewish culture, the right hand represented a person’s best skills and most precious faculties. The right eye represented a person’s vision. Jesus’ point is that we should be willing to give up whatever is necessary to keep us from falling into sin. Anything that morally or spiritually traps us, causes us to fall into sin, or causes us to remain in sin should be eliminated quickly and totally from our life!
“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).
