If a professed believer in Jesus Christ is living in sexual immorality it is an emergency situation. The most elementary understanding of repentance of sin includes the necessity of confession and forsaking sexual sin. This is quite clear all throughout Scripture, especially in the New Testament. Severe warning is given to those that continue in sexual immorality.   

Because God’s will about sex is so clear, and because sexual deviation from God’s plan is so evil, God’s warnings about sexual sin are intense. Christians today need to have the fear of God about what the New Testament has to say about sexual sin, especially what it says to professed Christians who continue in sexual immorality.

Severe Warnings About Sexual Immorality

In Galatians 5, Paul described for us the sinful lifestyle often normalized by those outside of Christ and dominated by the flesh with its sinful desires. He said that the “works of the flesh” are “evident” (obvious, CSB):  “sexual immorality (adultery, KJV), impurity (moral impurity, CSB), sensuality (debauchery, NIV; promiscuity, CSB; lustful pleasures, NLT; total irresponsibility, lack of self-control, AMP), idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries (selfish ambition, LSB), dissensions, orgies (carousing, NASB95), and things like these” (v.19-21a). Notice in this description the prominence of sexual sins.

But in verse 21, Paul says something that might take many by surprise: “I warned you before that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Those who continue repentant in the types of sins that are blatant rebellion against God and indicative of an unchanged life have no hope of salvation.

A professed Christian living in sexual immorality should fear for their souls, driving them to repentance and victory through grace. No excuse will get around this severe warning for those unrepentant. God demands transformation by His grace, which anyone with a sincere faith in Jesus Christ will desire.

Sexual Deviation as Rebellion Against God

Paul is quite clear that sexual immorality is rebellion against God Himself. More than this, the apostle emphasizes that the more depraved and evil people are, the more sexual perversion and deviation from God’s plan for sex there is among them (Romans 1:18-28). Homosexuality is described (v.26-27). No amount of linguistic gymnastics or evasive interpretation tactics can eliminate such clear teaching about God’s view of sexual deviation.

The Holy Spirit through this passage describes sexual rebellion (“sexual freedom” or “revolution” is the world’s spin on it) as His judgment. Sexual deviation dehumanizes mankind. It is “impurity,” “dishonoring our bodies” (v.24), giving in to “dishonorable passions,” a rejection of God’s created plan and “contrary to nature,” “shameless” (v.26-27), and deserving of eternal death (v.32). Anyone guilty of sexual deviation faces God’s judgment for their rebellious and shameless abuse of His creation, their bodies.

The fact that God does not immediately and eternally judge us for sexual immorality is God’s forbearance and patience, His mercy.  Romans 2:4 says, “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.” The serious nature of our sins in the sight of God, particularly sexual immorality, should cause us fear and drive us to take advantage of His forgiveness and new life through His Son, Jesus Christ.  

Zero Toleration for Believers in Unrepentant Sexual Sin

Church discipline is demanded by God through the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 5.  There was a man involved in incest with his stepmother in the Corinthian church. He was to be “delivered to Satan,” i.e., cast out of the congregation of believers, until he repented and changed. This was for his own sake, to urge him to repentance and salvation, as well as to protect the congregation from the evil influence of a professed believer living in rebellion against God (v.1-8).

Paul doesn’t stop there. God’s champion for freedom from the law and slavery to Christ’s love went on to command the Corinthians “not to associate with sexually immoral people (who are professed Christians)” and “not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother (or sister) if he is guilty of sexual immorality…Purge the evil person from among you (v. 9-13).”

Jesus sharply rebuked two of the churches in Revelation 3 because of their toleration of sexual immorality and those aberrant views of Christianity that encouraged it that He hates (2:6,12-29). The world system of the antichrist is repeatedly described by religious and sexual immorality by John (chs.17-18).

These severe warnings about sexual immorality must be taken very seriously by God’s people. Those succumbing to this sin need immediate and intense discipleship for their own sake, as well as that of the entire local body of believers.  The man was disciplined and apparently later repented of his sin (2 Corinthians 2:5-11).

Sexual Repentance and Purity Assumed for Every Christian

1 Corinthians 6 gives us another very strong warning to believers involved in sexual immorality. Paul says, “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, not idolaters, no adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality…will inherit the kingdom of God (v.9-10).”

God’s Word could not be clearer. Our sexuality is created by God for His glory. If we love and fear God, if we have been made right with God through Jesus Christ, we will submit our sexuality to God. We will repent of sexual immorality and seek sexual purity according to God’s plan.

Ephesians 5 tells us, “But sexual immorality and all impurity…must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints…For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure…has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words (as thought this was not true), for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience (v.3, 5-6).” (see also Colossians 3:5-7)

Believers Set Free to Flee

If we have received Jesus Christ as our new Lord and Savior, we need to flee this sin! Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 6, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God…Flee from sexual immorality.” Believers in Jesus Christ are set free. Now free we must flee from that which would place us again in bondage. We are forgiven, made holy in Jesus Christ, and given His Spirit. (see also Ephesians 2:1-10; Colossians 3:5-7)

Our Bodies God’s Temple

The apostle goes on in that passage to say that because we are sanctified and justified in Christ, we must view our body differently. We must now live in the reality that our body is now “a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom we have from God” (v.19). What we do with our body matters a lot to God. We are His special dwelling place. Through us God is to be worshipped and honored. People are to look at us and see what God is like because we are His temple.

We are no longer our own. Our sex life is no longer our own (as though it ever truly was). Our new life in Jesus Christ came at great cost, a price that we acknowledge through our repentance and willingness to follow Him. Paul said, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (v.19-20). (see also 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8)

No Place in the New Heaven and New Earth

The apostle John describes for us in Revelation 20-21 the last judgement for Satan and unbelievers and the joys and glories of the reign of Jesus Christ and of the New Heaven and New Earth to come. He then gives this stern warning: “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (v.8).

Notice that this list describes what the unrepentant person looks like. Included in this list, alongside the evilest of deeds, is the sexually immoral. God rejects all unrepentant sinners. No professed believer in Jesus unrepentant of sexual sin will enjoy God’s presence, no, not even one.   

At the very end of Revelation, John quotes the risen Lord Jesus speaking in his vision. Between quotes from the Lord, John repeats the very direct warning from earlier: “Outside (of the new heaven and earth) are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” (22:15).

Living in the Will of God

The apostle Peter continues the emphasis given in this article: “live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles (pagans, those that don’t know God) want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:2-5). 

We must come to Jesus Christ as we are, sinners incapable of knowing, loving, and obeying God. Our guilt and shame cannot be dealt with in our own strength and wisdom. For many of us, sexual immorality is a part of that brokenness before God. Once made right with God through Jesus, our sins forgiven and guilt and shame removed, we can now live the rest of our lives for God. Living for God, doing His will, includes sexual purity.

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).