November 29 - Sexual Immortality?

 Read today’s texts first: 1 Thessalonians 4-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-3

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

May we control our morality
on the basis of our pending immortality! 

I remember one of Jay Leno’s blooper headlines from the Ted Haggard scandal:  “Pastor Admits to Sexual Immortality.”  While he may have become “immortalized” because of his sexual immorality, the truth is sexual sin makes us very mortal.  For the past few years I discussed this story with my students in our Spiritual Formation class. It became the introduction to an assignment of setting up “Moral Fences,” a safeguard for their lives and ministries.

The passage says “that you should avoid sexual immorality, that each of you should learn to control his own body” (4:3-4).  Paul had also explained to the Corinthians how sexual sins are the most devastating because they violate our own bodies, which have been set apart as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

Moral fences are controls we set up for our lives to minimize temptation and to build the strength we need to overcome the temptations we can’t avoid.  For me, it had to do with telling my wife everything, censoring my entertainment options, memorizing Scripture and practicing spiritual disciplines.  The students came up with some other controls, such as accountability partners for computer use and avoiding potentially compromising dating situations.  I was proud of their resolve to remain pure.

The context of this passage on immorality is the promise of Christ’s soon return.  My challenge to the students, and to myself, was to live each day with the anticipation that Jesus could return at any moment.  What do I want to be doing at the moment Jesus comes back for me?  “Lord, help me control my morality on the basis of my pending immortality!”