antonate Posted March 5, 2013 Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit and God's Holy Spirit dwells in our bodies. Paul mentions severe punishments for sexual immorality because it leads to destroying God's temple itself. It gives us awareness to lead a holy life because the consequence of sexual immorality is dangerous and it becomes a warning not to destroy God's own temple created for his holy purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blezed Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 Why do you think Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality? Are these punishments more severe than for other sins? What effect should these warnings have on Christians? Sex is to be holy because we and our bodies belong to God. Sin is sin, although sexual immorality punishment seem to be more severe. We are rebelling against God not man by not following His instructions. Paul's warning should make us realize that we will be punished for such sins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusting God Posted March 12, 2013 Report Share Posted March 12, 2013 Q4. (1 Thessalonians 4:6-8) Why do you think Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality? Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality, because he wanted all believers to know that God will punish sin. A person is responsible to live a holy life, and when they do not Paul wanted them to know the consequences of their sin, and that God will punish them for sexual immorality. Are these punishments more severe than for other sins? No, in God’s sight, sin is sin, and He punishes all sins. James 2:10-11 – “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” What effect should these warnings have on Christians? These warnings should encourage all Christians to live holy lives before God and man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted May 17, 2013 Report Share Posted May 17, 2013 I think that Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality because it is sin against the body. And the body is too used for holy purposes. I don’t think that these punishments are more severe than for other sins. The effects that these warnings have on a Christian is to keep you body pure for the Lord. After all we are going to be his bride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeraja Posted May 20, 2013 Report Share Posted May 20, 2013 Why do you think Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality? Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual morality because it is a sin we are doing with our bodies. The body has been described as the temple of God, which means the Holy Spirit abides in the body.God created man to be holy and pleasing to God. Sexual immorality thus would corrupt the holy body and thus is not acceptable Are these punishments more severe than for other sins? All sins will be punished and thus I don't believe it is more severe with sexual immorality. However the bible seems to indicate the sexual morality is a different kind of sin. It does not specifically mention that it is a bigger sin. What effect should these warnings have on Christians? It is clear that Christians should strive to keep their bodies holy as severe punishments await us. I also believe sexual sins are emphasised here because society has accepted is as the norm and continue to sin. The key to keep our bodies holy is to keep away from sexual immorality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van Posted June 1, 2013 Report Share Posted June 1, 2013 Sexual immorality is results in severe punishment by God because He is a Holy God and sex outside of marriage is a serious sin. Sin is sin. God is Holy, anything outside of holy living is a sin against God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onerivertrail Posted July 10, 2013 Report Share Posted July 10, 2013 Q4. (1 Thessalonians 4:6-8) Why do you think Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality? Are these punishments more severe than for other sins? What effect should these warnings have on Christians? Our bodies belong to the Lord. He is holy and the Father created sex to be within the boundaries of marriage only! Paul states that God Himself will punish those who disregard this order of holiness for marriage only and have unbridled sex outside of marriage. Sexual immorality affects your body and is a very serious sin. All sin is contrary to Gods nature and holiness. To live in sexual sin is rejecting God Himself. These warnings should awaken each Christian to exercise spiritual care to his own body with self discipline. Living a disciplined life in this respect is also a witness of our relationship with Christ to others as we strive to be the bride for Him that is without spot or wrinkle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine1962 Posted July 22, 2013 Report Share Posted July 22, 2013 Paul mentioned such severe punishments for sexual immorality, because it's a sin against the body which is the temple of God. A sin is a sin. There is no large or small sin. All Christians should listen to and take heed of Paul's warnings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinstonY Posted October 23, 2014 Report Share Posted October 23, 2014 Q4. (1 Thessalonians 4:6-8) Why do you think Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality? Are these punishments more severe than for other sins? What effect should these warnings have on Christians? Paul puts a lot of stress on the simile of a couple being together and Christ and the church. The symbolism is so strong for him that he emphasis the sin that symbolizes the relation between Christ and the church. Yes, for the reason stated above. We should also put great importance to our partnerships as they are symbols of our relationship with the Lord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoanG Posted May 9, 2015 Report Share Posted May 9, 2015 Sexual immorality does not just hurt the person having sex. It reaches so many more. It is actually a sin against many at one time. The punishment should be more severe because of all the people that one act does hurt. We, as Christians, need to take this warning very seriously. We need to be more aware of how we treat others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouse2014 Posted June 12, 2016 Report Share Posted June 12, 2016 Q4. (1 Thessalonians 4:6-8) Why do you think Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality? Are these punishments more severe than for other sins? What effect should these warnings have on Christians? Paul mentions severe punishment for sexual sin because for one, these new Christians came out of a society and culture that allowed such practice. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they are now part of the body of Christ, they are to be holy as he is holy. They should know the penalty for sexual sins. These punishments are a sin against their bodies which are part of Christ body. Other sins are against God and society such as lying, stealing and worshiping idols. The warnings of these sins of sexual content should teach us that we are to give up the natural things of the bodily nature and discipline ourselves morally, physically and spiritually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reuben Posted November 12, 2021 Report Share Posted November 12, 2021 Q4. (1 Thessalonians 4:6-8) Why do you think Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality? Are these punishments more severe than for other sins? What effect should these warnings have on Christians? It is obvious that it was a big problem at that time and people did not think much of it to go around and be sexually immoral. It is no surprise because they were not aware that they were doing "WRONG" in some respect because they had no idea of the standards God sets in the Bible regarding how we should live our lives. Today it is still a big problem, but most if not almost everybody today knows it is wrong because they would have that knowledge, and that knowledge is having the Bible as our moral compass. It is whether you believe it or reject it! Paul makes the point as harsh has he could to draw their focus on this area of sin that seems to be a big problem. No the punishment for sin is not graded in any degree, you fall short and you sin, and are not categorised according to your wrong doing. The punishment, or judgement is the same. It reminds us that we are in a daily struggle against this battle between the flesh and the spirit, and we need to reload ourselves daily with this spiritual ammunition to fight this battle with the Holy Spirit as the bullets in the magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Edwards Posted May 16, 2023 Report Share Posted May 16, 2023 Connected with idolatry. Apostle Paul knew so well how idolatry and the list of concupiscence we're connected. The Thessalonians came out of such environment. All throughout the Old Testament, we read the terrible consequences of fornication and idol worship. The consequences were devastating;. it was the cause of the demise of King Manasseh, King Solomon and countless others. It against Leviticus 19:2; 2Peter1:4; it is against God's holiness,the Divine nature of God. Inconsistent with the design of the Gospel of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Also it is a sin against the soul. Intrinsic disordered acts have fatal consequences: wasting of the body, wars against the soul, causes shame, eventually poverty will come, and excludes from the Kingdom of God. We must treat our physical bodies with due honor. We are God's workmenship, vessels unto honor and temples of the Holy Spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 I have no idea how God "grades" sin or how He thinks about what I've done wrong, but I do have the voice of the Holy Spirit within me who does, in His way, point out particular sins as needing rectification. So, I have no idea if God looks down on sexual sin as "worse" than greed or pride, for example, but I do know that God wants me to be celibate, and so I am. The idea of some sins being worse than others, at all times and all places, makes me uncomfortable. The sins that are pressing problems are those that God is pointing out at that moment and place. These could be sexual sins, but more than likely are not. Paul was celibate. He gave up the sexual aspect of life -- a good and wonderful part of life! -- to concentrate on the ministry. He even suggested that other Christians do the same, that they refrain from marriage and sex in order to put Christ first. The idea behind this is that a wedded couple has split loyalties, to God and to their beloved, and that split-ness within the heart makes it less possible to serve Him wholly. There's a secondary idea that marriage is a lesser form of the Christian life, one for the weak not the strong. Luther, as a monk, fought this idea in the Catholic Church. Catholics, of course, have unmarried clergy because they believe that celibacy is a higher calling than marriage. Protestants "protested" this belief ... Luther eventually married a nun and had many children. The polar opposite of sexual immorality is celibacy, not sexual morality or sex within marriage. Celibacy isn't merely physical, but is a mental state. The latter is hard to attain, not so much sexually, but emotionally. It's difficult to give up the emotional bond of marriage when it's available and desired. Yet, for some, God demands this. For some, God demands celibacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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