Heidelberg 108–109: You Were Bought With A Price (1)

By Dr. R. Scott Clark - The Heidelblog:

In reaction to the latest phase of the sexual revolution, in response to the discovery by a 5–4 majority of the Supreme Court of the United States of “right” to same-sex marriage, in reaction to the rise of a militant “transgender” (transsexual) movement and the normalization of homosexuality generally, it has become accepted wisdom in some quarters that sexual sin is no different than any other sin. There is a sense in which that is true, of course, since James 2:10 says that to break one commandment is to break all of them. Nevertheless, there is more to be said. The Apostle Paul issued pointed warnings to the Corinthian congregation about the special dangers of sexual sin.

Flee from sexual immorality (πορνείαν). Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body (1 Cor 6:18–20; ESV).

Paul distinguished between sexual immorality and “every other sin.” Does this mean that sexual sin is worse than other sins? Not necessarily but it does mean that sexual sin is distinct from others. It is not easy to say exactly how sexual sin affects us differently from other sins. E.g., gluttony and drunkenness certainly affect the body yet not in quite the same way. Perhaps the difference is this: sex is about the union of two persons. In sex, we give ourselves to one another that simply is not true with other sins and vices. In sexual immorality, then we enter into a sort of false communion. That is different from over eating or theft. Sexual immorality leaves a mark on the soul in way that other sins do not.

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