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“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.“
1 Corinthians 6:18
I remember… years ago, when corruption had taken hold of my mind and body. I was working “graveyard” shift in a medical lab.
Just about every morning I’d come home to my seedy apartment. I’d gotten into the habit of smoking weed through a bong (water pipe) in order to relax enough to go to sleep, and be able to sleep through the ever-loud country and Western music coming though the wall of the drunk older man next door.
I’d typically fall into a deep sleep, and I would dream, often of sexual situations.
It’s what happened next that was the interesting part…
My dreams were escapes–escapes from the reality and unresolved pain of my existence and wrong choices. But you can only escape so far. I found out what comes at the end of escape–darkness.
My dreams would get dark, and I mean literally. My vision would be blocked in shadows. And I’d see scary things, which would drive me to wake up out of stone cold fear.
The trigger for the dark dreams was almost always sex.
Soon I began to seek a way out of my private hell, which led me to some false Christian churches, and then meditation (quiet prayer), and I began to slowly see my way out.
Yes, flashes of illumination came, but the deception, corruption, and stubbornness within me was strong, and thus clarity took a great deal of time to shine through.
I deal with my corruption and desire to overcome it in my posts Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll Really ARE the GATEWAY TO HELL.
You CANNOT separate spiritual and physical sin
I used to know a preacher who says that the only real sin is anger, that physical “sins” are just ways people use to hide from the pain of anger. There is certainly a great deal of truth in that, but to say that physical sin–particularly sexual sin–is basically just a hiding place, is simply not true.
As 1 Corinthians 6:18 explicitly says, “…the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.”
This gets back to God’s original purpose for sex, which is an expression of union, and procreation between a married man and woman.
Notice how the Devil has changed the sexual act into something completely different: sex outside of marriage, adultery, incest, homosexuality and even bestiality. There is no limit to how a person will debase themselves and others through sexual acts.
In other words, “The sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” And I might add, “…and against the bodies of others too.”
Sex is about body AND spirit. It cannot be separated. It starts in the mind, and it envelopes the emotions. It feels like LIFE. It is a form of life–EGO life. It makes our spirits feel good as it makes our bodies feel good.
When you look into the eyes of a person consumed with lust, you will see that the original person’s spirit has been displaced, and replaced with the spirit of lust.
You no longer see the original person. You don’t see their love. Or consideration. Or even their reason. You see something else, and they themselves may not even be aware of who they have become once lust has taken hold of their mind.
A way out?
This is the closing part of this post, and as I type this I don’t know that I have a clear-cut answer in seeking a way out. Because I am still seeking full salvation from this sin.
I do know where this sin starts, though, and it is in the mind. And I do know that the answer is related to shrinking from the temptation to fill our minds with thoughts and images of debasement. When we are willing to forego the pleasure in our mind, our bodies will follow.
I do recommend daily (first thing in the morning, last thing at night) prayer/meditation. I also recommend reading the Bible regularly (not a lot, just enough to ponder some wisdom and remind yourself of God’s promises), and fellowshipping with like-minded people (where and when they can be found!).
You may stumble and fall–perhaps a lot! But your true desire to be God’s son or daughter will point you to where you need to be.
Be patient with yourself.
As always, I wish you health, success, and freedom! (And especially freedom from obeying sexual thoughts!).
Patrick Rooney is the Founder of OldSchoolUs.com. He communicates clearly and fearlessly during perilous times about natural health, success, and freedom. To reach Patrick, email him at [email protected].
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True true..ut all begins in the imagination. Anger is clearly not the only captivating sin as Jesse likes to teach which is a whoring out of what Jesus taught. The root yes.
Thanks, Fabian. Yes, anger is an important part. But as I wrote, my experiences of long ago taught me there is clearly a bodily component here. Once experienced it cannot be denied. I just kind of forgot it along the way, but now am re-crystalizing what I know to be true.