Posted on 04/11/2014 6:47:22 AM PDT by pastorbillrandles
I was exposed to an expression I had never heard before,in a troubling article in the Christian Post.The expression is “Sexual Atheism” and it refers to the cavalier attitude toward sexual activity among professing Christian youth.
In a recent study conducted by ChristianMingle.com, Christian singles between the ages of 18 to 59 were asked, “Would you have sex before marriage?” The response? Sixty-three percent of the single Christian respondents indicated yes. In my 30 years of youth and adult ministry experience, this is as unfiltered, direct and honest as a question and answer can be.
It is equally honest to say that nearly nine out of 10 self-proclaimed single Christians are, in practice, sexual atheists. In other words, God has nothing to say to them on that subject of any consequence or, at least, anything meaningful enough to dissuade them from following their own course of conduct. It is the ultimate oxymoron. A person who at once believes in a wise, sovereign and loving God who created them and all things, can also believe simultaneously He should not, cannot or will not inform their thinking or living sexually. It reminds me of those famous red letters in Luke’s Gospel where Jesus says, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46, NIV). There is disconnect between identity and activity.(Christian Post, KENNY LUCK , CP CONTRIBUTOR April 10, 2014|10:26 am)What we have here is the fruit of decades of deficient teaching and preaching in evangelical churches. Pastors have failed to present the vision of God to the youth so they do not fear Him. Preachers have presented a deficient view of salvation, (“Jesus as Saviour only, not as LORD”), and a failure to warn congregations of the “exclusionary sins” such as those listed in ! Corinthians 6,
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.( I Cor 6:9-11)Obviously a good many confessing Christians either have never heard his warning, or they simply don’t believe it.
The Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God! Be Not Deceived!…Those who practice unrighteousness are not going to heaven! It is frightening to read the article and to hear that there is virtually no fear of God in this area, Sexual experimentation is no big deal, to these young people, the culture has prevailed, and somehow these young people have the idea that they are ‘saved’ even though they practice fornication!
Pastors have sold out the flocks by ignoring or denying doctrines such as the enormity of sin, the final judgment and the reality of Hell and the lake of fire, knowing that if they emphasized such things people would leave to find a more comfortable church.
How trendy and hip the new church is! How sweetly they speak of Grace and Love and even more grace! How toned down and irreverent the services are with their rock bands and rock star worship leaders! See how cool the leaders are, with their hair teased just right and their shirts untucked?Is there anything to dress up for? Anyone to fear and adore?
As they sing breathlessly their man centered ‘worship’ songs, which could easily be confused with Pop music Love songs, not really extolling the Majesty and Glory of God, does anyone draw near?
What young people need is a vision of a Holy God who is to be feared and adored!
But instead they get insipid sermons about self-esteem, ‘relationships’ and hip youth leaders trying ever to relate to them, and to cater to their every feeling.
But they are literally fulfilling the prophecy of Jude who warned of men who would “turn the grace of God into Lasciviousness”, so de-emphasizing the part of the gospel about repentance, the fear of God, Hell and Judgment, the utter danger of sin, the last days, and the meaning of Holiness, to the point that all that is left is a meaningless “unconditional love”, which isn’t entirely even true!
Weep for the youth everybody! Wail and howl for the miserys that are sure to come upon them! Plead with them before the Lord’s altar, perhaps the Lord will grant the youth a Holy visitation and they may yet be saved. The Lord is slow to Anger and abounds in great mercy.
Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly: Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God? Then will the Lord be jealous for his land, and pity his people.(Joel 2:12-18)
Rich young rulers walking away sad. There is a difference between a disciple willing to pick up the cross and follow and someone who believes so they can be in heaven when they die.
Couple of questions: if you think sexual atheism is an accurate term for this (and I do not) - would you use terms for other areas of life such as financial atheism, nutritional atheism, internet atheism, etc?
And would you assume any distinction between those who have no unction to change - and are just too weak to do so now- and those who have no real conviction that they should change?
the point of my title is to refute the idea of sexual atheism. The real word is “False conversion” these people aren’t saved!
There is that distinction, and it is about what you believe, not what you do in that regard. The question should have been “Is sex before marriage a sin”, and I guarantee there are about 50% who would say no!
But then there are those who know its a sin and are too weak to resist, who repent sincerely afterwards
I understand the point - and I think, in some cases, you are clearly accurate. However, as I understand salvation, it is different from sanctification - and there are differences between sinners and those who backslide, etc, into sin.
Just seems to me your brush is a bit too broad, though I do believe you are within the lines regarding some people. I also am not convinced that sexual sins are any more problematic to God than other sins - (and I am not convinced they are not, either).
I agree there is a distinction…I don’t think the article embraced it though.
The problem is that nobody likes ‘a set of rules’ without having a true understanding of why the rules exist….. an understanding that transcends the obvious “because the Bible says so” and is so clear that it then translates into belief and actions. This is where the Church has repeatedly fallen down. I have sat through many sermons where the topic of sex was addressed including ones where the message was even directed at the youth of the congregation. Only a scant few of those even partially hit the mark.
Paul had some rather harsh rebukes for the saints in Corinth. But never did he imply they were not saints. Quite the contrary: In the passage you cited, he says - even though they were engaging in sins he rebukes - that they were sanctified.
Now granted, many today are being taught lies masquerading as the gospel. Following these false gospels, they are therefore not even washed, sanctified, justified. And this is where they need correcting first and most of all. Once they become saints, we can rebuke and exhort in love, as fellow disciples of Christ.
I have a cousin who goes to church every Sunday, but is living with her boyfriend. When confronted about why she is having sex outside of marriage when that is against her religion, she replied, “I don’t think it’s a sin.” The problem is as old as Eden...people deciding good and evil for themselves.
Have your cake and eat it too.
I think your article is good, but I would recommend (as an author myself) that you remove all the exclamation points. Let your words speak for themselves.
"Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit."
This passage connects sexual purity to:
1. abound(ing) more and more, (spiritual growth)
2. how you ought to walk and to please God,
3. a commandment given through the Lord Jesus,
4. the will of God, and;
5. your sanctification
It concludes by saying, "he who rejects this .. rejects God."
Most Christians have never been taught this commandment against sexual immorality. When is the last time you heard this passage from the pulpit?
In general, I agree. If you can ignore the clear teachings on sexual purity in scripture you probably worship a Jesus other than the one described in the New Testament.
And your cousin is wrong, clearly….on this point. But I would be hesitant to say that this one thing makes her a false convert, or a sexual atheist. That may be the case, but I would narrow the brush a tad...
Thanks C Edmund, I appreciate your points. I realize that a Xhristian may struggle and “lose” to sexual sin from time to time. The article I cied semed to imply that youth were pracicing unrighteousness with no qualms whatsoever.
What do you mean ?
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