God does not tolerate sexual sin. He never has and He never will. And there are plenty of good reasons for it. This particular sin is very harmful on several levels. Not only does it destroy the individual’s soul and spirit, it also is an action very difficult to erase. Once you have an affair, you can never “undo it.” It is now a part of you, forever. You can be forgiven, but you cannot erase past actions. It has dire effects on the family, causing divorce, child abandonment and a whole host of other unintended consequences. And when the family breaks down, whole societies break down.
That is why we find in the last book of the Bible—after the resurrection, pentecost, and years of church growth—that Jesus is still saying the same thing. He hasn’t changed. Tolerance of this type of sin in our lives and in the local church is unacceptable.
That phrase introduces the “woman Jezebel.” The Lord is using a name from the Old Testament to describe this woman’s character. The original Jezebel was introduced in the book of 1 Kings as the wife of King Ahab. She had profound influence, and used it for evil. She quickly became the most feared person in Israel. The Bible records several incidents that made her infamous for evil deeds ranging from false accusations, to murder, to mass murder, to forgery. However, history has shown that the name Jezebel is now primarily synonymous with sexual immorality. And from that one association come all the other evils that plagued Israel during her reign. She derived her power from her sexuality and then used it to dominate, control, manipulate and murder.
The result of her seduction was murder on a large scale. She massacred the prophets of the Lord and even struck fear into the heart of Elijah, one of the most powerful prophets ever to walk the earth. In response, she incited the full wrath of God for her complete rebellion.
How does this relate to sexual immorality today? Jezebel hasn’t changed. Her spirit has the same goal: seduce you, then reduce you. If you are a child of God, she especially hates you and your family. Believe me, she’s not your friend.
So you say to yourself, “Hold on a minute, Doug. I’m not that bad. I only looked at a few photos. I am not as bad as other guys.” Really? Do you think it matters if you look once or twenty times? Let me ask you a question. Do you know why heroin dealers give out free samples to newcomers? Because they know if the person gets just one taste, they will beg for more. Then he will have a customer for life. Do you want to become a lifelong customer? If you think you can control lust, you are deceived. The opposite is true, and unless you can see this, it will only increase its hold on you.
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