How To Bring Back Christian Sexual Morality In Society?

[AspiringChristian]

Hi everyone,

I have recently joined this forum, and this is a question that has been with me through my entire life. I am a young Christian surrounded by mostly secular people. A lot of the social ills today are caused by lack of sexual morality, and the fact that this lack of morality is justified as cool, chic, and fashionable. We see 50%+ divorce rates, failing marriages, harmed children, broken families... Seeing other men looking after scantily dressed women, lusting after them, people who date multiple people at once, people who cheat on their wives, I find all these issues disgusting. Personally, a lot of these issues outrage me, and the injustice that I see is hard for me to bear - even just thinking about it hurts. I don't personally find it difficult to stay away from sexual immorality, but then peer pressure has very little effect on me, while on most others I notice the exact opposite. 

I am trying to build a community of Christians locally, but it is very difficult in the midsts of a largely secular society. I came to understand the wrongness of sexual immorality a few years before becoming a Christian. I cannot see why anyone would give up the beauty and stability of a monogamous marriage for sexual promiscuity. Even in terms of sexual pleasure alone, nothing can rival the passion, emotional and spiritual intimacy that can exist in a monogamous marriage. To give up a monogamous marriage for promiscuity seems to me to be the height of folly - it is much like giving up $1,000,000 to get $1,000. And I'm saying this as a man, and yet most people around seem to think that men are naturally promiscuous (something with which I very much disagree).

I have found that the "unpopular" views of Christianity on sexual morality - and I include here abortion, homosexuality, promiscuity, adultery, fornication - are very frequently THE stumbling block when it comes to secular people seriously considering Christianity. So to re-Christianise the West, we have to change views on sexual morality. My question is, what is the best way to approach this? How can we go about convincing others who disagree with us? How are we to act in the face of injustice - say if we hear that a friend is cheating on their wife?

I think one big weapon that secular society uses to enforce sexual promiscuity is peer pressure. By using peer pressure, and having society approve of things such as homosexuality and promiscuity, they make them popular. I notice that many young guys are promiscuous NOT because they enjoy it, but because it is popular, because it can make them look good in the eyes of other people. Other guys would admire them, and want to imitate them. So more than a sexual sin, it is a sin similar to idolatry - putting what other men think of you above what God thinks of you. To counteract this, we need to make sexual morality cool again - not something for prudes, but something for real men and women.

Another big weapon of the enemy is the intolerance that exists when we try to condemn sexual immorality. If we try to condemn homosexuality, we get a massive reaction from the rest of society. However, if they try to condemn Christian sexual morality, then this is very easy to do. If we try to condemn adultery, suddenly we are judgemental, obsessed about the private behaviour of others and bad. But of course, sexual crimes like adultery do not impact just the adulterer. It also harms other people. I see no reason why we should accept an unrepentant adulterer in our midsts. On the contrary, as a society, we should isolate such a person. But when the adulterer excuses their behaviour in the eyes of society, that is acceptable. 

Also, the other big thing to notice is that the biggest sins that come through sexual immorality aren't sexual sins at all. For example, as I mentioned before, many promiscuous people do it not because they enjoy it, but rather because they enjoy the status that others give them for it. So it's really their pride driving them to do it, not their desire for pleasure.

So my question is what can we do to bring back sexual morality in society? What can we do to convince others? How should we deal with seeing sexual immorality around ourselves? How can we go about building Christian communities in the midsts of immorality?

Edited August 12, 2018 by AspiringChristian

[Mike Mclees]

30 minutes ago, AspiringChristian said:

Hi everyone,

I have recently joined this forum, and this is a question that has been with me through my entire life. I am a young Christian surrounded by mostly secular people. A lot of the social ills today are caused by lack of sexual morality, and the fact that this lack of morality is justified as cool, chic, and fashionable. We see 50%+ divorce rates, failing marriages, harmed children, broken families... Seeing other men looking after scantily dressed women, lusting after them, people who date multiple people at once, people who cheat on their wives, I find all these issues disgusting. Personally, a lot of these issues outrage me, and the injustice that I see is hard for me to bear - even just thinking about it hurts. I don't personally find it difficult to stay away from sexual immorality, but then peer pressure has very little effect on me, while on most others I notice the exact opposite. 

I am trying to build a community of Christians locally, but it is very difficult in the midsts of a largely secular society. I came to understand the wrongness of sexual immorality a few years before becoming a Christian. I cannot see why anyone would give up the beauty and stability of a monogamous marriage for sexual promiscuity. Even in terms of sexual pleasure alone, nothing can rival the passion, emotional and spiritual intimacy that can exist in a monogamous marriage. To give up a monogamous marriage for promiscuity seems to me to be the height of folly - it is much like giving up $1,000,000 to get $1,000. And I'm saying this as a man, and yet most people around seem to think that men are naturally promiscuous (something with which I very much disagree).

I have found that the "unpopular" views of Christianity on sexual morality - and I include here abortion, homosexuality, promiscuity, adultery, fornication - are very frequently THE stumbling block when it comes to secular people seriously considering Christianity. So to re-Christianise the West, we have to change views on sexual morality. My question is, what is the best way to approach this? How can we go about convincing others who disagree with us? How are we to act in the face of injustice - say if we hear that a friend is cheating on their wife?

I think one big weapon that secular society uses to enforce sexual promiscuity is peer pressure. By using peer pressure, and having society approve of things such as homosexuality and promiscuity, they make them popular. I notice that many young guys are promiscuous NOT because they enjoy it, but because it is popular, because it can make them look good in the eyes of other people. Other guys would admire them, and want to imitate them. So more than a sexual sin, it is a sin similar to idolatry - putting what other men think of you above what God thinks of you. To counteract this, we need to make sexual morality cool again - not something for prudes, but something for real men and women.

Another big weapon of the enemy is the intolerance that exists when we try to condemn sexual immorality. If we try to condemn homosexuality, we get a massive reaction from the rest of society. However, if they try to condemn Christian sexual morality, then this is very easy to do. If we try to condemn adultery, suddenly we are judgemental, obsessed about the private behaviour of others and bad. But of course, sexual crimes like adultery do not impact just the adulterer. It also harms other people. I see no reason why we should accept an unrepentant adulterer in our midsts. On the contrary, as a society, we should isolate such a person. But when the adulterer excuses their behaviour in the eyes of society, that is acceptable. 

Also, the other big thing to notice is that the biggest sins that come through sexual immorality aren't sexual sins at all. For example, as I mentioned before, many promiscuous people do it not because they enjoy it, but rather because they enjoy the status that others give them for it. So it's really their pride driving them to do it, not their desire for pleasure.

So my question is what can we do to bring back sexual morality in society? What can we do to convince others? How should we deal with seeing sexual immorality around ourselves? How can we go about building Christian communities in the midsts of immorality?

Out of all the sins committed sexual sin rises to the top. Who do you think we should home in on. Church misconduct or are you including the world at large. There is little we can do or are directed to do to address the world that does not fear God. When it comes to the church we call these things closet sins or secret sin. Preachers can preach about these sins but it really comes down to ones moral integrity.

[ambc]

There is barely anything Christians can do to prevent licentiousness. If a Christian were to post on Twitter that he opposes gay marriage, SJWs would track down his employer and try to get him fired.

[Neighbor]

3 hours ago, AspiringChristian said:

So my question is what can we do to bring back sexual morality in society? What can we do to convince others? How should we deal with seeing sexual immorality around ourselves? How can we go about building Christian communities in the midsts of immorality?

Hi and welcome. Is that the question? Okay I suggest for consideration that  the answer might be  better found with Paul's urging to be like him.

And yet God knows there will be no  future of mankind if all are like Paul. The result of a faith built around such premise as lacking of sexual encounter  or desire is found in the now dead Shaker movement of England and then America ( not truly Christian, but based upon a sense of very strict sexual morality).

All said, I think  the cause being championed in the OP is flawed from the get go. For it is Christ that is to be sought, the fullness of having God upon each saints mind, with the doing of all things  done being done to the Glory of God, and not by trying to maintain the absence of sins. For stressing the absence, and in this case marriage or abstinence is a self defeating  tactic.

Instead each saint can may and will find His purpose by working to becoming aware of God and in giving thanks to God the son, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Father in all things, in all events big and small as they occur in  life. That way there is  constant comune with God, and the other concerns, the don'ts,  take care of themselves for the saint's spirit is lifted as it is indwelled as the Holy Spirit is not only listened to but also followed, all the time leaving no time for building upon negatives and dislikes out of any personal sense of rage.

Rage is a lousy motivator. Love thy neighbor is the better motivation if one is needed in addition to welcoming the Holy Spirit into all activity so that the Holy Spirit is heard, Jesus is followed, and God the Father is honored. 

 

Edited August 12, 2018 by Neighbor

[Neighbor]

Better to love the sinner of all sins and to help the young that have become parents without marriage plan and have children in need of a saved parent. Better to help at unwed mother's facilities, better to help the orphan, and the widow too than  it is to focus upon rage at the sins of those that have engaged in their own folly.

Better to see my own log in my own eye and be appreciative in fear of the LORD while giving thanks for His mercy and grace upon me. May many  hear the Holy Spirit and be turne dabout from their own rebellion against God to worship and bond servanthood  to Jesus who is God the Son.

 

[LadyKay]

4 hours ago, AspiringChristian said:

So my question is what can we do to bring back sexual morality in society?

You can't expect non-Christians to do as Christians do.  All you can do is decided for yourself to either follow Christ or follow the world. 

[Mike Mclees]

I fear for the church today since they have legalized perverted life styles in society the church will be eroded.  .

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering 

Hebrews 10:23 

[Guest PinkBelt]

You can't force people to live according to someone else's morality. If they aren't believers then there is no reason to expect them to live according to biblical values.

[AspiringChristian]

4 hours ago, Neighbor said:

All said, I think  the cause being championed in the OP is flawed from the get go. For it is Christ that is to be sought, the fullness of having God upon each saints mind, with the doing of all things  done being done to the Glory of God, and not by trying to maintain the absence of sins. For stressing the absence, and in this case marriage or abstinence is a self defeating  tactic.

I agree that Christ is the ultimate solution to the problem, but going from not accepting Christ, to accepting Christ is a process. It is not a on-off switch. Apologetics exists because we think it is possible to bring others to the faith. So this is definitely important - we are called to care for the state of our fellow human beings. And, on top of that, we also live in society. Whether we like it or not, we are affected by society, so it's only sensible that we should care about its state.

So accepting Christian sexual morality is part of the path of coming to Christ. Many people are kept away from Christ because they are ignorant of the dangers of sexual immorality.

[AspiringChristian]

5 hours ago, PinkBelt said:

If they aren't believers then there is no reason to expect them to live according to biblical values.

Sure, but the fact that they do not live according to biblical values is a problem that Christians should address. Nowhere in Scripture is it said that sinners should be allowed to persist in their sin. It is a Christian duty to our fellow men to try to bring them to Christ. For to love your neighbour means precisely to help them love God.

4 hours ago, Cletus said:

forget society. 

But this is precisely the attitude that has got us here. In the past, immorality still existed - but it was looked down upon, the culture as a whole was against it. Sure, you could be a homosexual, but you had to hide it from everyone else. You could be an adulterer, but you had to keep it a secret. You could be a sexually promiscuous young man - but again, you would have to keep it a secret, or at least avoid talking about it. Nowadays, you can "show off" based on your immorality - you can wear your immorality with pride, instead of shame. This is the kind of shamelessness which screams to the heavens for justice.