[TruthTalk] Fornication in the camp

[Chris Barr]

\o/ !HALALUYah! \o/ Joyous Greetings to you and your family in the Matchless Name of YahShua !!   Fornication in the camp Just about one year ago I had the privilege to be part of an entourage preaching The Word in the open air at the very large and majestic University of Alabama. There was some of the best preaching and greatest responsiveness I've ever personally witnessed in that week of wonder. One of those days a preacher was reproving the students for that which typically fills campuses today -- sexual immorality and drunkenness. His text was I Corinthians 6:9-11. This message typically brings out rage, mocking, and justification for sinful behaviour from students. This day was typical in many ways. As things were just getting going a young woman that was walking by stopped. She stood and listened for a short while. This young woman stood out as different from most of the other students. There was a sober and quiet demeanor about her. Her attire was a long dress that did not expose herself in any manner. This young woman looked to be a good Christian. She looked to be a lady. Soon this young lady gathered herself in front of the preacher and sat down. She took out a notebook and began to take notes appearing very attentive. After more than an hour she called one of the ladies with us to her. She began to pour out her heart. The young lady said she was a Christian and attended church regularly. Never had she heard such preaching as this. She was pricked in her heart. This Christian, church going young lady then noted that she had on occasion engaged in sexual behaviour with young men. She then said that she had no idea she was guilty of fornication before hearing the preaching on that matter on this day. How is it possible for one regularly attending a Christian church to not know what fornication is? Does this surprise you? You may well be very surprised at how little is known amongst believers about what fornication is. Before one stands in judgment of this young lady above I would note that the Saviour warned in Matthew 7 that one will be judged in accordance with how one judges. Most believers in my experience would note that fornication is sex before marriage. There are those who teach a doctrine of "no divorce, no remarriage, no exceptions" who use this very narrow definition. However, the Greek word translated 'fornication' in Scripture is 'porneia'. It is the same word from which the word pornography is derived. The Greek word 'porneia' means literally "sexual immorality". Adultery is a form of fornication. It is immoral behaviour of a sexual nature. Sex outside of marriage is fornication. That means homosexuality is also fornication since marriage is only between a man and a woman. Therefore those who would engage in sexual activity with the same gender are committing fornication. Sex with animals or other objects also then is fornication. It is sex outside of marriage. Fornication is taken from a Latin word 'fornix' that had to do with a place where prostitutes gathered to sell themselves for sexual purposes. This knowledge has been used to water down fornication as only one who engages in selling sex. Therefore sex before OR outside of marriage has been considered not to be sin by many who call themselves Christian. Yet the English word fornication taken from a Latin word is not the same circumstance as that found in Scripture. As previously noted the Greek word 'porneia' from which the English brought forth the word 'fornication' has to do with "sexual immorality". It is not limited to prostitution. No wonder the sober, Christian young lady above did not know she was doing anything wrong! There are now "Christian" groups that openly advocate sexual behaviour as "love".  Anything goes as long as it is with consent and one is not selling sex. Does this shock you? Keep reading for greater shock yet to come. Decades ago an excellent teacher of Scripture instructed me about the word 'fornication' coming from the word 'porneia'. He instructed me on that word referring to sexual immorality. Immorality means that which is not moral. It has to do with right and wrong. For instance stealing is immoral. It is not moral to take that which belongs to another and keep it for yourself. It is fraud to do so. Apostle Paul instructed those at Corinth almost 2,000 years ago (and us today) in I Corinthians chapter 7, "Defraud ye not one another". The context is that of a spouse who withholds sex. That one is keeping it to one self. It is fraud for one spouse to withhold sex from the other! That is a moral issue!! That is a moral issue of a sexual nature!!! That is sexual immorality!!!! That is 'porneia', which is translated, in the English Scriptures 'fornication'. Many, whether male or female, have used withholding sex as a device to manipulate or to punish. That is fornication!!!!! This teaching was then reaffirmed to me many years later by a marriage counselor whose background was Jewish. He had come to know Messiah as his Saviour. His marriage counseling was strictly based in Scripture with Torah as a foundation. I was seeking his advice with regard to some marital counseling when he gave me deeper instruction consistent with that of the Bible teacher many years before. The matter of fornication goes even deeper still. Remember Paul's admonition, "Defraud ye not one another." If a husband denies his wife a child or a wife denies her husband a child through birth control then he or she defrauds the other. It is a moral issue of a sexual nature. That is sexual immorality, which is fornication. No wonder a Christian young lady attending a university would not know that sex before marriage with another boy is wrong. The sin of fornication is commonplace in the camp of believers and is rationalized as just. "Judgment begins at the house of God," the Scriptures declare. It's time to clean house. Ahava b' YahShua (Love in The SAVIOUR) Baruch YHVH,   Bro. Chris Barr a servant of YHVH