Thematic Application/Reflection Throughout the semester, while reading the Old Testament and taking the class at the same time, I did not particularly see common themes stick out at first. As I looked back on the semester and reflected on what I had read and what I had gone through, one particular topic pervasively came to mind. It was something that kept coming back to me as I mentally flagged down the verses related to what I was dealing with in my life, and something that was well detailed in the Old Testament to the point that I could not ignore it. This topic of sexual sin and immorality was the one thing that festered throughout my time of reflection, and the verses and passages that I picked up on after rereading the Old Testament was enough evidence for me to write about it and how the grip it has on my life impacts me both personally and as a Christian. Sexual sin and immorality are both abhorred by the Lord, and through the words of the Old Testament, I am able to see his revelation of truth for me and see that it is something I have to put aside if I am to become a more wholehearted and clean follower of him. Sexual sin is something that the Old Testament prevalently expresses as something that God does not desire from his people. It can come in many forms, but one of the most explicitly stated sexual sin in the Old Testament is adultery. Adultery, which is having sexual relations or voluntary sex with someone else other than who you are married to, is one of Ten Commandments God gave to Moses, as stated in Exodus 20:14: “You shall not commit adultery (English Standard Version/ESV).” Given that this came straight from the Lord himself, having sexual relations with another person other than who you are married to w... ... middle of paper ... ...s, and the Lord more often, and not just when I need them. Having accountability on a regular basis will help to keep in check that I am living up to a life that is honorable to God. Accountability will also make sure that there is someone there to catch me when I do fall into sexual temptation and to guide me out from it and back into the ways of the Lord. It may not seem likely at first, but with continued purpose and effort, I know that the sins I have in my heart and soul now will no longer hold a grip on me. With continued and reformed thinking in alignment with the teachings of the Old Testament, and with active personal application in my daily life, sexual sins and immorality will no longer have a place in my eternal life and relationship found with Christ. Works Cited Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2001. Print.
p134). The quote which are the holy words of God testifies that a wicked person who has sex
Cahill sees Scripture as having three dimensions, which she defines as “the specific texts on the issue at hand, specific texts on related issues, and general biblical themes or patterns” (64). For specific texts, she mentions Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, the Romans, and Timothy. Citing the historical and social contexts of the Old Testament texts, she dismisses them as not easily applicable to modern society (65). When she considers Paul, she questions whether his lists of sins translate well into modern moral discourse because of Paul’s primary concern with idolatry and because of the Greek model of homosexuality, which greatly differs from modern homosexual relationships that resemble marriage (65). Though she does not specifically state it, implicit in these references to historical context is doubt about the Spirit-inspired nature of the Scriptures. In questioning the ability of the Scriptu...
The Bible does not forbid premarital sex. There is no passage of the Bible that references premarital sex as a sin against God. The association between sin and premarital sex is a new Christian idea. The only possible reference to premarital sex being a sin in the Bible is in the New Testament. This premise although, is generally dismissed by theologians because the Greek word pornei, or sexual immorality is commonly incorrectly translated into the English word fornication.
In the Hebrew Bible, adultery is considered a capital crime, punishable by the population stoning the adulterous wife and her lover to death. Deut. 22:20 commands this communal punishment in order to “sweep away evil from Israel.” The question remains as to why this crime was considered to be such a transgression. Several explanations exist to account for the seriousness of the crime.
The Exodus of the Israelites is the equivalent to our present day Fourth of July or Bastille Day to the French. Israelite writers discuss the Exodus the most out of any other event in history. The story of the Exodus is one of the most famous stories of the Old Testament. Three of the most significant aspects of the story of Exodus are the call of Moses, the use of plagues as miracles, and the Passover.
There have been many passages in the bible that are appealing to different people. What one person may find inspiring, another may view it as just another message in the bible. One of the passages in the bible that I found inspiring was that of one of the prophets, Jeremiah. The one particular passage that I would like to focus on in this paper would be that of Jeremiah's views on the subject of sin. I found that his thought on this subject made me look at how people act in a different way than I had before.
When the Bible was written in the early years of civilization, society held a severe prejudice towards women. This prejudice is reflected in the written word of the Bible. While these sexist ways may have been accepted by society at that time, they are definitely not appropriate today. I find it unbelievable that women are “supposed to live” by the same discriminatory fashion they were about two thousand years ago. According to Lu Ann Bransby in Woman: A Formula for Victorious Living, the Bible dictates how women should look, live, and even love.
Discrimintaion and equality in society is faced amongst people every day. One certain subject that seems to get most of this attention is whether or not homosexual couples should be able to adopt. Same sex couples should be able to adopt children for many reasons. Children that are raised by same sex parents are predominantly taught to be more open minded, have a greater sense of tolerance, and are thought of to be role models for equality in relationships and life. Most would say that these children will face issues regarding their parents sexual orientation, but this is not so. Children of same sex parents have studied to show very few differences in achievement, mental health, and social function as a child that is raised in a heterosexual household. Same sex parents will allow their child to express themselves through different talents and other attributes that there child seems to be indulged in. These children are often showing more loving, nurturing ,and outgoing behaviors that is exposed to them through gay parenting.
Upon reading first Corinthians 6:18-20, “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (
The idea of sexuality as constructed by Ancient Romans is wholly complex as was most of Roman society. An interesting way to look at Roman sexuality is through the lens of Roman society. Ancient Roman sexuality was not uniform throughout society and different societal classes created different types of sexualities. Three authors examine sexuality from three different social realms, the realm of the prostitute, the realm of Roman patricians in terms of contraception, and the realm of Vestal Virgins. Prostitutes in Rebecca Flemming's article, "Quae Corpore Quaestum Facit: The Sexual Economy of Female Prostitution in the Roman Empire" are a representation of lower class sexuality. Mary Beard's article, "The Sexual Status of Vestal Virgins" examines a form of deviant sexuality based around religious values. Lastly, Keith Hopkins' article," Contraception in the Roman Empire" examines the sexual practices of upper class Romans using contraception and abortifacents, vital conclusions about Ancient Roman society and sexuality can be determined.
These are the reasons Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. Homosexuality or better yet, Rape was one of the sins of Sodom. When God sent his two Angels to Sodom to warn Lot that Sodom was to be destroyed, the Angels stated to Lot they would sleep in the square. Lot insisted that they stay with him. After the Angels were in Lot’s home the men of Sodom came to Lot’s home “they called to Lot and said to him, Where are the men who came to you tonight?
Adultery is a horrible sin to commit, but it can actually be avoided, although many people in today's society respond differently based on their religion and culture. When a person commits adultery they fail in keeping his/her commitment to their partner. When adultery happens the trust is broken in the relationship and the other person will feel deceived and betrayed.
Sin is elusive. It hides behind our motives and intentions. Sin will parade in a garment that looks stunningly beautiful but when uncovered there is nothing but ugliness and wickedness hiding underneath. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.” ( Mt. 23:27 NIV) Sin masquerades deceptively as something it is not. Laying the groundwork which led to Eve’s questioning the trustworthiness of God concerning the forbidden fruit the serpent said “Ye shall not surely die: (Gen. 3 :4b KJV ). The insertion
I will begin first with the idea that sexual behavior should not be granted its own moral code. Sexual ethics only makes sense if sexuality plays a unique role in human life. If procreation has significance precisely because it is a contribution to God's ongoing work of creation, sexuality is supremely important and must be governed by restrictive rules, which would therefore prohibit sexual acts that are not for procreative purposes. This justification of sexuality as a unique aspect of human life, however, is dependent on a theological claim that there exists a God who micro manages the sexual lives of individuals. Without the presence of such a God, there can exist no separate restrictive rules on the nature of sexual acts. Even if we grant that there is a God, most people will agree that sex is more often used as a way to intensify the bond between two people and therefor sex is the ultimate trust and intimacy that you can share with a person.
These questions arise from our own desires as Christians to reflect a biblically sound attitude towards sexuality and relationships. That same desire to act according to biblical scriptures is subject to opposition from today’s culture and views about sexual relationships, gender, and roles. A new definition of marriage, sexual orientation, and sexual practices is challenging our relationship with God and our view of human sexuality. Bishop John Spong defines sex and its impact on relationships: “Sex can be called at once the greatest gift to humanity and the greatest enigma of our lives. It is a gift in that is a singular joy for all beings and enigma in its destructive potential for people and their relationships.” (Spong, 1988)