INCEST FORBIDDEN!
TEXT: LEVITICUS 18:1-16.
🔑KEY VERSE “None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD” (LEVITICUS 18:6).
Amnon, the first son of King David, fell prey to the sin of incest due to his lust towards his half-sister, Tamar, and the ungodly advice of his friend and cousin, Jonadab. He lost his life later as a result. Heathen nations like Egypt and Canaan practiced this obscene act of committing immorality with near relations – a practice God forbids.
His emphasis here: “I am the LORD,” shows His complete ownership of Israel by creation and redemption. He had become the God and Father of Israel. So He instructed them to avoid this unwholesome and despicable act as they were going to inherit the Promised Land. Keeping and obeying God’s judgements and statutes form a major part of His covenant with Israel and the Church.
Sexual sins – fornication, adultery, incest, rape and pornography – are putting tools in the hands of Satan in leading many souls to hell. Lust of the flesh has done so much harm to fallen man that even some strong men have fallen victims. Men like David, Samson and Solomon brought disrepute and a dent to their otherwise excellent ministries as a result of this sin. Believers are warned to keep away from the strange woman and not to fumble in immorality with any member of the family or relations – close or distant.
The antidote is to be watchful and desist from unfolding intimacy with the opposite gender. Some, out of a genuine desire to help someone, get tempted and fall. The devil cares less about the security of such a person as long as he can get him down. Fleshly lusts war against the soul and drown men in perdition. The righteous must be careful to abstain from it to avoid eternal regrets.
✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Keep your body under by bringing it into subjection.
BIBLE IN A YEAR 1 THESSALONIANS 1-5.
MEDITATION
- The divine right
a. The fact that the Giver of the law is the Lord confers on Him the right to give laws that must be obeyed by mankind vv1-6.
b. Observe that the phrase “I am the LORD” was repeated thrice in vv1-6.
c. Any wilful negligence or disobedience is on the dreadful pains of eternal punishment. - Unlawful marriages
a. Marriages with all blood relations are forbidden vv6-17.
b. Check vv6-17 again for the specific cases. - The new commandment Matthew 5:28.
a. All forms of immoral lusts in the heart towards
anybody, apart from your lawful spouses, attract the same judgement as the actual sin, Matthew 5:28.
b. Any form of immoral action against anybody whatsoever is sin, Matthew 5:28.
c. The punishment for all immoral thoughts and actions is eternal suffering in hell fire, Matthew 5:28-30. - The path to victory over lusts
a. Convince yourself first that the brief pleasure of lust does not worth the eternal punishment, Matthew 5:28-30.
b. Repent, from your heart, from all desires, affections and love for this dangerous and damnable sin.
c. Surrender your life to Christ and ask for genuine salvation since no man can practice this truth by mere human will and power.
d. Abstain from all appearances of evil. Social distancing, online distancing, physical distancing and communication distancing must be enforced, especially when dealing with those that can be sources of temptations, I Thessalonians 5:22.
e. When temptations comes, resist steadfastly without giving up. A single victory will give boldness to overcome more, I Peter 5:9.
f. Never rely on your will power because emotion is stronger. Put your confidence in Christ alone.
Q Any example of an immoral person, either habitual or through carelessness, who did not end up regretting in the Bible? NONE.
Praise God because Jesus has conquered all sins with His blood🙏
Ask God to deliver you, if you are a captive, as you totally surrender your heart to Christ🙏
Promise God that you will enforce all forms of distancing that will help you and ask for purity of heart🙏
Ask for hatred for immorality and power over lusts for all our youths in the Church🙏
HYMN Have you been to Jesus
