TODAY IN THE WORD
In its opening weekend, the movie Sex and the City was the number one movie in America, earning nearly $56 million. The movie brought to the big screen the popular TV series that followed the lives and loves of four New York City women. Known for its graphic discussion of the largely extramarital sexual antics of these women, the series offered a window into many Americans' attitudes about morality and sexuality. In many ways this series both reflected and shaped American culture with permissive attitudes towards sex.

The Thessalonians also came out of a culture that endorsed immorality. Young men were expected to be sexually active before marriage, and married men frequently had mistresses. In large cities, temple prostitution was common. Then, like today, the idea of sexual purity seemed ridiculous.

Paul's instruction in today's passage shows the clear link between holiness—being set apart for God—and sexuality. Some mistakenly believe the two can never come together. Yet the Bible clearly teaches that sexuality is part of God's design for humanity, a gift to be enjoyed within the boundaries of marriage. Sexual immorality, whether fornication or adultery, involves sex outside of marriage.

Sexual desire is powerful, and it's easy to let it get out of control and allow lust and passion to drive one's thoughts and actions. The expression “passionate lust” has the idea of taking something, almost violently. The idea of wronging another shows that sexual sin often involves taking what's not legitimately one's own—it's grasping after what God has not given, as today's verse from Colossians makes clear. Holiness requires yielding to the Lord so that one might give oneself in reverence and love to one's marriage partner.

Although this teaching might have seemed hopelessly out of touch with reality, Paul makes it clear that rejecting such instruction meant more than ignoring Paul, it was in fact a denial of God Himself and His indwelling Holy Spirit.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's passage might be painful for some readers with promiscuous backgrounds. That's why it's essential to understand God's intentions for sexuality and His forgiveness for sins. For married readers, this passage reminds that sex is a holy gift—one that must be protected and respected. It reminds unmarried Christians to make godly choices, given today's increasingly permissive environment. For all, it challenges us that what we do with our bodies can never be separated from our growth in holiness.

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