Consequences of Sexual Sin
Sexual sin produces consequences that will affect us deeply.
Viewing porn is a form of sex sin committed through lust and idolatry (see
How
Porn Works). If you are looking at pornography, you are susceptible to
the same consequences that result from other forms of sexual sin. The consequences may not be easily absolved,
but God will forgive you of your sin through repentance and faith in Jesus
Christ.
Whether you have already sinned, or are thinking about doing so, the point here is to encourage you not to sin. Here are some examples of the consequences of sex sin:
Sex sin defiles your body and damages its ability to fulfill God's purposes. Sex sin is unique in that we commit it against our own bodies (1 Corinthians 6:17). Our bodies function as temples of God's Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:12-20). When we use our body for sex sin, we dishonor our body and defile God's temple. We're also defiling the people that we are sinning with. Our lack of respect for the body (and for God) damages our relationship with God.
Sex sin grieves God's Spirit. Any sin we practice will grieve God's Spirit (Ephesians 4:31). It puts out the "fire" of the Holy Spirit in our life (1 Thessalonians 5:19). The more we quench God's Spirit, the less we will be inclined to live a changed life in righteousness.
Practicing sin forms a stronghold for evil in our lives. When we repeatedly sin, we give evil an increasingly protected place in our lives. The more we give in to our sinful lusts, the more they have control over us. Paul described this as slavery to sin in Romans 6:16. Sexual strongholds are particularly powerful, since they involve our body, soul and spirit. Thankfully, Jesus provided the means for us to break out of any stronghold and live for God in righteousness.
Sex sin can bring a curse on you, your partner and/or your children. Sex sin gives Satan a right to oppress us and our descendants through curses (see generational curses). The scriptural basis for generational curses is found in Exodus 34:6-7 and several other passages. Promiscuity, adultery, divorce, infertility, frigidity and other reproductive problems can sometimes be traced to curses arising from sexual sin (Numbers 5:11-31). Please note that all curses can be broken by the applied blood of Jesus (Galatians 3:13-14)
Sex sin can give evil spirits footholds to influence your life. Romans 1:28-32 provides a vivid account of how sexual promiscuity and idolatry opened the door to many other forms of evil. The Bible offers plenty of additional examples of sex sin and the ensuing consequences (see Bible Sex Sin Examples). Perhaps the most famous is David's sin with Bathsheba. His adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband produced family strife, the death of his son and opportunities for enemies to blaspheme God (2 Samuel 11-12).
Sex sin can bring spiritual confusion. Spiritual confusion begins when we start pursuing the pleasures of sin and disregard our conscience of right and wrong. The more we pursue sin, the more our conscience becomes dulled (1 Timothy 4:2, Titus 1:15). A dull conscience causes us to be susceptible to enemy's lies which will draw us progressively further from God (James 1:14). Eventually we may not even think our actions are sinful and our ability to repent can be hindered (Hebrews 6:1-8). Two examples of sex-related spiritual confusion are found in Romans and 1 Kings. The people in Romans 1:24-32 sinned through sexual immorality and idolatry and were filled with all kinds of evil. 1 Kings 11 illustrates how Solomon, the wisest person that ever lived, descended into spiritual confusion through sexual idolatry with his pagan wives.
Sex sin can cause emotional confusion. Sex creates emotional bonds ("soul ties") with our sex partner. These bonds will vary in strength depending on the relationship. God intended this emotional bond for marriage partners. When we bond with people other than our spouse through sex, emotional confusion results. This confusion can manifest in many ways. Here are some examples:
- Recurring dreams and/or thoughts about former lovers
- Inability to achieve emotional intimacy with spouse
- Regret or bitterness toward people who hurt us in past relationships
- Comparing our spouse with former lovers in sexual performance
- Distorted understanding of true love (corrupted by lust or other selfishness)
- Increased promiscuity, in attempt to find true intimacy and love
Sex sin causes lasting memories. Sex memories are created in our brains with the help of special hormones released during sexual arousal. The devil uses these memories to condemn us and keep us in bondage to lust. These memories can cause difficulties in our sexual relationship with our spouse. Here are some examples:
- Our sexual experiences with our spouse are corrupted by thoughts of our former lovers or porn images we've viewed
- We idolize past sexual partners...especially when we run into difficulties in our marriage
- We feel less satisfied with our spouse's sexual performance
- Our minds are conditioned to gratify our lusts through sex instead of showing true love and affection
- We get angry and resentful when our spouse won't help us relive past sexual experiences or perform sex acts we've seen in porn
Sex sin can produce unloved or unwanted children. Sexual sin has helped devalue human life such that human babies are discarded as rubbish on an altar of convenience, pleasure and rebellion (40 million aborted since the 1960's). Children born through sex sin may grow up in homes where a loving father and/or mother are absent. Their brokenness will likely be echoed through the sexual choices they make down the road, impacting generations to come.
Sex sin can expose us to sexually transmitted disease. Porn's sexual fantasies do not portray the reality that sexually transmitted diseases often accompany a life of promiscuity. There are many different kinds of sexually transmitted diseases, most of which bring unpleasant symptoms. The worst of these diseases, AIDS, can cause death. Romans 1:27 contains a possible reference to AIDS.
Sex sin can destroy marriages and families. Adultery often destroys marriages and families. The husband and the wife will suffer emotional, spiritual and even physical damage when the bond of fidelity is broken. Major healing will be needed to repair the breach. Memories created during a marriage breakup can last the lifetime of the family and the effects can be felt up to four generations. Viewing pornography is a form of adultery (Matthew 5:28), and its potential to damage a marriage is real and significant. Too often it is justified as a harmless necessity by the addicted, suggesting that it is not as damaging as physical adultery. This is a lie!
Sex sin can lead to an unbridled pursuit of lust and perversion. Sex sin usually feeds a growing fire of lust in our minds. If we continue to feed that fire, we can easily drift further and further into decadence. Paul described this state as indulgence in every kind of impurity, with continual lust for more (Ephesians 4:19, Romans 1:24-28).
If you have already reaped these consequences, there is hope for recovery through Jesus. Though every consequence may not be completely removed, God can help you make the best of your circumstances, and get back on track in a life of happiness and blessing.
Examples of sex sin in the Bible: We encourage you to visit this page and read the stories for yourself. Each one can be a Bible study in itself.
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