I. Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15  looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16  lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17  For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears

Rom 6:22 now having been set free from sin, & having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, & the end, everlasting life

A. 1Cor 5:9   I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10  Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral

people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11  But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13  But those who are outside God judges. Therefore "put away from yourselves the evil person

B. 1Cor 6:8 you do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!  9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate/soft, nor homosexuals (men in bed) 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (Rev 22:15)   11 And such were some of you. But you are* washed, but you are* sanctified, but you are* justified in the name of the Lord Jesus & by the Spirit of our God (*aorist)

C. 1Cor 6:12 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. 13  Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14  And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power. 15  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16  Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh." 17  But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

D. 1Tim 1:9  knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10  for fornicators, for homosexuals, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,

II. Crucify your desires and follow the Holy Spirit in Holiness with each step you take, every day.

Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in/by the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness/caprice, 20  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies (chose own way), 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24  And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25  If we live in/by the Spirit, let us also walk in/by the Spirit.

A. Repent (change mind/values/actions), and Renew ala Rom 12:1-2 (See TOYL-Sanctification “Ain’t Gonna Reign No More”)

2Co 12:21  mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.

Eph 4:19  who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness/caprice, to work all uncleanness with greediness (more).

Eph 5:3  But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;

B. Kill It Rom 8: 12…brethren, we are debtors--not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13  For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Col 3:5 put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry

C. Clean Up Your Act  1Th 4:7  God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Rm 6:19,22; 1Co 1:30; 1Th 4:3,4; 2Th 2:13; 1Ti 2:15 1Pe 1:2 

2Ti 2:21…cleanses self from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

Ac 26:18  ‘to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Rev 22:12 I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 14  Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.  15  But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. Do believers sin? Do those sins have consequences? Does the NT indicate that believers have a choice in the matter of sinning?

2. Do all believers equally enjoy the delights and presence of God in their lives on earth? In heaven? Why? Why Not?

3. What would keep someone from finding their highest joy and happiness in their relationship with God? What could be better?

4. What role does the Body play in helping others attain their highest good? Is anything less love?

5. What steps can you take this week to attain and safeguard an eternal future of joy beyond your wildest dreams (or not)?