Unrepentant Addiction to Sex and Salvation
Salvation is understood as a gift from God, received through faith, and not earned by human actions [2]. Ephesians 2:5 states that believers are "made alive together with Christ" by God's grace [1]. This salvation is not a result of good works, but good works are the intended outcome of a transformed life [3].
The concept of salvation involves a complete departure from a life of sin and death, leading to a new life through the Holy Spirit [2]. This transformation is described as being "created anew in Christ Jesus" [3]. Believers are said to "strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life," allowing Christ to guide their way of living [5]. This new nature is expressed by God's Spirit within the believer and is part of the gift of salvation [7].
The Bible addresses sexual immorality directly. Romans 1:26-27 describes God giving people over to "dishonorable passions" and "unnatural relations" when they reject Him [8]. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7:9, advises that "if they cannot contain" themselves, it is better to marry than to "burn" with lust [10]. This "burning" refers to the internal flame of lust that can consume a person [10].
The idea that God's grace permits immoral living is identified as a constant temptation [9]. However, the New Testament emphasizes that salvation results in a transformed life, where believers are united with Christ and share in His glory and blessings [6]. This union means believers are no longer strangers but are fully accepted into God's family [4]. The transforming work of God's Spirit is integral to salvation, producing a good life through a transformed heart [3, 7]. Therefore, an unrepentant addiction to sex, or any sin, stands in tension with the biblical understanding of salvation, which involves a new life and a departure from sin [2, 5].
Sources
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:5: 2:5 gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6; Rom 6:4-14; Col 3:1-4). • It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2; 2:8-9.”
- Titus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Titus 3:5: 3:5 not because . . . but because: The contrast is between human actions that might be thought to merit salvation and God’s grace (see Gal 2:16). Salvation is through faith in God’s mercy alone (Eph 2:8). • He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth: See Ezek 16:9; John 3:1-15; Eph 5:26; Heb 10:22; 2 Pet 1:9. • and new life through the Holy Spirit: This signifies a complete departure from the life of sin and death and a transfer into the realm of life and purity (see also Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 3:10).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:10: 2:10 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:19: 2:19 Gentiles who believe are no longer strangers and foreigners (2:11-12, 17). Through Christ, they are fully accepted into God’s family. They become children of God, just like believing Jews (see Rom 8:14-17).”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:9: 3:9-10 your old sinful nature . . . your new nature: Paul contrasts old and new identities (see also Rom 5:12-21; 6:6; Eph 4:22-24). Believers strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing him to be Lord and to guide the way they live.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:6: 2:6 united with Christ Jesus: Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, and experience resurrection both now and in the future (see Rom 6:4-14; Col 2:12-13; 3:1-4).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:24: 4:24 A believer has a new nature: God’s Spirit expresses his life within the believer (see Col 3:10; cp. Gen 1:26; Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:22-23). The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-10).”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 1:26: For this cause God gave them up--(See on Rom 1:24). for even their women--that sex whose priceless jewel and fairest ornament is modesty, and which, when that is once lost, not only becomes more shameless than the other sex, but lives henceforth only to drag the other sex down to its level. did change, &c.--The practices here referred to, though too abundantly attested by classic authors, cannot be further illustrated, without trenching on things which "ought not to be named among us as become the saints." But observe how vice is here seen consumin”
- Jude (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jude 1:4: 1:4 Abusing God’s marvelous grace by saying that it allows us to live immoral lives is a constant temptation (cp. Rom 6).”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 7:9: if they cannot contain--that is, "have not continency." burn--with the secret flame of lust, which lays waste the whole inner man. (Compare AUGUSTINE [Holy Virginity]). The dew of God's grace is needed to stifle the flame, which otherwise would thrust men at last into hell-fire.”