The Way of Sexual Holiness: A Guide for Pursuing Purity

The history of the Western world has seen two significant sexual revolutions. The first occurred when Christianity came to dominate the Roman world. Before Christianity, Roman sexual ethics permitted free male citizens virtually unrestricted sexual behaviour, with different standards for women. Christianity radically transformed this landscape by restoring sexual dignity and protecting society’s most vulnerable members: women, children, and slaves.

The second revolution happened when the West began rejecting Christianity, particularly accelerating in the 1960s. This modern revolution aimed not merely to expand acceptable behaviours but to abolish moral codes entirely. In this context, traditional Christian views on sexuality aren’t just considered outdated but psychologically and morally deficient—almost unethical. Those who uphold biblical sexual ethics are increasingly viewed as enemies of personal freedom and authenticity.

This is not a distant problem for Christians. Sexual immorality affects both secular society and the church, appearing across the board, regardless of theological conviction. The Bible, of course, is not silent on sexual purity. One text that speaks directly to the matter is Ephesians 5:3–6.

Paul doesn’t explicitly define sexual immorality in Ephesians. He assumes that the church would already understand biblical sexual ethics. As a devout Jew, Paul based his understanding on the Old Testament Scriptures, which he considered “breathed out by God” (2 Timothy 3:16).

God’s design for sexual expression is simple: Sex is ordained exclusively for one man and one woman in marriage. Any deviation from this standard—whether fornication (sex before marriage), adultery (sex with partners other than one’s spouse), or homosexuality—constitutes sexual immorality.

Christ’s teaching goes further, addressing not just outward behaviour but the inner life: “Everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). This principle is especially relevant in our age of Internet pornography, which has tragically ensnared even children. Statistics pertaining to the proliferation of Internet pornography are disturbing. This is not the place to unpack those statistics; suffice it to say that the fight for sexual purity is not a game.

Paul’s motivation for sexual holiness is rooted in believers’ identity: “as is proper among saints” (v. 3). Christians are already declared holy in Christ; therefore, they should live in accordance with who they are. Christ has given believers righteousness, forgiveness, and holiness. Christians are called to demonstrate to the world what it means to enjoy God’s gift of sex within the holy context of marriage.

Paul’s stark warning states that the sexually immoral person “has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (v. 5). This requires careful interpretation to avoid two dangers.

On the one hand, we must avoid the error of perfectionism—the false belief that truly saved people never sin. This contradicts 1 John 1:8–9: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Christians are not immediately perfect when born again. We cannot simply assume that a person caught in sin is an unbeliever.

On the other hand, we must steer clear of the error of anti-restoration—the refusal to restore fallen believers. Paul instructs in Galatians 6:1: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” The emphasis is on restoration, not immediate rejection. Believers who fall into sin—even grievous sin—can be restored through the gospel.

Paul is addressing professing Christians who persistently refuse to repent of sexual immorality. His focus is not those who fall into sin but those who remain in it without shame or repentance. The key question is whether there are signs of genuine repentance, not whether the person has achieved perfection. There is a difference between a believer who is grieved over falling into sin, and a professing believer who feels no conviction over sin.

Church members who show no remorse over sin should come under biblical church discipline, as outlined in Matthew 18:15–17. This process offers multiple opportunities for restoration before treating someone as outside the faith. Only those who stubbornly cling to sin, despite gentle confrontation, should be removed from church membership.

Maintaining sexual morality is the responsibility of the entire church, not just its leaders. The church must ensure “no one is deceived with empty words” (v. 6). It would be unloving to ignore persistent sin among church members—equivalent to blindfolding them and sending them on their way to hell while telling them God approves their behaviour.

The exhortation against sexual purity speaks also to those who are presently walking in sexual holiness. They should pray for a greater sense of holiness in heart, mind, imagination, body, and relationship. They should pray that God will keep them from sin, knowing that their flesh is as easily tempted as those who have already fallen.

In a world that has rejected Christian sexual ethics, believers are called to stand firm in biblical truth while extending restoration to the repentant. They must protect the vulnerable, especially children, from sexual corruption, understanding that the devil is at work to destroy hearts and lives. The church’s commitment to sexual holiness serves as a powerful witness in a sexually confused culture.