Requirements of Being a Christian || Boundaries of Your Sexuality || Part 2

Welcome back to the “Boundaries for Your Sexuality” Bible study. This series is about sexual immorality and understanding what it represents in our world today through the original Greek, legal definitions, and more. In Part 1, we look at the words of Jesus in Matthew 15:15-20. We look at the inclusivity of homosexuality, understanding how to respond to those who justify sexual immorality, and how we can view our sexual desires through God’s eyes. Our working definition of sexual immorality is this:

Sexual immorality (explained): committing sexual acts or being nude with the intent to accomplish sexual satisfaction, obtain money, satisfy lustful desires, and/or obtain gratification with someone(s) in a noncommittal manner in a way that can involve a variety of forms of abuse, force, and/or inhumane treatment of those involved.

In Part 2, we move to Acts 15:19-21 and 28-29. We’ll hear how we can make it easier for the Gentiles to become Christians. It says this:

Acts 5:19-21

AMP	19 Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble and make it difficult for those who are turning to God among the Gentiles [by putting obstacles in their way], 20 but that we write to them that they are to abstain from anything that has been contaminated by [being offered to] idols and from sexual impurity and from [eating the meat of] what has been strangled and from [the consumption of] blood. 21 For the ancient generations [the writing of] Moses has been preached in every city, since he is read aloud in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
NLT	19 “And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consumed blood. 21 For these laws of Moses have been preached in Jewish synagogues in every city on every Sabbath for many generations.”
MSG	19-21 “So here is my decision: We’re not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master. We’ll write them a letter and tell them, ‘Be careful to not get involved in activities connected with idols, to guard the morality of sex and marriage, to not serve food offensive to Jewish Christians – blood for instance.’ This is basic wisdom from Moses, preached and honored for centuries now in city after city as we have met and kept the Sabbath.”

Like I did in Part 1, let’s look at the list to see how they are connected. They are to abstain from:

• Eating food offered to idols.
• Sexual immorality
• Eating the meat of strangled animals.

Acts 15:28-29:

AMP	28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not place on you any greater burden than these essentials: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from [consuming blood, and from [eating the meat of] things that have been strangled, and from sexual impurity. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell.”
NLT	28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to aly no greater burden on you than these few requirements: 29 You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”
MSG	28-29 It seemed to the Holy Spirit and to us that you should not be saddled with any crushing burden, but be responsible for only these bare necessities: Be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians (blood, for instance); and guard the morality of sex and marriage. These guidelines are sufficient to keep relations congenial between us. And God be with you.

Again, the list is:

• Abstain from eating food offered to idols
• Abstain from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals
• Abstain from sexual immorality.

What do these three things have in common? My initial answer is I have no idea. A purity construct comes to mind, but I don’t feel confident about that answer. We need to look at the bigger picture of Acts 15 to gain further context and reach our conclusion. The Letter to Gentiles begins with verse 22, but the decision for them to abstain from these three acts happens before that. There’s a council meeting that’s happening to start Acts 15, where the early church leaders gathered to discuss the inclusion of Gentiles in the Christian community. There were disagreements between Paul and Barnaba’s teachings and the Pharisee’s teaching about what it meant to become a believer.

Acts 15:8-11

8            God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.

9            He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.

10          So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?

11          We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.

Peter believed that Gentiles were Christians when they committed their belief in the undeserved grace of Jesus. James affirmed this by confirming what the prophets have stated in Amos 9:11-12. Even the letter they wrote in verses 22-35 doesn’t add to this.

The restrictions listed originally were to simplify what the Jewish Christians were traditionally following. These restrictions were in line with the dietary and moral laws that the Jewish Christians were accustomed to. It feels like a holiness ritual but simplified. Eat clean meat, avoid tainted sources, and keep your body pure. That seems like the end result here.

The early church experienced trouble bringing together people of diverse backgrounds. The Jewish and Gentile people had little in common, with different histories, traditions, practices, customs, and languages. How would the merging of these groups happen?

One solution is to not merge them together at all. To decide that it is impossible, leaving the two groups to segregate, isolate, and study each other with suspicion. When chosen, this negatively affects the effectiveness and attractiveness of the Christian religion. When it has snobbery or a judgmental atmosphere, the church betrays the mission of Jesus altogether. It loses the commitment of its congregation because it was SUPPOSED to portray God’s love for all people.

The other solution is to submit our prejudices and presuppositions to the greater purposes of God. When we imitate him, we become loving, understanding, and accepting. Acceptance isn’t meant to include sinful life choices. James refers to a few laws the Gentiles should keep, understanding that basic morality and living to please God would cover the rest. As believers, we need to humble ourselves and learn from each other. Nothing gives greater glory to God or provides a more compelling witness than when believers of different races, ethnicities, and social statuses come together to love and worship God.

We’re experiencing the first solution in the separation of the United Methodist and Global Methodist churches over the belief structures of homosexuality. We’re seeing the second solution play out in the United Methodist church. Overall, how can we apply what happened here in Acts to our world today?

I’m reminded of Peter saying in verse 11 that we are all saved by God’s grace. They decided on those critical features of their religious practices to incorporate the Gentile audience. There was a middle ground for them to connect their religious practices. Our religious practices often focus on worship, prayer, Bible study, and more. When we serve, we come together. Regardless of our practices, we come together. Regardless of our backgrounds, we come together. Regardless of our sexual orientation, we come together. Regardless of what we eat, we come together. The end goal remains the same, loving God and loving our neighbor.

There became less of a focus on the religious traditions and practices and more on the person and their soul. God wants you to be holy and set apart in the world’s ways. Many people believe homosexuality is of the world, but of the world, based on what we’ve understood so far as things that bring you ego, pride, self-satisfying desires, and more. I’m friends with many people who live a homosexual lifestyle. They aren’t egotistical, prideful, and care about themselves. They care about others more than some Christians, who love others like God loves, who care for their neighbors as Jesus called. They have learned what it’s like for people to bully them, condemn them, and treat them as not human. They will go forward and not treat others the way they were treated. The people condemning them are often Pharisee-like rather than Christlike because of their strong feelings about the religious teaching. Jesus was close to all of us, but closer to whom society looked down upon. We have a lot to learn.

Be mindful of what you do and why you do it, especially sexually. The soul ties that form with different sexual acts and relationships will last a lifetime. Still, it doesn’t define us as a Christian or a sinner. The goal is how we respond to them, learn from them, and live with them in ways that honor God and our partner(s). Your relationship with God is between you and God, not a church or a denomination to tell you.

In Part 3, we’ll look at sexual immorality from the perspective of body defilement. Until then, stay blessed!