(Photo by Selma Komisky)

Do You Not Know?

By Marta Oliveras

Perhaps one of the most common lies singles believe today is that God’s ways will keep us from pleasures and joys, or from living a full life. Nothing could be further away from the truth. And if you have a passion for truth, like I do, you will never settle for anything less. On the contrary, you will restlessly pursue it until you find it. And though many times it will confront you, for it goes against what you thought was right, it’s your love for truth that will keep you digging, and so keep you from being deceived. 

The Bible is a precious gift where we get to know very plainly the ways God intended for us. It is quite literally a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (1); so relevant today as it was back then. Just consider how strong the contrast is between what you read in the Bible and what you see in the world, and it will be evident how light shines in the darkness. For the stronger the darkness, the better you can see the light… The Word of God is the place where you will learn the most about yourself and what you are up against, for the Author is indeed the one who created you, who has known you from your mother’s womb (2). It should then be no surprise that His ways are indeed the best. That’s exactly what we find out when we walk with the Lord, when we submit ourselves in obedience to Jesus and give the Author back the Authority over our lives. Not over a part of our lives, but seriously over our entire lives…

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that the man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 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? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. – 1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Do you not know that you are not your own? That the Authority over your lives now belongs to the Lord? Or do you not know that the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord (3) who bought you at a price, the high price paid on the cross? Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, the place where He dwells and rests, and you are now members of Christ, instruments of righteousness (4). ‘Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, wether of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness?’ (5) Do you not know who your master now is? “Flee sexual immorality!” is a loud and clear warning for the danger is real, and the consequences deeper than we imagine. Today’s world may accept and even promote many things as good, or normal, or harmless. But don’t be deceived, the truth of the matter has not changed, and if anything has, it is the darkness that is increasing. Or do you not know that the pleasures promised by sexual immorality are just baits to keep you enslaved to sin, and leave you with nothing but emptiness and hopelessness? Do you not know that real love, joy, and fulfillment are found alone in the ways of God, in obedience to the Lord Jesus? 

It may take a while for singles to understand the beauty of God’s creation, the perfection of His ways. The darkness around us is strong and is constantly enticing us, building upon us thick layers of ideas and patterns and normals that are nothing but deep deceptions. It takes a deliberate action to turn away from all that and let ourselves be saturated in the truth, the Word of God, the guard rail for our lives. One needs to be intentional in submitting to the Authority of Christ over our lives, daily reminding us that He is in charge, not us. Soon your eyes will be open. The world will lose its enchantment, and you will know that the Lord is showing you the path of life. In His presence, you will find the fullness of joy, and at His right hand, pleasures forevermore (6).

• Psalm 119:105
• Psalm 139
• 1 Corinthians 6:13
• 1 Corinthians 6:15; Romans 6:13
• Romans 6:16
• Psalm 16:11