By Dr. Don Dunlap
Pastoral Counselor
No sexual sin that anyone has ever committed is beyond the scope of God’s forgiveness.
Family Counseling Ministries -
Family Counseling Ministries
In the 5th article of a six-part series on dating, Dr. Don Dunlap offers hope to unmarried people who have already been involved in premarital sex. He explains that when Believers genuinely repent of their sexual involvement, and commit to turn away from it, God will forgive them and Christ’s shed blood will cleanse and renew them. In his closing comments, Dr. Dunlap addresses the secret sin of masturbation.
The writer of 1 Corinthians 7:1 declares, “It is not good for a man to touch a woman.” Christian young men and women need to understand that God created men and women differently. Men are generally aroused sexually by what they see, while women are aroused primarily by touch. The meaning of this scripture is very clear:
Any touching, kissing and caressing that is sexually stimulating is reserved strictly for marriage partners. According to God’s Word, there are no exceptions.
There is no sexual sin that is beyond the scope of God’s forgiveness.
Many young men and women ask me, “What should I do if I am already guilty of sexual immorality?” They are often tormented by their guilt even though they have confessed their sin to God and asked for His forgiveness. I take great joy in assuring them that God forgives all sexual sins. I tell them that if they have genuinely repented and have made a commitment to God to turn away from their sin and walk in the opposite direction, they should trust in the cleansing power of Christ’s shed blood.
I remind them of Isaiah 1:18,
Though your [sexual] sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
I also refer them to Micah 7:19, and Jeremiah 31:34,
As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our [sexual] transgressions from us…and will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. I [God] will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God’s forgiveness is automatic, immediate and complete. When someone repents of any sin, including all sexual sins, and asks for forgiveness from God and from those people who were involved in the immorality, God then views that individual as though he or she had never transgressed. He or she should believe God’s promises and receive His forgiveness. Relatives, friends, and acquaintances ought to forgive him or her as well.
There are many reasons why it makes sense to flee from the sin of sexual impurity. It robs us of our purity and wholesomeness. It mars our testimonies for Christ and brings deep shame upon our lives. It opens the doors of our lives to the danger of sexually transmitted diseases.
Sin always has its pleasure for a season, but the consequences are devastating.
When young people participate in sexual immorality, they run the risk of pregnancy—of conceiving a new life that will live somewhere forever. Then they may be tempted to compound their sin with the sin of abortion. Or they may decide to enter into an undesirable marriage because of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy.
Sexual impurity often causes feelings of serious guilt that may persist for many years to come. Once young people are married, the unresolved guilt feelings that exist in their hearts and minds can prevent them from having normal, satisfying marital sexual relations. I counsel people weekly who have experienced this very reaping and sowing principle.
Masturbation has been called the secret sexual sin. Any form of masturbation for men or women, with its accompanying impure, lustful thoughts violates the spirit and intent of Scripture regarding one’s thought life. In Matthew 5:28 Jesus states,
If any man looks on a woman to lust after her, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Sexually pleasuring oneself is a self-centered practice. God designed sexual fulfillment to be the result of a husband and wife giving themselves completely to one another.
Dr. Don Dunlap, a pioneer in the placement of Pastoral Counselors in the offices of Christian physicians, has conducted over twenty thousand appointments during his ministerial career. His counseling practice includes adults, children and families in crisis. Dr. Dunlap is committed to facilitating a network of telephone counselors. His goal is to provide help for the many people unable to meet face to face with a competent Bible-based counselor. For a complete library of Dr. Dunlap’s articles, indexed by topic, go to Family Counseling Ministries. You may also make an appointment for personal telephone counseling by clicking on Family Counseling Ministries. Family Counseling Ministries is a Christianity.com ministry Partner.
