Immorality Unchecked
Sexual Temptation – Part 1

Scripture Reading: Revelation 2:18-19

Key Verse: Revelation 2:20

“But I have this complaint against you. You are permitting that woman—that Jezebel who calls herself a prophet—to lead my servants astray. She teaches them to commit sexual sin and to eat food offered to idols.

Thyatira was a city full of commerce and great wealth. The residents of Thyatira felt safe and had little to worry about as far as their livelihood. Like most people in wealthy communities, temptations to sexual sins abounded. A false prophetess, whom Jesus nicknamed Jezebel, goes so far as to teach doctrine of sexual immorality as an appropriate part of their worship.

We are not told how many, if any, of God’s people in Thyatira actually participated in Jezebel’s teaching. However, Jesus’ complaint against the church was their tolerance of her teaching. When false doctrine is permitted, it normally finds lodging in some people’s minds. Understanding the power of sexual temptation in people’s lives, Jezebel’s teaching presented great temptation in the church to participate in sinful immorality.

The Apostle Paul warned the Corinthian Christians about sexual sins. Paul pointed out that sexual sin is different than other sins: “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body” (1 Corinthians 6:18). The apostle reminded these Corinthians that their bodies were temples of the Holy Spirit and thus should never be allowed to be stained with sexual sins (1 Corinthians 6:19). As believers, we must fight our culture’s marketing of sex.

Father, I need your help in the battle of sexual immorality that our world is pushing. Grant me strength. In Jesus’ name, amen.