Embracing New Life: God's Design for Holiness
Summary
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, though written nearly two thousand years ago, speaks directly into the chaos and confusion of our own time. The city of Corinth was a place of wild living, and the church there was struggling to unlearn old patterns and embrace the new life Jesus offers. Paul’s words are not just ancient advice; they are a call to live out the reality of being new creations in Christ, to put off the old ways and walk in the light of God’s wisdom. The heart of this call is summed up in Jesus’ words to the woman caught in adultery: “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” This is not a call to perfection, but to a life of continual repentance, transformation, and trust in God’s goodness.
God’s design for our lives, and specifically for sexuality, is not arbitrary or restrictive, but rooted in His love and desire for our flourishing. From the beginning, God established boundaries for sex—not to withhold joy, but to protect and bless us. The gift of sex is meant to be enjoyed within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. Anything outside of that, whether it’s fornication, adultery, pornography, or same-sex sexual activity, is an illegitimate way of seeking a legitimate need. The challenge is real, and the temptations are strong, but God’s grace is greater. We are not defined by our failures, but by the new identity we have in Christ.
Honoring God’s plan means trusting Him above our own understanding, feelings, or cultural messages. It means honoring our spouse or future spouse, and loving our fellow believers by walking in holiness and self-control. The call is not just to avoid sin, but to actively pursue peace, reconciliation, and the good of others. Even when we fail, we have an advocate in Jesus, and the invitation is always to return, to repent, and to walk in the freedom and forgiveness He offers.
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, bought with a price. This truth changes how we see ourselves and how we live. Fleeing from sexual immorality is not about shame, but about honoring the God who dwells within us. Conviction is a gift, not condemnation. Communion reminds us that Jesus has done everything necessary for our forgiveness and transformation. We are called to agree with Him—not just about forgiveness, but about the way of life He sets before us. It’s not the easiest way, but it is the best way, and it leads to true freedom and joy.
Key Takeaways
- The call to “go and sin no more” is rooted in grace, not condemnation. Jesus meets us first with mercy, then invites us into transformation. Our failures do not define us; our identity in Christ does. Repentance is a gift that leads us into deeper freedom, not a burden of shame. [07:34]
- God’s boundaries for sex are an expression of His love and wisdom. The gift of sex is meant to be enjoyed within the covenant of marriage, and anything outside of that is a distortion of God’s good design. Trusting God’s plan means surrendering our impulses and cultural narratives to His authority, believing that He truly knows what is best for us. [14:28]
- Holiness is not just about personal purity, but about honoring others. We honor our spouse or future spouse by guarding the gift of sex, and we honor our fellow believers by walking in love and self-control. Sexual sin is never just private; it affects the whole community, and God calls us to be people who build up, not tear down, the body of Christ. [26:22]
- The process of transformation is ongoing. We are called to put off the old and put on the new every day, living as new creations in Christ. This is not a one-time event, but a daily surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit, trusting that God’s power is at work in us to make us more like Jesus. [32:47]
- Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and this truth shapes our choices. Fleeing sexual immorality is not about legalism, but about honoring the God who dwells within us. Conviction is a sign of God’s love, drawing us back to Himself, and communion is a reminder that Jesus has already accomplished everything needed for our forgiveness and new life. [36:05]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[02:18] - Corinth: A Church in Chaos
[03:04] - Confronting Sexual Immorality
[04:05] - The Call to Repentance
[06:27] - Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery
[08:28] - The Reality of Ongoing Struggle
[09:52] - Accountability Within the Church
[12:08] - Honoring God’s Plan for Sex
[14:28] - Jesus’ Sexual Ethic and God’s Design
[16:15] - Trusting God Over Our Own Understanding
[18:33] - The Circle of Holy Sex
[22:07] - Responding to Same-Sex Attraction and Pornography
[25:20] - Living Together and Commitment
[26:22] - Honoring Spouses and Fellow Believers
[29:41] - Pursuing Peace and Resolving Disputes
[32:47] - Living as New Creations
[34:22] - Honoring the Temple of God
[36:05] - Fleeing Sexual Immorality
[37:41] - Communion: Remembering Christ’s Sacrifice
[46:37] - The Power of Christ’s Sacrifice
[47:37] - Prayer and Surrender
[48:11] - Closing and Blessing
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
---
### Bible Reading
- 1 Corinthians 5:1–13; 6:9–20
- John 8:1–11 (Jesus and the woman caught in adultery)
- Proverbs 3:5–7
---
### Observation Questions
1. In 1 Corinthians 5, what specific example of sexual immorality does Paul confront in the Corinthian church? How does he instruct the church to respond? [03:04]
2. According to John 8, how does Jesus respond to the woman caught in adultery, and what does He say to her after her accusers leave? [07:34]
3. In 1 Corinthians 6:18–20, what reason does Paul give for fleeing sexual immorality? How does he describe our bodies? [36:05]
4. What does Proverbs 3:5–7 say about trusting God versus leaning on our own understanding, and how does this relate to the topic of sexuality? [16:15]
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul emphasize the need to “put off the old and put on the new” in the lives of believers? How does this relate to the ongoing process of transformation? [08:28]
2. Jesus tells the woman, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” How does this statement balance grace and the call to change? What does it reveal about Jesus’ heart toward sinners? [07:34]
3. The sermon says God’s boundaries for sex are not arbitrary or restrictive, but rooted in His love and desire for our flourishing. How might this perspective change the way someone views God’s commands about sexuality? [14:28]
4. Paul says our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, bought with a price. What are the implications of this truth for how we live, especially regarding sexual purity? [36:05]
---
### Application Questions
1. The sermon says, “Our failures do not define us; our identity in Christ does. Repentance is a gift that leads us into deeper freedom, not a burden of shame.” Is there an area of your life where you need to receive God’s grace and walk in repentance instead of shame? What would it look like to take a step toward freedom this week? [07:34]
2. God’s design for sex is described as a “circle of holy sex”—one man, one woman, in the covenant of marriage. Are there ways you have been tempted to seek legitimate needs in illegitimate ways? What would it look like to trust God’s plan in this area, even when it’s hard? [18:33]
3. The sermon challenges us to honor our spouse or future spouse by guarding the gift of sex. If you are married, what is one way you can honor your spouse this week? If you are single, how can you honor your future spouse or God with your choices? [26:22]
4. Paul says that sexual sin is never just private—it affects the whole community. How might your choices in this area impact others around you? Is there someone you need to seek reconciliation or accountability with? [27:26]
5. The message encourages us to “flee from sexual immorality” not out of shame, but to honor the God who dwells within us. What practical steps can you take to flee temptation and pursue holiness in your daily life? [36:05]
6. Conviction is described as a gift, not condemnation. When was the last time you felt convicted by the Holy Spirit? How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [37:41]
7. Communion is a reminder that Jesus has already accomplished everything needed for our forgiveness and new life. How can you remind yourself daily of your new identity in Christ, especially when you are tempted to return to old patterns? [38:34]
---
Devotional
Day 1: Go and Sin No More—Walking in the Light of Christ
Jesus calls us not only to receive His forgiveness but also to step into a new way of living, free from condemnation and empowered to leave behind patterns of sin. When He told the woman caught in adultery, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more,” He invited her—and us—into a life of walking in the light, not in darkness. This is not a call to perfection, but to daily alignment with His will, trusting that His way leads to abundant life. As we follow Jesus, we are invited to experience the freedom and transformation that comes from His grace and truth. [07:40]
John 8:10-12 (ESV)
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Reflection: Where in your life do you sense Jesus inviting you to step out of shame and into His light, trusting His forgiveness and following Him into a new way of living today?
Day 2: Honor God by Following His Plan
God’s design for our lives—including our sexuality—is rooted in His goodness and wisdom. He calls us to trust Him, not our own understanding or cultural messages, and to honor His boundaries as an act of faith and reverence. When we choose to follow God’s plan, especially in areas where it challenges our instincts or desires, we are expressing trust in His love and care for us. This trust is not about restriction, but about living in the fullness and freedom He intends for His children. [16:15]
Proverbs 3:5-7 (ESV)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
Reflection: What is one area where you are tempted to lean on your own understanding instead of trusting God’s plan? How can you surrender that area to Him today?
Day 3: Honor Your Spouse, Future Spouse, and Fellow Believers by Walking in Love
God calls us to honor the covenant of marriage and to treat one another with holiness and respect, guarding the gift of sexuality for its proper place. Whether married or single, we are invited to honor our current or future spouse by keeping ourselves pure, and to honor fellow believers by not taking advantage of them or leading them into sin. This is a call to love that is self-giving and protective, seeking the good of others and reflecting God’s heart in our relationships. [27:26]
1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 (ESV)
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
Reflection: If you are married, what is one way you can intentionally honor your spouse today? If you are single, how can you honor your future spouse or fellow believers in your actions and attitudes?
Day 4: Honor the Gospel by Living as a New Creation
Through Christ, we are made new—no longer defined by our past sins or old ways of living, but called to put on the new self each day. The gospel transforms us from the inside out, inviting us to continually take off the old and embrace the new life Jesus offers. This is a daily process, empowered by the Spirit, where we remember that our identity is now rooted in Christ and His finished work, not in our failures or former patterns. [34:22]
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Reflection: What is one “old” pattern or mindset you sense God inviting you to lay down today, so you can more fully live as His new creation?
Day 5: Honor the Temple of God by Fleeing Sexual Immorality
As followers of Jesus, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit—sacred spaces where God’s presence dwells. This truth calls us to flee from sexual immorality and to glorify God with our bodies, recognizing that we are not our own but were bought with a price. Honoring God in this way is not about shame, but about living in the freedom and dignity He gives, trusting that His way leads to wholeness and true joy. [36:54]
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (ESV)
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Reflection: What practical step can you take today to honor God with your body, remembering that you are His temple and deeply loved?
Quotes
Honor the temple of God by fleeing sexual immorality. He's going to go on to tell us that the temple is no longer a building or a place you go to, but it's you and me. You are the temple of God, where God's Holy Spirit dwells. When you think about that, that changes the way we're going to live. [00:34:41] (26 seconds)
But let me tell you this. Start with, neither do I condemn you. Those are the start. That's the starting point. And then, Lord, I don't want to sin anymore. I'm going to go and sin no more. I'm going to walk with you. But it starts from, there's no condemnation for those that are in Christ. [00:38:16] (23 seconds)
Some of you were once like that, but you were cleansed. You were made holy. You were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of God. Gospel transforms us. That's what we were. So live in the new creation. Always putting off the old, putting on the new. Take off the old, put on the new. That is a daily experience for us as followers of Jesus, as we're being transformed. [00:34:00] (33 seconds)
As we read, Paul is not correcting non -believers. In the church, we often look at people who don't believe in Jesus, who don't follow Jesus, and we expect them to live the kingdom ethics. Paul is saying, I'm not judging the world, but us who name the name of Jesus, there's this higher accountability. [00:09:43] (25 seconds)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own. You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. [00:36:37] (15 seconds)
When it says, fear the Lord, to fear the Lord is to have a healthy respect for what God calls right and wrong, and what He calls good and evil. So we want to know, what does God call right and wrong, and good and evil, and live in His plan? Because God is good. and he wants what's very best for each of his kids. [00:17:01] (20 seconds)
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Jun 02, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?