What happens in Vegas...

Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Hebrews 13:4

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Galatians 6:7-8

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Maybe you’ve seen the commercials. This slogan gives you this idea that Vegas is a magical place where you can go and do whatever you want without suffering any consequences. The idea is that when you leave Vegas, all you the bad stuff you have done stays there. I think we have a tendency to think the same way about sex. We think “Oh well… everyone has sex in high school or in college, but one day when I am an adult I will leave all of that behind and it’ll be okay.” This is certainly how it works on TV and in music videos. The problem is that the real world just doesn’t work that way. Sex outside of marriage produces a lot of pain that nobody talks about. And that pain doesn’t stay in high school and college any more than your gambling debts stay in Vegas.

In Galatians 6:7-8 God makes it very clear to us what the consequences are for those who choose to disobey Him. He says that you will reap what you sow. This is a farming metaphor. If you plant corn you will harvest corn. No one has ever planted corn and harvested watermelons. God says it is the same with our actions. If we plant sin in our life, we will reap destruction, but if we do what God commands and we plant obedience then we will enjoy life. This is true of all of God’s commands including His command to keep the marriage bed pure. So what you do about sex now will have consequences for you later. If you choose God’s way for sex (waiting until after marriage) then you will have good consequences. But if you choose to do what you want to do and ignore God, then sooner or later, one way or another, you will reap what you have sown. 

It is my deep desire that you reap a harvest of life and happiness in your marriage. I look around and see many people I care about reaping the consequences for bad sexual decisions they made years ago. I know that it is difficult to follow God’s plan for sex in our culture, but God Himself can uphold and strengthen you. Like the passage says it is not simply about avoiding pain. It is also about reaping a harvest of life. There are many rewards for those who wait. You don’t have to worry about STDs or how you compare to your spouse’s previous sexual partners. Some studies have actually shown that, contrary to what the world would have you believe, married people have the best sex. So I encourage you in name of Christ to choose God’s way for sex. Choose to wait until you are married. 

No doubt some of you may have already gone too far. If that is the case then you need to ask yourself a question. Was this done to me or was it something I chose? Some of you were sexually abused and it was not your fault. It was done to you and you are not guilty for that. God can bring healing and wholeness in the midst of your pain. But some of you chose your sin. You wanted it and you went after it. I want to remind you that the book of Romans says that “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more” (Romans 5:20). There is forgiveness to be had. I John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” God is a god of forgiveness. He wants to give you a clean slate and set you on a new path. There will still be consequences for your sin but you have a chance to start over. Make a choice now to commit to God and to stay pure from this point on. God has the right to command sexual purity from you and He has. It is your choice whether or not you will obey.

For further reading...

• Colossians 3:5- Put it to death. 
• I Thessalonians 4:3- Sanctification requires it.
• 1 Corinthians 6:20- God bought you when He redeemed you from sin. Show Him honor.