Leviticus 18

In this chapter, God gives us a list of sexual practices that are sinful.  God is not against sexual relations: He invented sex as a way for men and women to reproduce and express their love for one another: “May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.  A loving doe, a graceful deer – may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love” (Proverbs 5:18-19).  However, God makes it perfectly clear that sex is meant to be between a husband and a wife ONLY.  Any other substitute is sinful and will not lead to the fulfillment that God wants us to have in our lives.

“Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord.” Leviticus‬ ‭18‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Here is another promise attached to obedience:  God promised that if the Israelites would obey His regulations, they would find life.  Today, God wants to bless us and help us to have the best life possible.  We need to remember what God says in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  God knows that the only way for someone to enjoy his/her life to the fullest is by following His ways.  When presented with options in life, we only have two choices:  We can choose to do things God’s way or our way.  We can choose to have abundant life, or we can choose spiritual death: “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.  Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make.  Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!  You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to Him. This is the key to your life…” (Deuteronomy 30:19,20).  In addition, it is not enough to know what God wants us to do.  Obedience means we actually have to do it.  Jesus said “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:24).