By Dr Motunrayo J Adetola
I came across the video clip a few days ago. It is a message preached by a notable “Deliverance style GO” in Nigeria. The high point of the clip is that Christians should avoid adultery and sexual sins in general. And he based his points on a verse from 1 Cor 6:16 which states:
Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, the two will become one flesh.
The Cleric then inferred that the sin of adultery and fornication brings along with it the exchange of demons and blood. He then backed his assertion with a deliverance session story of a woman who was demon-possessed and told him that a man was poor and in misery because of the demons acquired in the course of his adulterous relationship. So much for accepting the lie and testimony of the Demoniac! Does this stack up with scripture?
Dr. Olamide Falase the dean of Biblical Studies at the Institute of Pastoral and Theological Training at Egbe, Kogi State wrote as follows, “This fails on so many levels. However one curious claim he makes that sex is a “spiritual activity” and that’s why it is called “joining yourself” is quite easily debunked by the fact that in the same passage, the Apostle uses the same term to describe the believer’s union with Christ which was by no means sexual.
But he who is JOINED to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17″.
I concur and will go further to ask every serious Christian to take three minutes and read 1 Cor 6:12-20 to understand that transference of spirits/demons or blood is NOT implied in that text or indeed ANY text concerning sexual sins.
Every sin remains an abomination before God and every true believer should mourn and repent. The thrust of 1 Corinthian 6:12-20 should remind us about Godly intent of marriage as a reunion of the compliment parts that God separated when He took Eve out of Adam. Gen 2:21-23.
Illicit sex, defilement of the body
Having illicit sexual union hence is a defilement of the sacred sanctuary of Christ which the Lord detests.
Our body is the sanctuary of the Christ and God does not want us to share it with any form of corruption especially sexual which is done against the body. Only within marriage are sexual union and fidelity with one’s spouse prescribed by God just like Adam and Eve of old.
There is therefore no transference of demon or blood, no need for deliverance from demons so transferred but repentance from the sin of adultery just as David (Psalm 51), Solomon, and even the woman caught in the very act John 8:1-11 whom the Lord saved from those who wanted to stone her. Jesus was firm and in verse 11 Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.
Danger of linking demon to sexual sin
The advancement of faulty deliverance (demonology) theology such as the one by the cleric I talked about has a double advantage of absolving the sinner of his sin, pushing off the responsibility to some demons instead of repenting from them while at the same time filling the pockets of so-called Deliverance ministers who also have lots of deliverance merchandise such as “anointing oils, blessed clothes, candles, altar spreads, etc” to market.
Demons are never responsible for personal decisions of lust, greed, and stealing things that belong to others. These are deep-seated cravings already covered under personal responsibilities and for which we are individually RESPOnsible.
That was the reason God had these etched on a stone for Moses as the 10 commandments instead of having him (and High Priest Aaron) routinely conduct deliverance sessions for the demons of lust, fornication, greed, covetousness, and whatever voracious sinful appetite we may have worked up.
Apostle Paul wrote as follows to his protege, Timothy: For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:3-5 (NIV).
Every reason is an abomination before our Holy God and the true believer should mourn his/her sin and repent for defiling the body, God’s temple. 1 Cor 6:19-20.
How Christians can have victory over sin
How then can a Christian have victory over sin and not remain a casualty to the prayer contractors, fake clergies, and mammon priests masquerading as servants of Christ?
When Apostle Paul wrote the letter to the faithful in Corinth circa 56 AD, Christians were an insignificant minority in a City-State given to idol worship. Part of their temple worship included prostitution and even homosexuality (see 1 Corinthian 6:9) and members of the Corinthian Church had lived this lifestyle.
Still, Paul did not for once prescribe deliverance from demons or use of ancillaries such as anointing oil and handkerchiefs! Not once! The instruction was simple and direct and it was “Flee from sexual immorality” (1 Cor 6:18a). Wasn’t that not what Joseph did when Potiphar’s wife sought to entangle him? Did anyone say it was always easy? Joseph was too busy walking in the Spirit to succumb to Mrs. Potiphar’s cat walking and that is the difference!
Read also: Sexual sins: Adeboye warns, says “when a woman accuses you nobody will listen to your story https://churchtimesnigeria.net/sexual-sin-adeboye-devil/
Walking in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-22
One consistent theme in scripture both in the Old and New Testaments of those who had successful walks with God is how well they focused their gaze on the things that truly matter to God and not really on themselves. The works of the flesh detailed in Galatians 5 such as adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, and so on are appetites within human control.
We feed and nurture them to the detriment of our relationship with God. If on the other hand, we invest (more) in the things of the Spirit, studying scripture, praying, and deepening our relationship with God through meditation in scripture, we get to love him and genuinely seek to please him like the heroes highlighted in Hebrews 11 did.
Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:12-14
So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons.
The implication then is not attempting to transfer the responsibility of our weaknesses and sins on some nebulous demons but owning them, mourning, and repenting those sins. Furthermore, the Apostle says “By the Spirit”, YOU put to death”.
This means, when we repent, God gives us the enabling power not to return to those sins, .., fornication, adultery, stealing, and lying don’t have power over us as long as we seek to please the Lord.
See also Col 3:5, 3:9, Gal 5:24 1 Cor 9:27 Romans 8:12-13, 12:1 Col 2:6, Phil 4:13
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