How to respond to our sexualized world
Paul understood that his Corinthian audience faced powerful sexual temptations. In Corinth , the sights and sounds of sex were almost as prevalent as in our own sensual society. He knew that the opportunity to act on such stimulation would be a normal part of life, just as it is today for those of us who live and work in this society. Consider the brazen obedience of Joseph in Genesis 39:7–13. We imagine that as he did each day, Joseph dutifully cared for the small palace. As he entered the cool, dark bedroom, someone roughly pushed him from behind. As he fell forward onto the bed, he didn’t even need to turn around to see who assaulted him. He knew. Even if he couldn’t smell her alluring perfume, he would have know that Potiphar’s wife was making another brazen sexual advance towards him. He rolled off the other side of the bed, rising to see the flushed face of his master’s wife. There was no small talk this time—she came straight to the point, indelicately demanding that ...