Avoiding the Scarlet Letter
Louis McBurney
A common path to sexual sin is the notion that feelings are not only all-important but also totally uncontrollable; they just happen to you.
Louis McBurney
We're all shocked when we hear a respected fellow minister has been exposed as an adulterer. We think to ourselves, Boy, what an idiot! I'll never do a thing like that, and we mean every word of it. We're as convinced of it as any commitment we've ever made.
Almost every minister I've counseled who found himself entangled in sexual infidelity had that same confidence. I can remember only two men who consciously set out for sexual conquest. One seriously questioned his masculinity and sought to prove himself through repeated sexual encounters. The other was sociopathic and used others impulsively for his own pleasure or profit in many ways, including sexually.
What derailed all the others, who were so sure it could never happen to them? Although they were neither deeply disturbed in their sexual identity nor sociopathic, they did neglect some important principles and crucial warning signs. By becoming more aware of these, we can avoid falling into an adulterous affair and earning our scarlet letter.
Recognizing Our Vulnerability
Men in ministry are especially vulnerable to sexual temptation because they work in what is often a female subculture, the church. Simply their presence on the job exposes them to potential romantic or sexual relationships.
In addition, our world is rapidly removing the restraints to sexual involvement. Men and women are even encouraged to "find themselves" through sexual encounters. Perhaps some women in your church flirt with that very idea. Or with you.
Another reason for increased vulnerability is the similarity between spirituality and sexuality. ...
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