Is it Wrong to Commit Adultery?

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Paul Schlehlein

Answer: Yes, all immorality—including sexual activity outside of marriage—is sinful.

Problem: The Ten Commandments condemn adultery in every form, while some Old Testament passages seem to encourage immoral unions, such as God commanding Hosea to marry a prostitute.

Explanation: The author of Hebrews calls for purity in marriage, insisting it be “held in honor” (13:4). God “will judge sexual immorality”, which is sexual impurity while unmarried, and “adulterous” activity, which is unfaithfulness to a spouse. Jesus extends adultery to lust (Mt. 5:18). Continue reading →

3 Hinderances to God-honouring Family Life within Black South African Families

Posted on June 22, 2023 by Paul Schlehlein

8E300912-6B73-4671-9AE1-03345C08F407_1_201_a For the past 17 years I have lived with the Tsonga speaking people in Limpopo, South Africa.

Tsongas comprise our church body. I preach in the Tsonga language each Sunday. Our Christian School teaches mostly Tsongas, along with a few Vendas and Zulus. All eight of our children have been born in South Africa. I lived with the chief’s family for two years as I hauled my drinking water. I learned the language the old fashioned way. I have preached countless sermons in the neighboring villages and cities of Mozambique, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. I love the people I live among.

This background gives me at least some authority to answer questions about challenges in the black African home. I recognize that not all black Africans are the same. There are many differences between the Zulus and Sothos in South Africa and even more so between the Hausa in West Africa and the Bemba in Zambia.

A Kenyan friend, professor and pastor asked me a question the other day. With a broad brush, here’s how I would answer his question: “What are the hinderances to God-honouring family life within black South African families?” Continue reading →

Ten Gracious Steps for the Sexually Immoral

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Paul Schlehlein

Sexual immorality is rampant all over the world. Our African village is no different. When those inside our church fall to this sin, we counsel them with a spirit of love by urging them to follow these ten “R’s”.

This always takes time and patience. Teaching through a list like this may take hours or even days. But the repentance of a sinning brother is worth this kind of investment.

Remember. God’s will is that you stay far away from sexual immorality (1Th. 4:3). Don’t forget that God has created you for the purpose of imitating the holy life of Christ (Mt. 5:48).
Request. Ask God to forgive your sin (1Jn. 1:9), to give you a pure heart (Ps. 51:10), to protect you from the sin of fornication (Gn. 20:6; 1Chr. 4:10; Ps. 141:9) and to help you persevere (1Jn. 2:19).
Responsibility. Place the blame on yourself for your sin (Ps. 51:1-4). Do not fault the world or church for suspecting the genuineness of your Christian profession while you are living in immorality (Eph. 5:3; 1Co. 6:9-10).
Run. Stay far away from the temptation, not just the sin (Ex. 13:17-18). The best way to avoid fornication is to avoid tempting situations (Dt. 25:13-15; Pr. 5:8; 7:8). Flee fornication! (Gn. 39:12; 1Co. 6:18).
Read. Diligently study and meditate upon God’s Word. It is powerful enough to keep His people from sin (Ps. 119-11; Pr. 7:2-3).
Reflect. Guard your thought life by thinking upon pure things (Phil. 4:8). Rid yourself of any objects that hinders this (Dt. 25:13). Meditate upon what Jesus did on the cross to forgive you of such sins (Rm. 5:8).
Relate. Be around believers as often as you possibly can (Hb. 10:25).
Respect. Treat younger women as sisters and older women as mothers (1Tm. 5:2). Avoid doing things with a person of the opposite sex that you would not do with your sister or brother.
Resolve. Get married when you are young (Pr. 5:18) to avoid youthful sins (1Co. 7:2), provided are emotionally and financially prepared (1Tm. 5:8) and the person is a Christian (2Co. 6:14; 1Co. 7:31). If not, break off the relationship.
Repent. Mourn over your fornication (2Co. 12:21). Recognize that this sin breaks God’s law (Gn. 39:9; Ex. 20:14), the church covenant and is worthy of church expulsion should you not repent in word and action (1Co. 5).

The Not-So-Difficult Transgender Debate

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Paul Schlehlein

Recently I spoke with a military chaplain who has a transgender soldier in his unit who identifies as a woman. The serviceman has gone through the hormonal and surgical procedures. Should the chaplain use the male or female name? What is the loving thing to do?

My purpose here is not to argue men are made men and women, women. Scripture is unmistakable and even in our crazy modern world, most evangelicals still agree. The confusion seems to rest on how Christians should address the transgender. In fact, many pastors in the chaplain’s conservative denomination were split on what to do.

Some Straw Men

Before we begin, let me give a few disclaimers. First, we’re not talking about scenarios of ignorance. If Mrs. Smith asks for the cereal and I say “in aisle three, ma’am”, I’m not complicit in the lie when I learn later it was actually Mr. Smith to whom I was talking. Because Scripture considers motive in moral acts, the scenario in paragraph one does not fit this description. Continue reading →

Five Thoughts on South Africa’s Sexual Revolution

Posted on September 22, 2017 by Paul Schlehlein

Satan has many strategies for making sin palatable. One tactic is the use of language. If he can make wickedness a part of everyday parlance or if he can edit out certain vocabulary with confining baggage and replace it with more appetizing terminology, half the battle is won.

Nowhere are these methods more obvious than in the arena of today’s sexual revolution. This is not merely a Western problem. The vessels of homosexuality washed up on African shores years ago—an innumerable fleet behind them. Continue reading →