For a Christian, there is no such thing as sexual sin.

It looks like my opponent cannot get past a faulty view that salvation is one or the other, grace or works. Even though there is an undeniable case for BOTH, he continues to insist they are mutually exclusive. When I said we must accept ALL Scripture, I was referring to his viewpoint that we only look at the New Testament. But it is clear that he does not even accept this. His insistence that we throw out the ENTIRE code ignores the fact that there is repeated support in the New Testament to avoid sexual immorality. Sexual immorality is clearly defined in several ways in the New Testament, but my opponent thinks we can ignore this and use our own definitions. My opponent also wants to turn this into a contest about who can show the MOST Scripture, which is irrelevant. This approach is faulty because it is implying that the Bible has errors. His only response (?) is, "Ignore those passages and focus exclusively on the passages I want to talk about." This approach does not deal with problem passages; it only tosses them aside. My approach shows how all Scripture works together and does not contradict itself. Yes, the Bible is clear that we cannot "earn" our salvation, since all have sinned. But we must not ignore a very powerful theme running throughout the New Testament: REPENTANCE Putting faith in Jesus does not mean accepting a free gift of salvation and continuing our sinful ways. It means turning away from past sins and living for Christ. It requires a changed lifestyle. After all, Christians are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19-21), and must properly represent Jesus. Here are several passages that show we must repent and turn away from sin when we become Christians: ******************************** 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." (Acts 8:21-23) 19 "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven. 20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds. (Acts 26:19-20) 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:31) 20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged. (2 Corinthians 12:20-21) 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (1 John 3:4-10) 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age 6 and who have fallen[a] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. (Hebrews 6:4-6) 26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-30) ********************************** While I could try to make this a contest, seeing who has MORE Scripture to support their view, I will stop here because the message is clear: Christians must not only have faith in Jesus, but must also turn from sin. The message of grace and forgiveness does not say to continue sinning; it only says we are not perfect and cannot "earn" our salvation. But total disregard of the law is unacceptable. When we sin, we must repent and move forward, rather than continue sinning and taking God's forgiveness for granted. My opponent admits that the Bible says we must follow some rules, yet is very selective about which passages to follow and which to ignore. He is also selective about how to define sexual immorality. He believes that adultery is only wrong because it harms spouse. If this is the case, then not all adultery would be wrong because some married couples agree to have an "open marriage." In these cases, adultery is not harmful because both agree and nobody is hurt. But there is no distinction in Scripture, because adultery is ALWAYS wrong, even if it is not dishonest or harmful to spouse. Here is another problem passage for those who say there is no sexual sin for Christians: ******************************* 12 "I have the right to do anything," you say—but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything"—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both." The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."[b] 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[c] 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:12-20) ************************************ According to my opponent, sex with a prostitute would be okay for a single, unattached man. This man has not cheated on wife or girlfriend, yet nothing in this passage singles out men who are in a committed relationship. Clearly, the passages is for ALL Christians. While people can say that sex between honest consenting adults is okay, they cannot say this view is in agreement with the Christian Bible.