Gender and Sex IV - What about warnings? ...

Friday, Feb 26, 2010. Over the last days we have explored the world of men and women, the relationship of love, the creation of sexuality and the beauty of mankind in male and female creatures. We have admired the role and creation of sexuality by God himself as a gift to mankind!

However, there are also many sincere warnings and controversial discussions reflected in the biblical texts. The apostle Paul even claims that it is better to stay away from any type of partnership and sexual relation between man and woman, for the sake of the gospel and salvation of Jesus Christ. If you want to focus completely on spreading the gospel and working for other people, you should not marry and stay away from man-woman-partnership, since the load of such a partnership might distract you from the important things. But even Paul with his gift of celibacy had to admit that it is better to marry and than to be burned by desire. He writes:

1 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.a 2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. (1 Cor 7: 1 ff)

Sexuality in a larger framework

The biblical position towards sexuality is that it belongs to a larger framework. That is reflected in every passage discussing practices and the role of the genders. The guiding thought, fact and principle is the salvation in Christ. Jesus is bringing us back to the origin, to the Lord, to the creator. He is giving new life, a new beginning, a fresh start. He is offering salvation to every human.

All our relations will be influenced and incorporated into our relationship towards the Lord. We are in Christ, and all we do is determined to be in him. That does not mean that we should experience less pleasure! It means that we should find a lot of pleasure. But sometimes we need to wait. Pleasure or sex is not the most important thing. If it would be, it would loose most of its attraction immediately and we would be slaves of our desires. But we should be their masters and then direct and stir them in a larger framework. It can all be good, if we listen to the Lord. He knows us better than we do!

Paul is rather practical in the above lines. You might object some of the rules he puts up. He is strongly trying to sort out a way which is both practical and following the basic principles God is teaching us. This is and will be a remaining challenge to live in Jesus with all we do - including our sexual life. It is a challenge, but wonderful and fantastic at the same time. ... more texts