Another New Feature: Bible Study Tuesdays
Okay, so this “feature” is pretty much the same as our previous feature. But the good news is I have a great opening topic: SEX!! This past week my friend Dan did a great study on what the Bible says about sex. It was a very interesting lesson and I can’t wait to share it with you.
First of all, there is lots of references to sex in the Bible. The word “begot” appears 180 times in the Old Testament, and 45 times in the New Testament. Every single one of these 245 references produces a child.
The Bible gets started talking about sex almost “In the beginning.” In Gen 4:1 we read that Adam “knew” Eve, which is another Bible way of saying they had sex. This produced Cain and Able.
Now some people would have you believe that sex is only supposed to be used for procreation, but the Bible actually teaches that there are several reasons for sex, procreation being one very important one. Sex is a gift from God, and in James 1:17 we learn that every good gift comes from God.
Going back to Genesis, we learn that we as humans often misuse our gifts. In Genesis 19:30-33 we read the story of what happened after Lot escaped from Sodom and Gomorrah (for the back story, read all of Chapters 18 and 19 in Genesis.). In verses 30-33 Lot and his two daughters are hiding in a cave, fearing the wickedness of the society they just came from. Lot’s daughters do not trust God to provide for them, and therefore fear that they will never have husbands and therefore not have the chance to bear children. So they get there father stoned drunk and have sex with him, causing him to unwittingly father their children.
It is interesting to note several other things about this passage. First, even facing the fear of never having children, most women would not even think of sleeping with their own father for any reason, including to produce children. Yet these girls do not even hesitate to ponder just how wrong this action is. This perhaps illustrates just how sick the society in Sodom and Gomorrah truly was. Second, we learn in verses 37 and 38 that the two children which come from these unions produce the Moabites and the Ammonites, two nations of people who would prove very difficult obstacles for the children of Israel throughout the Old Testament.
Of course every gift of God comes with responsibilities, and it is important to know what these responsibilities are in order to use them correctly, keeping us properly connected to God and our friends (in this case, our spouses). In Exodus 20:14 we read the commandment “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” This should be a fairly obvious one, but in case anyone is wondering why God would consider this a sin is by doing it you hurt the one you love, the one you are joined as one to in the sight of God, which is an affront to Him as one of His other children (your spouse).
Another thing to remember about Commandments from God, they are usually based on past experiences which can be found in the Bible. In Leviticus 19:29 it says (depending on your translation) do not turn your daughter into a harlot or prostitute. Now why would God have to tell us this? Who would do such a thing? For the answer, we need to go back to the story of Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah. In Genesis 19:1-8 two angels come to the cities to destroy them. Lot pleads with them not to, and takes them to his house. When he does, the wicked men of the cities demand that Lot send his guests outside so the men of the city can have sex with them. In verse 8, Lot offers to send his two daughters out to the men as an alternative. Can you believe it? Lot is willing to give his own daughters to gang rape! For this reason God needed to point this Commandment out!
Leviticus 18 not only lays out in plain English the sins which encompass sexual immorality, it gives us a very clear picture of how God views it. Verses 6-20 spell out all the inappropriate ways to have sex with family members, such as having sex with your sister, or your brother’s wife (sister-in-law), your mother or father’s sister (your aunts) etc. Verse 22 says you will not engage in sex with someone of the same gender (homosexuality), and verse 23 says you will not engage in bestiality. All of these things are horrible sins which are not only disgusting in the sight of God, but could land you in some very intense and long term therapy.
But what is really interesting is verse 21, which admonishes you not to sacrifice your children to Molech. This commandment is obviously an important one, that of not worshiping other Gods. But there is more. The Bible doesn’t say much about Molech, but archaeological information tells us that Molech was worshiped as a fire god made of bronze. A fire was built inside the statue, heating it up hot enough to cook. Parents would then lay their children in the out stretched arms of the statue, causing them to burn to death! Take a moment to imagine how horribly disgusting this is to us humans, then try to comprehend how much more horrible it would be for God! This passage was not put here randomly or by accident, but to illustrate just how horrible these sexual sins are.
New Testament views of Sex
In the New Testament, we find a continuation of the same teachings about sex, but with more detail based on our new covenant.
In Mathew 5:27-28, Jesus gives us more detail on committing adultery, when He tells us that not only is having sex with a woman who is not your wife adultery, but looking at a woman with lust causes you to commit adultery with her in your heart.
1 Thessalonians 4:2-4 admonishes us to abstain from all sexual immorality, keeping ourselves pure and consecrated for holy living.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20 says that any sin a believer commits is a sin against his own body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit and was bought for a price.
These verses reveal to us the condemnation we can receive for our sin. But the God we serve is a God of mercy and love, slow to anger and rich in kindness. He not only forgives our sins but provides a way out when He does. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 lists the types of people who will not get into heaven (unrighteous, greedy, cheaters, etc.). But we must remember that God does not care whom we were, but whom we are now.
In Deuteronomy 22:28-29 we learn that if a man has sex with a virgin, he may pay the bride price and marry her, handling sin with grace and allowing us to do the right thing.
Sex in Marriage
The Bible also discusses sex in marriage. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 says that both husbands and wives have a right to sex in marriage, as well as goodwill and kindness. Hebrews 13:4 admonishes us not only to honor our marriage and keep it holy, but also the marriage bed. This doesn’t just mean to not defile it with infidelity, but to honor it with the love that includes kindness, tenderness, and the physical manifestation of your union which is sex.
Why did God create sex?
So, why did God create sex? My friend Dan showed us four reasons:
- Procreation: Genesis 1:28
- Pleasure in marriage: Song of Solomon 4:9-16
- Coming together as one flesh, to love and honor each other as Christ loves the Church: Ephesians 5:28-33.
- And most importantly, to glorify God: 1 Cor 6:16-20.
So guys, what does this mean for us as men? How can we relate this specifically to Men’s Ministry? This one is easy. We are called by God to love our wives as no other woman. In fact, we are not to physically love any other woman, nor fantasize about loving another woman. For single guys, we are to keep ourselves upright and pure, waiting for that one woman who is a gift from Him just for us.
The problem is this waiting and avoiding lust might just be one of the hardest things for men in this society to do. I know it is a constant struggle for me. But there is hope. First, pray for the Lord to help you be strong and resist the enemy, sending the Holy Spirit to be your wing man. Second, get into a men’s group or simply find a good group of Christian men that you can trust and talk about these issues with. I know this is not natural for us, but I have found that talking about these problems and having someone to hold me accountable is one of the best ways to avoid these sins. It really works, and it will bring you closer to Christ.
Even if you can’t seem to make yourself do it for you, how about doing this for her. If you are married, let’s make an effort to love our wives even more each day, speaking kinds words, defending her honor, and being a good man for her whether you are together or apart.
If you are single, try keeping yourself pure and honorable for the future love of your life. I know it will make you appreciate her more when you finally get together. But it also might just be the thing God is waiting for you to do before He introduces her into your life.
Until next time, be strong, be humble, and be in prayer, and may we all be men4god!
