It’s Quotes Month here at XXXchurch, and I have a doozy for ya:
“Christian teaching about sex is not a set of isolated prohibitions; it is an integral part of what the Bible has to say about living in such a way that our lives communicate the character of God.” -Rowan Williams
Ponder it a while and you’ll arrive at a huge implication at its core- Sex is not about you. Sex is about God. It’s a startling realization- Our sexuality exists, like everything else, to demonstrate the glory of our Creator.
Why is sex such a complicated and powerful force in humanity? Wouldn’t life be simpler, less messy, if we just divided one day like bacteria as a means of reproduction; or if sex was strictly procreative business- no emotional attachments, no physical euphoria- just a baby making procedure? It would certainly be more efficient and cause less strife. And there are plenty of other species that operate in those ways. So, why- WHY – is human sexuality such a big deal? Because God made it that way. And guess what- He did so on purpose. It’s part of His glory-revealing master plan.
I’m not sure if anyone has told you this lately, but you exist for God. Every aspect of your life was arranged so that you would come to know your Father- so you would love Him, accept His rescue plan in Christ, bring others to Him, and then spend eternity in Heaven praising Him.
Acts 17:25-27 reads, “…He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us.” It’s all about God, it always has been. All of history, the course of civilization was laid out by God so individuals like you and I would find Him.
And then what? Then we glorify Him. You; glorify Him. Because as 1 Peter: 2 tells us, “you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, THAT YOU MAY PROCLAIM the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” We’re saved to make much of the God who saves us.
So it follows, that everything you do in this life serves this existential purpose. Your education, your relationships, your talents, your time, your hobbies, your job, your personality, your money, your place of residence, your taste in music and food and art and everything else about you. Yes, your sex life too. Everything is intended for this end: glorify God.
Because what is sex? It is a covenant renewal. In marriage, two people “become one flesh-” sex is about that union. And what is marriage about? God. Remember. Everything is about God.
Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansingher by the washing with water through the word. –Ephesians 5:24-26
Yes! Marriage is a huge, giant, living metaphor for Christ and His Church- an illustration of the relationship between the rescuer and the rescued- a visualization of us as God’s beloved. Marriage is holy, so isn’t the physical manifestation and celebration of that union- isn’t sex therefore, sacred?! Marriage beautifully communicates the relationship between Jesus Christ and His Church to the world. The activity that enacts oneness and promise in marriage therefore, ALSO speaks of our unity with Christ, which is only possible because of God’s merciful, intensely loving, sacrificial character. Connect the dots.
Sex is intended to communicate the character of God, to His glory.
But we hijack our lives to please and elevate ourselves instead of God, don’t we? As we’ve seen, sex is a particularly significant activity, so when we take over and do it all wrong, it becomes especially perilous. When we abuse this immaculate symbol, the world doesn’t see the purity and loveliness of our faithful Lord. Sure, we have our blaze of glory. But we’ve robbed God of His.
Fornication, adultery, porn, homosexuality – impatience, betrayal, selfishness, parody – this is not the character of God. All God-instated meaning behind sex is devastated when we refuse to observe the morality His word sets before us.
So when Christian teachings and rules seem all too restricting, remember it’s not about rule-keeping, it’s about communicating the character of God. It’s about your life’s purpose. What a fantastic privilege. And if you struggle -as I do- with sexual integrity, take heart- enjoy some positive motivation for once. Your sexuality is something great, something holy. It has purpose. You; have purpose.