In opposition to popular secular views on sex and sexuality, this paper represents a Christian worldview. It is a common misconception that God’s sole intention for sex is procreation. This paper presents Biblical evidence for procreation, connection and intimacy, as well as martial pleasure. God’s divine design is investigated while discussing flaws in sexual brokenness and sinful sexual behavior.
The birds and the bees do it and since the dawn of time humans have too. Throughout the millennia, humans have engaged in sexual behavior. It is a natural part of our biological design (Eagly & Wood, 2013). People often use the terms sex and sexuality interchangeably but they are vastly different concepts. It is important to note that human sexuality refers to a person’s sexual interest in and attraction to others. It is their capacity to have sexual experiences and feelings. A person’s biological sex or gender refers to anatomy, physiology, genetic makeup and hormones (McLeod, 2014).
Many will argue that sex and gender are exclusive of one another but the Bible teaches differently. When it comes to sex and sexuality in America, we live in a time like no other. Sexual liberalism emerged in the 1960’s around the advent of the birth control pill which was the catalyst of the American sexual revolution (Meyerowitz, 2002). American society began to openly accept sex as a form of recreation rather than within the parameters of marriage. This was a significant shift in American culture, where traditional views of family structure and values began to deteriorate. Gender and sexuality are God’s design. They are each a part of a person’s distinct individuality. God has given each person unique giftings and designed us with purpose, sexuality and sex are no different (Genesis, New International Version). God created sex and sexuality for intimacy and connection, procreation and for pleasure.
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One of the hottest discussion topics today centers around gender. In the secular world, gender is viewed as something that is self-selected and fluid. Westbrook & Schilt (2014), argue that neither biological sex assignment at birth nor the existence of a clitoris, vagina, penis, or testicles have anything to do with the identification of an individual’s sex. The secular world continues to manipulate gender, viewing it separately from biological sex and declaring it identity (Wu & Wierbowski, 2016; Westbrook & Schilt, 2014). Consensus among many is that an individual’s gender preference and the extent of their gender identity takes precedence over scientific fact and biblical truth.
The world views gender as something that can be changed or is optional. In contrast, the Bible clearly teaches that God’s design for humanity includes the creation of two genders; male and female (Genesis 1:27, New International Version). From a biblical perspective, gender cannot be separated from biological sex. Gender is not an accident, it cannot be changed, and it is an essential part of who we are. God extended honor to man when He made him in his image and likeness, man and woman. Christian doctrine affirms that humans are multifaceted.
We are comprised of a spirit, soul, and body (Hebrews 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Matthew 10:28, James 2:26). Our gender affects far more than just the biological aspect of one’s life. Man was created with intention and who we are, man or woman, is intertwined into every part of our existence (Psalm 119, Psalm 139:13, Isaiah 64:8). Wiersbe (2007) states that sex is not just part of the body. “Being “male” and “female” involves the total person. Therefore, sexual experience affects the total personality.”(Wiesbe, 2007, p 471).
There are various explanations throughout the Bible for sex. God created sex for connection and intimacy, procreation and enjoyment within a covenant relationship. God’s first words to man appeared in Genesis 1:28, where he advised Adam and Eve to be fruitful, increase in number and fill the earth. According to Matthew Henry (1702) this is an inheritance given to man by God to be enjoyed through a numerous and lasting family. Fruitfulness, the ability to reproduce, requires continued dependence on God. He is the one who ultimately decides if life is given.
Because the divine design of man includes soul, body and spirit, it is important for individuals and married couples to cultivate each aspect of their being. Fostering a healthy sexuality encompasses these three aspects. We are hardwired for connection and our souls crave friendship (Struthers, 2009). It is imperative to consider Christ’s relationship with the church in order to foster a healthy sexuality. In John 15:15, he says, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business.
Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” Marriage is an illustration of Christ’s intimate and loving relationship between himself and His church (Ephesians 5:22-33). As the church, we are both Christ’s bride and friend. Through this communion with Christ, He has shared everything with us (John 14:26, Acts 1:8). Likewise, cultivating an intimate marital friendship requires sharing. It is important for couples to invest in each other. By setting aside time to have open and honest discussions about life, including sexual preferences, desires and needs, a couple can grow together while reinforcing connection and friendship. People will have a healthy view of sexuality when they are filled with the Holy Spirit and have a properly oriented conscience (Struthers, 2009).
God intended sex to be a powerful way to create intimacy within a marriage. In Genesis 2:24, we are told that man is to leave his father and mother and to unite with his wife to become one flesh. Matthew Henry(1702) asserts that in addition to a couple’s body becoming one, souls also become one. This supports the importance of purity while single as well as maintaining monogamy and purity within marriage. With each sexual experience, we connect physically, emotionally and spiritually connect. We share our souls with one another. There should be no surprise that sexual activity outside of marriage begets painful consequences. God further explains the importance of intimacy within a covenant relationship in Ezekiel 16:8. God’s covenant relationship with Israel is personified:
Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.
God took Israel as his wife, as a husband takes a wife. God’s intention for marital sex is to be the epitome of an intimate relationship. This powerful unity of flesh and soul creates an intimacy that only God himself could design. Song of Songs, also known as Song of Solomon, bursts with biblical support for marital connection, intimacy, and sexuality. It’s theme is love, the greatest of all virtues (1 Corinthians 13:13). ‘A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, that lies all night between my breasts,’ (Song of Songs 1:13, NKJV).
A spouse is more precious than a prized possession and lies close to one’s heart. If we value our partners and God’s word, we must avoid any behavior or thought that may impede marital intimacy and connection. In Song of Songs 2:6, the bride anticipates the consummation of marriage. ‘Let his left hand be under my head and his right hand embrace me.’ This verse alludes to the Shulamites sexual desire for her beloved. She knows she must wait (abstain) until marriage. Next, she admonishes the women of Jerusalem, telling them to not rush into love and to wait for the appointed time. Ecclesiastes 3:7 tells the reader that there is a time for love.
In 4:12 the groom later rejoices that his bride, who is now is wife was a virgin. She is compared to an enclosed garden and a sealed fountain. This is evidence of the Lord’s desire for both man and woman to maintain sexual purity. Conjugal love is described in terms as satisfying thirst and the exploration of a beautiful and fruitful garden that never grows old. In verse 5, the bride tells her husband to drink deeply and have his fill. This statement suggests that within a marriage one can continue to explore sexually (Wiersbe, 2007). Rosenau (2002) asserts that the primary job of married couples is to build a passionate love life together. Song of Songs supports this view. As a marriage grows in connection and intimacy it will reflect the relationship of Christ with the church. God created sex for pleasure as well as procreation.
God’s most obvious reason for sex might be for a continued existence of man. In Genesis 1:27 God states that He created male and female. This is His first reference to human sexuality. An additional gender was created not only for the companionship of Adam, but for procreation. In verse 28, we are told to “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” In this statement God tell us that reproduction is a blessing and a responsibility. Matthew Poole (1853) discerns that this is a blessing and a command.
For Adam, Eve, Noah and his family it was a command which was necessary for the continuation of our species. For others, marriage and procreation is a permission and blessing rather than a requirement. Although the modern world would like one to believe that sexual intercourse with anyone or anything is acceptable, the inability for procreation is evidence of God’s disapproval. Romans 1:27 and 1 Timothy 1:10 directly address homosexual sex as immoral behavior. Individuals who condone homosexual behavior will attempt to refute translations of biblical text to support their agenda.
In 1 Timothy 1:10 , the original Greek text uses the word “pornos.” Pornos is translated as a man who prostitutes or indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, or fornication. Romans 1:27 rebukes man for no longer desiring his wife, a natural desire, while unnaturally lusting after another man. The biblical root word for natural is “physikos.” Some will argue that homosexual relationships are only unnatural for those who by nature (physkios) are heterosexual. In Carl Westerlunds biblical commentary, he states that the only natural sexual relationship recognized within the entire context of the Bible is heterosexual (Genesis 2:21-24, Matthew 19 4-6).
God has sanctified sexual behavior within a marriage of man and woman. He has blessed this union with the possibility of the creation of children through a loving sexual relationship. Sexual relationships that operate outside of this boundaries are not blessed. Transvestism and bestiality are also considered sinful and disapproved of in the Bible (Leviticus 20:16, Leviticus 18:22, 1 Corinthians 7:2, Deuteronomy 27:21, Exodus 22:19). Since procreation is one of the divinely inspired intentions for sex and sexuality, participating in sexual activities that could never allow for offspring are in conflict with God’s design. Paul writes to Corinthians to tell them to run from sexual sin.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 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; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies (1 Corinthians 6-8).
Many aspects of human sexuality are directly addressed within the pages Bible, but many are not mentioned specifically. However, Christians are repeatedly told to guard their hearts and minds (Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 4:23, Romans 12:2). Mark 7:20-23 (ESV) states that “…out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Out of the mouth of Jesus himself we are told that anyone who even looks at another person with lustful intent has already committed adultery (Matthew 5:28). The marital bed should be a mutual celebration, whether one may be pleasuring their body for the purpose of marital intimacy and connection or that of their partner. However, it is emphasized that self-pleasuring outside of a two person marital sexual encounter can distract from the intimacy of a marriage. Although a behavior may not be considered sinful, it is important to ask if what one is doing fosters connection and intimacy within a marital relationship. When evaluating sexuality it is imperative to consider Satan’s objectives.
Avoiding activities that create an opportunity for the enemy to influence one’s life is essential. The enemy is always looking for an opportunity. Sexual behavior outside of a loving, committed, marital relationship creates an ideal environment for his influence. 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV) tells us to exercise self-control. The devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour. We must resist and stand in faith. One must learn to sort through thoughts, ask for help, and discern what honors God. We must guard our bodies and our hearts from impurity (proverbs 4:23). Staying away from activities that create an opportunity for the enemy to influence an individual’s life is critical. In Philippians 4:8, the apostle Paul advises to control thoughts and think of praiseworthy things.
Sex and sexuality will continue to be topics of much debate. From a biblical perspective, we are taught to remain pure. Christs’ sacrifice makes us right in the eyes of God and provides forgiveness of our sins (John 3:16). This forgiveness does not give us carte blanche to do as we please. We must work to maintain purity inside and outside of the covenant of marriage. The marital bed must not violate the commandments by act or thought. We must not engage in any behavior that is not considered honoring to our self, spouse, or the Lord. Sexuality, sex, and the sexual union within a marriage is God inspired and ordained. When reflecting a healthy sexuality one can create intimacy, foster companionship, and fulfill the blessing of producing offspring while providing divinely designed pleasure. We can bring glory to God through submitting to His purpose and design.
References
- Carmichael, C. (2010). Sex and religion in the bible. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu
- Eagly, A. H., & Wood, W. (2013). The Nature–Nurture Debates 25 Years of Challenges in Understanding the Psychology of Gender. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8(3), 340-357. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691613484767
- Henry, M. (1706). Genesis. In Matthew Henry commentary on the whole Bible (complete). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/mhc/
- Hirsch, D., & Lyons, G. (2015). Redeeming sex : naked conversations about sexuality and spirituality. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu
- McLeod, S, A.(2014). Biological theories of gender. Biological Psychology. Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/gender-biology.html
- Poole, M.(1853). Commentary on the Holy Bible. Robert Carter & Brothers. Retrieved from https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/genesis/1.htm
- Rosenau, D.E. (2002). A Celebration of Sex: a guide to enjoying god’s gift of sexual intimacy. Nashville,TN: Thomas Nelson.Struthers, W.M. (2009). Wired for Intimacy. How pornography hijacks the male brain. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press.
- The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2005). Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.
- Wiersbe. W. (2007).The wiersbe bible commentary.: New testament. Colorado Springs: David Cook.
- Westbrook, L., & Schilt, K. (2014). Doing Gender, Determining Gender: Transgender People, Gender Panics, and the Maintenance of the Sex/Gender/Sexuality System. Gender and Society, 28(1), 32-57. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43669855
- Westerlund, Carl. Given Up to Homosexuality Calvary Chapel Bible College Graduate School Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/westerlund_carl/)
- Wu, K.J., & Wierbowski, B. (2016). Between the Gender Lines: The science of transgender identity. Retrieved from http://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2016/gender-lines-science-transgender-identity/
