Sex, Marriage & the Gospel

First, let's look at sex.

1. God was the one who created sex and he said it was good (Genesis 9:7). He made it for our pleasure and to experience a glimpse of the intimacy that we have with God. God created the institute of marriage and said it was good (Genesis 2:24&25).

2. However, since God created it He knew how powerful it is. The best example I heard was look at a river...it's so powerful that it could give power to a city through a dam but if that dam broke it could become very destructive and destroy people and their homes. So God created a container or dam to provide structure for sex (which is marriage) so it would bring us closer to our spouse and God and not destroy us and lead our hearts away from God.

But why no sex outside of marriage?

3. So sex had outside of marriage is very destructive (here's where most people's reason for not having sex come into play) . A piece of your soul is with the person you have sex with because the Bible say you become one with that person (1 Corinthians 6:16). God says not to do it outside of marriage so if we do, it is a sin. Sin is disobeying God or choosing something over Him.

However, It's all about our hearts.

4. God is more concerned about our hearts than anything. Our goal shouldn't be just not to sin or just not to have sex because then we have missed the point. It would be like a husband's only goal is to not have sex with other women besides his wife but he'll still look them up and down and fantasize about them. This is why Jesus says in Matthew 5:27&28 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." He looks at our hearts and true motives.We should not be looking at rules and seeing how close to the line (sin) we can get to it before we sin but rather how can I please God? How can I obey His commandments to show Him that I love Him (John 14:21)?

5. God, our literal Father (David exclaims in Psalms 139:13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb"), created every rule in the Bible not to keep us from fun but rather rules were created to help shape our hearts to be more like Jesus'. He loves us so much and He created us so He knows how our hearts work. He knows if we do certain things that are not holy like being prideful, stealing, lying, lashing out in anger that it leads us away from God. So he put rules into place to help us be more connected with Jesus and not stray away from Him. The closer we are to Jesus the happier, more joyful, fun, and peaceful we are!

6. Our bodies are temples that the Holy Spirit dwells in that is why sex is different than other sins because it is sinning against our mind, body, and spirit ( "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 6:19&20). Usually, when we are having sex outside of marriage it also invites a lot of other sin with it -- lying to your parents, lust, idolizing boys and various sexual desires.

The bigger picture....Above is a lot of practical reasons behind saving sexual encounters for marriage but there is also a bigger picture here:

7. Marriage isn't just a piece of paper ordained by the state but it is a covenant between you, your spouse, and God (Matthew 19:4-6). It is you vowing to be committed first and foremost to God (making Him the ruler of both of your lives), then committed to this person for the rest of your life, it is promising to never leave nor forsake them, and it is promising never to pursue any other guy/girl. Your spouse is your only one. This is similar to the covenant (commitment) God between Jesus and His people (the church, Jesus followers). This is a picture of us when we come into a relationship with Jesus. All we did was believe in Him and ask Him to be Lord over our life (surrendering all our idols at His feet) and He gives us all the other promises to always pursue us, never forsake, always love us, forgive us....

8. The husband is a picture of Jesus (the old testament talks about this...Jesus is referred to as the bridegroom) and the wife is the church/the bride of Christ (Jesus followers) (Revelation 19:7).

9. Marriage is a picture of the gospel. When we have sex outside of marriage or get divorced I believe we majorly defame (damage the picture of the gospel). Ephesians 5:22-28 talks about how the husbands in marriage should lay down their lives for their wife -- putting her first and polishing her (helping her repent of her sins) just as Jesus does/did for believers by giving up his life to die for us on the cross and the Holy Spirit continually shapes our hearts to be more like Jesus. Husbands are to do this for their wives. Wives are to submit and trust in their husband as they do the Lord.

10. The traditions in the Old Testament is when people would get betrothed the groom would immediately go to his home and prepare a place for his bride. The bride would have an oil lamp ready at all times for as soon as the groom is finished preparing a place for his bride in his home he will come to get her (no matter what time of the day it is). The oil in the old testament represented the Holy Spirit. So this is another picture of the gospel. Jesus died for us and resurrected to heaven and said he is preparing a place in heaven for all believers and AS soon as he is done he will return and take us to heaven with him (John 14:3).

My Prayer For You is...

for you is that you pray through and study for your own why Jesus created sex and marriage and how it ultimately points to His glory. I pray your heart is moved by this beautiful picture Jesus made for us and lets us experience a glimpse of His love through marriage and it inspires you for yourself and to tell others.