Sex God

1. Sexuality is about connection, not just physical pleasure

Our sexuality is all of the ways we strive to reconnect with our world, with each other, and with God.

Holistic view of sexuality. Sexuality encompasses more than just physical acts. It's about our innate desire for connection on multiple levels:

• With ourselves (self-acceptance, body image)
• With others (emotional intimacy, vulnerability)
• With the world around us (appreciation of beauty, sensory experiences)
• With the divine (spiritual connection, sense of purpose)

This broader understanding helps explain why sexuality is such a powerful force in human experience. It's not just about procreation or pleasure, but about our fundamental need for belonging and meaning.

2. We are both spiritual and physical beings, neither angels nor animals

When we act like angels or animals, we're acting like beings who were created before us. We're going backward in creation.

Embracing our unique nature. Humans occupy a special place in creation, being both physical and spiritual:

• Animals: Driven purely by instinct and physical needs
• Angels: Purely spiritual beings without physical bodies
• Humans: An integration of body and spirit

Denying either aspect of our nature leads to problems:

• Acting like "animals": Giving in to every physical urge without restraint
• Acting like "angels": Trying to deny our physical nature entirely

The challenge is to live in the tension, embracing both our spiritual and physical nature in a balanced, integrated way.

3. Lust promises what it can't deliver and leads to dissatisfaction

Lust always leads to anger.

The cycle of lust. Lust is rooted in a deep dissatisfaction with life and a belief that fulfilling a particular desire will bring contentment. However, this is a lie:

1. Fixation on an object of desire
2. Temporary satisfaction upon obtaining it
3. Realization that it doesn't fulfill as promised
4. Anger and increased dissatisfaction
5. Seeking the next object of desire, often escalating

Breaking free from lust requires:

• Recognizing the lie at its core
• Cultivating gratitude for what we already have
• Finding deeper sources of meaning and fulfillment
• Channeling our desires into positive, life-giving pursuits

4. Love involves risk and vulnerability, mirroring God's love for humanity

Love is handing your heart to someone and taking the risk that they will hand it back because they don't want it.

The courage to love. True love requires:

• Vulnerability: Opening ourselves up to potential hurt
• Risk: No guarantees of reciprocation
• Surrender: Giving up control and power

This mirrors God's love for humanity:

• God takes the risk of creating beings with free will
• Jesus demonstrates ultimate vulnerability in the incarnation and crucifixion
• God continues to offer love even when rejected

Understanding this divine love can:

• Inspire us to take risks in our own relationships
• Provide comfort when we experience heartbreak
• Remind us of our inherent worth, regardless of others' responses

5. Marriage is a picture of God's relationship with people

The point of marriage isn't marriage. It's a picture. A display. A window that you look through to something else.

Marriage as metaphor. In the Bible, marriage is consistently used as an analogy for God's relationship with his people:

• Exclusive commitment (forsaking all others)
• Intimate knowledge of each other
• Mutual submission and service
• Shared mission and purpose

Key aspects of this metaphor:

• Unity: Two becoming "one flesh" reflects the unity of God
• Covenant: Unbreakable commitment, not just a contract
• Fruitfulness: Bringing new life into the world, both physically and spiritually

Understanding marriage in this light can:

• Elevate the significance of the marital relationship
• Provide a framework for navigating challenges
• Offer insight into God's character and desires for humanity

6. Sex and marriage point to something greater in eternity

Is sex a picture of heaven?

Temporal pointers to eternal realities. The pleasures and intimacy of sex and marriage are glimpses of something greater to come:

• Complete knowing and being known
• Perfect union without shame or fear
• Ecstatic joy and fulfillment

This perspective helps explain:

• Why Jesus and Paul speak of marriage as temporary
• The value of both marriage and singleness in this life
• The ultimate inadequacy of even the best human relationships

Understanding this can:

• Bring comfort to those struggling with singleness or difficult marriages
• Inspire a pursuit of deeper intimacy with God
• Provide hope for ultimate fulfillment beyond this life

7. Our worth comes from being made in God's image, not our relationships

You don't need a man by your side to validate you as a woman. You already are loved and valued. You're good enough exactly as you are.

Inherent dignity and worth. Every person has inestimable value:

• Created in the image of God
• Loved unconditionally by their Creator
• Possessing unique gifts and purpose

This truth has profound implications:

• Freedom from seeking validation through relationships or accomplishments
• Ability to love others from a place of fullness, not neediness
• Motivation to treat all people with respect and dignity

Embracing this reality can lead to:

• Healthier relationships (romantic and otherwise)
• Greater self-acceptance and confidence
• A life focused on giving rather than taking

Last updated: October 1, 2024