Why are Christians so Uptight About Sex?

Tanakh portion for 11 September 2005-09-10

Why are Christians so uptight about sex?

Then God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the person, and while he was sleeping, he took one of his ribs and closed up the place from which he took it with flesh. The rib which Adonai, God, had taken from the person, he made a woman person, and he brought her to the man person. The man person said, “At last! This is bone from my bone and flesh from my flesh. She is to be called Woman (Ishah), because she was taken out of man (Ish).” This is why a man is to leave his father and mother and stick with his wife, and they are to be one flesh. Genesis 2:21-24, Complete Jewish Bible.

This passage among others gives basis for Christian teaching on sex. It establishes that marriage is between two people of the opposite sex, and it establishes a very strong relationship, the two shall be one flesh, which suggests a rather personal relationship. I like the particular use of the word stick in this translation. This is the passage quoted by Yeshua when he is asked about divorce, and the passage Shaul (St. Paul) quotes when corrected the Corinthians about making a prostitute a member of the body of Christ.

In Jeremiah, we are told something else about marriage, that marriage is like the relationship between YHWH and his people, a theme repeated in the New Testament as well.

Putting these two themes together, we find out some very important things. First, we discover there is something permanent about sex. When two people have sex together they become one flesh. This is something that happens whether we desire it or not, it is inherent in the way that YHWH has created us. The Sanfords (John and Paula) explained it this way. When you have sex with someone, then your spirit wants to satisfy that person. The more people you have sex with, the more people your spirit tries to satisfy, and the less your spirit is able to accomplish this. In a new book for college students (I took this from Breakpoint by Chuck Colson), they explain it differently. We are like tape. The more you stick tape to something and unstick it and restick it again, the more it looses its stickiness (you see why I like this translation). This is what happens when we have multiple sex partners, out ability to stick becomes weakened and eventually fails. In fact among junior high schoolers and high schoolers today, their ability to stick may have been permanently impaired by the promotion of free sex without commitment. It is frightening that to many young people, having sex is totally divorced from commitment. Now this is not something that YHWH did to us, it is inherent in the way we were created. When there is a creator, then we should follow his instructions. How many people buy a new car and ignore the owner’s manual. Only the ones who do not want their car to last.

Secondly, marriage is an icon of the relationship between Christ and the church. The ease of divorce in our society has left many young people without an intuitive grasp of the relationship between Christ and his church. Christ loves the church and was willing to die for her. The Church must obey and respect Christ, and work together with him to complete his mission. How many kids will be left unable to understand the steadfast love of God, (as reflected in Hosea say) because they have never seen an image of that love on earth in their family. This relationship is so important that I am unable to overemphasise it.

The church today in much of the west is dying. It is advertising, it is pulling gimmicks, but it is still dying. Why is this so. First because solid doctrine is not being taught. We are sinners, Christ died to save us from our sins. We can be saved by permanently accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. When this doctrine is not taught, the church dies. The church no longer accepts transformation of life. Divorce is rampant. Premarital sex is rampant. Sexual relationships not permitted in God’s word are held up as healthy relationships. Children are being adopted to single people.. Holiness is no longer the standard. St. Paul describes the situation which derives from idolatry. Much of this situation is seen in the western church today. Where the church preaches Holiness, she grows.

Unfortunately today the church is in a difficult position. Satin has robbed children of a father to look out for them. He has robbed the icon of a loving father and respectful mother. Our youth are taught to live for themselves. Kids in the eighteen year old range have told me marriage and children are not in their plans because they do not want to share their hard earned money. What a situation for the church.

What can the church do? First we must encourage society to give a more accurate idea of the importance, permanence and need for commitment in sexual relationships. Uganda has been doing this to fight AIDS. The government, the media, the church and popular artists have gotten together to promote monogamy. Imagine if our media and artists promoted monogamy instead of free sex. We also need to get government out of sex education in schools. Much of what is taught is an excuse to sexualise our children and introduce them to perversions. Safe sex is promoted instead of no sex to marriage. It is not mentioned that clymidia and certain other unpleasant venereal diseases are not stopped by a condom.

Next the church needs to start teaching morality, and teaching the parents to be parents in the house. Many people my age and younger feel that since they messed up their own lives, that they have no right to tell kids what to do in certain instances. This is a shame because there really needs to be an adult in the house to guide and lead the children.

Most of all, the church needs to proclaim holiness. The time to whitewash sin is over. A church which does not proclaim personal holiness (achieved by permitting the Holy Spirit to run our lives) is a church that is useless, and one which Christ will proclaim lukewarm and will be vomited out.

Where are you? Is holiness a goal? Do your children know what the Bible says about sex? Have you and your children read the marvellous stories about men who took multiple wives in the Bible? Abraham, David, Samson are as important in their negative examples as they are in their positive examples. Spread the word about what the Bible says about sex. Also help promote release liturgies. People who are getting married who are not virgins need to release their past sexual partners and plead with the Holy Spirit to seal this release.
To answer the question as to why Christians are up tight about sex, it is because marriage is an icon of the relationship between God and church. We have been made to be monogamous, and to be married to a person of the opposite sex. To not do so not only harms us eternally and spiritually, but also harms us physically.

Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua


+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com

A Sermon for the Astrodome 4 September 2005

A Sermon for the Astrodome (not actually delivered yet because of overcrowding)

Text: Genesis 3:1-24.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. The lesson today is a key lesson in understanding the way the world is today. At the beginning of the lesson, we find Adam and Havah in Paradise. While Adam has to work, his work is not tiresome, and he has dominion of the earth and its creatures. It is a state in which we all could enjoy. Then enters the serpent, and catches Havah in a weak moment. Havah then shares with her husband. Then comes the key moment. HaShem asks Adam, “Where are you?” The question refers not to Adams physical location, but to his relationship with God. I truly believe that up to this point, things were not set in stone, but Adam, instead of being a man (Adam) shows he is really still dirt (Adama) and blames Havah. Of course she does not admit her guilt either, and blames the serpent, who did not have a leg to stand on (sorry, couldn’t help that).

Three key points here. First, where was Adam while Havah was being tempted. He should have been somewhere around defending his wife. Second, we are told it was Adam’s sin that brought down creation, not Havah’s which of course says some very strong things about a man’s responsibility in the house and for his family. Thirdly, neither Adam nor Havah take responsibility for their sin.

Creation at this point is transformed. Whereas mankind had a perfect relationship with Yahweh, with nature and with each other, this relationship is destroyed by Adam’s sin. Not only is the relationship destroyed, but nature itself at least of the Earth, and maybe even of the entire universe has been broken. (as referred to by St. Paul in his Epistles). This is shone in several ways. Man now has to toil for his food. He now knows he is naked and must clothe himself. Instead of living forever with HaShem, his lifespan becomes shorter and shorter. Nature instead of being under man’s dominion, becomes something that he must conquer. Storms, earthquakes, volcanoes enter into the world.

In other words, sin has entered into the world and has transformed it, and not for the better. Sin is like a pebble thrown into a large lake. The ripples eventually reach to the shore, whether we observe them or not. Sin, Adam’s sin, my sin, your sin, corrupts nature and results in such disasters as many of you have suffered. We have been corrupted by sin which destroys all. This of course is the bad news, that sin corrupts all and grows and increases. There is even further bad news in that Yahweh punishes societies that ignore his word and commandments. I think most of you know what was to be celebrated in New Orleans this weekend. I believe that most of you know how much money the state of Mississippi is losing because of the loss of gambling income. This is not my judgment. Look at what Yahweh did with his chosen people, kicked out three times because of their disobedience.

Now for the good news. While we must continue living in this corrupt world, there is a saviour. He cries with us, but more importantly when we walk with him, and allow him to be the Lord of our lives, he gives us a peace which the world cannot conquer or understand. He has overcome the world and he gives us the strength to be over comers as well. To join him in being an over comer, we must take several steps, the first of which is to admit that we are sinners, and that we cannot overcome the sin in our life. The second is to recognise that only Jesus can help us conquer our sins and invite him into our hearts and lives, and ask him to send his holy spirit to help us conquer sin in our lives. Thirdly we must seek to live a Christian life which will involve studying God’s word, prayer, seeking holiness and evangelism. There is no cost, except to accept God’s eternal gift which he freely offers, but we must recognise our need to tell him yes constantly. It is as if I offered you a dollar. All you have to do is reach out your hand and accept it. But you also must be willing to allow God to transform your life. The world is full of Christian want-a-bees who are not willing to take on discipline or to allow God to transform their lives. If you have not taken this step yet, I invite you to visit with me or some other pastor and invite Jesus into your heart.

There is yet more good news. I do not believe that you would be here if God did not have a purpose for your life. God has a plan for everyone, but you all must be a special remnant to have made it out. Look for what it is that God has planned for you, it must be something special.

In addition I truly believe that God is trying to get our attention. The Twin towers were no accident. Neither was the San Francisco Earthquake nor Katrina. God is trying to get the attention of the USA, and the western world. Gambling, homosexuality, infidelity in marriage, idolatry of money, cars, houses, our nation is falling deeper and deeper into a pit in which we may not be able to get ourselves out of. We need not only personal repentance, but national repentance as well.

Shalom and blessings in the Name of Yeshua


+Mar Michael Abportus
mjthan@quik.com