THE MEANING OF SEX

Several years ago, I read an incredible book entitled, The Meaning of Sex. For months afterward, the book sat idle at the corner of my desk collecting dust. It was interesting to witness the reactions of my family when they saw the cover of the book emblazoned, “The Meaning of Sex”! My youngest son, only ten years old at the time, on three separate occasions, made an awkward, “Ah Dad, that’s gross!”, type of comment. When my wife saw the book, she commented that it would be good for our then, sixteen-year-old son to read, but I joking said, “No, actually I bought it for you, Honey!” “Ha, ha, very funny!” she said. Interestingly enough, though, the older boy never dared to make a comment, but I did catch him out of the corner of my eye, staring down at it with a puzzled look on his face, seeming to say, “Hmmm, I wonder what that’s all about?” So I gave it to him. Hey, I remember that age; man, I would never go through that again if you paid me! Because I knew that as he looked down at that book, “…ethical theory is likely the furthest thing from his mind … (Hollinger 23)” after reading that title. 

It seems that all the world can offer is a clinical assessment of this challenging time in a young person’s life, and an encouragement to, “…stress the importance of safer sex before adolescents become sexually active. (Swierzewski)”, before sending them down the road with a backpack full of condoms. But wrapped up in the psycho-bable neurosis and pseudo-science of the sexual revolution, somewhere along the way, the world tragically lost the revealed heart of God, who cared so deeply for His creation, that He would endow us with such a wonderful expression of His love! In his book, Hollinger describes the ethical, moral, and utilitarian implications of sex; from the hedonism of Epicurus, on through the wacked out worldviews of modern psychology and secular humanism today, but I was so blessed by the way in which he introduced the Christian worldview of sex. Quoting from C.S. Lewis, who said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it, I see everything else. (Lewis 92)”, he introduces the concept that, only by viewing the subject of sex through the lens of scripture can we find its true meaning, as ordained by its designer. 

This biblical framework allows us to see the world as God intended us to see it and only, “The Christian worldview, rooted in biblical revelation and personally activated through faith in Christ, provides the paradigm by which we most adequately see all reality, including such matters as human sexuality and sex. (Hollinger 69)” There is no doubt that, “If we did not have this inborn interest in things sexual we would not have the audacity to overcome our natural hesitation to become very personal with someone else, completely intimate, and literally joined with another. (Bush 11)” But the world’s view of sex has become so distorted and corrupted by thousands of years of ‘progressive’ human thought and perversion, that it seldom reflects the model that is presented within Scripture, which accurately details not only the issues that arise from abusing it, but also the benefits that arise from engaging in it within the marriage covenant. 

This aspect of sex is rarely discussed even among Christians, and I believe, to our detriment. We talk a lot about the negative aspects of pre-marital and extra-marital sexual immorality, but we shy away from extolling the beauty and majesty of the “oneness” that God has created for married couples. Indeed, “Sex finds its meaning in the marriage covenant. It is here that we begin to see the fullness of what God intended…” (Hollinger 146). Too often the message that comes from the church is, “No, don’t, sex is bad!”, but that is not a Scriptural concept at all, and it is confusing and irrelevant to the lost world around us. What they should be hearing us say is, “In marriage we delight in the beauty of God’s good gift by living in accordance with the purposes for which God intended it” (Hollinger 170), and you should too. 

Works Cited: 

Hollinger, Dennis. The Meaning of Sex: Christian Ethics, and the Moral Life.
Bush, Freda McKissic. Hooked: New Science on How Casual Sex is Affecting Our Children.
Lewis, Clive. The Weight of Glory. New York, NY: Macmillan. 1949. Print.
Swierzewski, Stanley J. III, M.D. Sexual Development & Puberty (Adolescence).