Short Take #1: God's Standard for Sex

Here is another short take from The Christian Worldview with David Wheaton. At the beginning of time, God designed two sexes and the sacred, sanctified means of sexual intimacy by which a man and a woman could be unified as, quote, one flesh and bear children within the exclusive covenant of marriage. However, because of our corrupted sin natures, men and women reject the framework of biblical marriage for sex and instead seek to gratify and worship themselves in all manner of sexual perversions and abominations, including pre- and extramarital heterosexual sex, same-sex homosexuality, adult child sex, bisexuality, pornography, transgenderism, and much, much more. One of the most effective temptations that Satan uses to destroy men and women from honoring God is through sexual immorality. Here's Satan's lie, God is restrictive, expand your freedom and gratification by experiencing sex outside marriage, which only results in regret, ruin, slavery, disease, discontent, divorce, and God's judgment, to name a few of succumbing to sexual temptation.

Here's the good news, though. Sexual temptation, as it says in 1 Corinthians 10, is, quote, common to man and, quote, God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also so that you will be able to endure it. Let's start out very basically today talking about some definitions and God's standard for sexual intimacy. God's standard is basically two things, pure thoughts and pure actions. Christ said in Matthew chapter 5, he said, I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. So Christ is taking it much beyond even the Ten Commandments, where it says, Thou shalt not commit adultery, to even looking and lusting for a woman that's not your wife, as committing adultery with her in his heart.

And beyond pure thoughts, there's pure actions, of course. Hebrews 13 verse 4 says, Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled. For fornicators, or the sexually immoral, and idolaters, God will judge.

Idolatry always goes with sexual immorality as a form of idolatry, where we worship ourselves and our own desires rather than worshiping God. And of course, the marriage in that particular passage shouldn't even need to be mentioned, but is one man, one woman, marriage. So sexual purity or God's standard is sexual intimacy that honors God. It's intimacy within one man, one woman, marriage. Now to the very opposite of that is Satan's standard.

Do whatever you want with whomever you want. So this is sexual immorality that dishonors God. That would be defined as any sexual thoughts or actions with someone that's not your wife or husband, whether it's premarital sex or extramarital heterosexual sex, same sex homosexuality, adult child sex, bisexuality, pornography, LGBTQ, transgenderism, all the different things that we hear so much about today. It's important to remember as we talk about these definitions that God gives the gift of sexual intimacy with only one boundary, and that's within the confines of the boundary of marriage. This has been a short take from The Christian Worldview with David Wheaton. To find out more about The Christian Worldview, order resources, make a donation, become a monthly partner or contact us, visit thechristianworldview.org. You can also call us at toll-free 1-888-646-2233 or write to us at Box 401, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331. That's Box 401, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331.