This question has put me on a path of exploration and depth as I dive into the Bible. If you’re like me, you didn’t grow up wondering what the purpose of sex’s existence was. I just accepted that it existed and moved on. But, here I found myself, one year into graduate school and 23 years into life, truly considering God’s purpose for sex. This quest led me into a deeper understanding of God’s character, a more intimate knowledge of the Bible, and a sense of awe over his creation.
After recognizing that so much of what I knew about sex was derived from previously internalized messages, I had to evaluate if I really trusted God’s Word as the ultimate authority on the matter. I think that’s a really necessary step for all of us wanting to understand more of God. And not just – does God’s Word trump the overall message of our society. It does, and I think we would all agree on that. But also, I asked myself, “Do I place what God is revealing to me through his Word as more valuable than the messages I’ve heard from even church and people I respect?”
In the end, these messages may not conflict, but the path of exploring our theology of sex begins with seeing God’s Word as most relevant when it comes to understanding sex. Theology, by one definition, is the study of the nature of God. So, in light of our understanding of God in Scripture, it is imperative for us to reflect on his character to better understand his creation. As humans made in God’s image, we are able to reflect his character in all aspects of our lives. Questions I began asking myself include:
What does the Bible say about the character of God? His attributes, his nature, his love for us? What does the Bible say about the purpose of God’s creation overall? What does God’s creation, including sex, teach us about his character? How do we, as his image bearers, best reflect his character? As we grow in knowledge of God, we are better able to understand his design for sex.
I urge you to consider these questions this week, and really let this be a foundation as we dive more specifically into the topic of sex. Ultimately, God created sex for the same reason he created community and passions and gifts and nature: as one way to bring him glory and worship him more fully. We’ll dive into how sex specifically does that next week as we consider this Scripture:
“From him and to him and through him are all things. To him be glory forever… I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 11:36; 12:1).
