Come, Let Us Reason Together ... About Sex

Many times in Scripture God makes it clear that His primary concern is His glory. He also makes it clear that it ought to be our primary concern, too. When Paul said, "All have sinned ..." (Rom 3:23), he included a further description, a clarification of the function and intensity of sin -- "... and fall short of the glory of God." Therein lies the primary error. Therein lies the real problem. Instead, we are commanded, "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor 10:31). Quite clear. His primary concern and our primary command is God's glory and our primary failure is choosing against God's glory.

I got to thinking about this fundamental principle and came across a startling thought. If we are looking at "whatever you do" through this lens of "do all for the glory of God," what about sex? We know that sex was God's idea, not ours. We know that one of the very first commands to humans was, "Be fruitful and multiply" (Gen 1:22)¹ Clearly, at the very outset, sex was God's idea and His primary purpose in sex was procreation. So, how can we glorify God in sex? Procreation is one obvious way, but not the only way. If we didn't have the Song of Solomon, we might not be able to see clearly that God also intended sex as a celebration of spouses. It is about procreation, but it is also about pleasure, joy, communion, and celebration. Paul puts it much more ... ridgidly, I suppose. "The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does" (1 Cor 7:3-4). The picture is of husband and wife intent on supplying the pleasure the other wants and needs. All to the glory of God.

If sin is falling short of the glory of God, it would seem obvious that sexual sin would be falling short of the glory of God as well. How can we glorify God in sex? Don't sin in it. That is, sex is not sin by definition, but it is possible to sin in sex. We know, for instance, that the Bible celebrates marriage. It begins with it (Gen 2:23-25) and ends with it (Rev 19:6-9; Rev 21:2). It is the mysterious union among humans that mimics the mysterious union of Christ with the Church (Eph 5:31-32). Biblically, sex is morally restricted to marriage. That is, sex doesn't justify marriage; marriage justifies sex. And that's because sex is not a simple act, a mere "thing to do." It is an actual union (Gen 2:23; 1 Cor 6:15-17) -- not merely metaphorical. As such, sexual sin, as it twists the picture God intended and tortures the soul in false unions, is particularly evil, unlike any other sin (1 Cor 6:18). We are told, then, to "glorify God in your body" (1 Cor 6:20). Avoid sexual sin. Instead, celebrate the union of husband and wife. It is a picture of Christ's celebration of His precious bride. Imagine sex, designed by God for us, celebrating the union God designed between husband and wife with pleasure and purpose. Glorifying God in our bodies. It is, on the other hand, specifically not in redefining God's sexual moral standards, God's purposes in marriage, God's imagery for His Son and His bride, in a celebration of self-gratification and self-serving passion. That would absolutely fall short of the glory of God.
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¹ It's interesting, too, to see that, when God made Man in His own image, part of that included "male and female" (Gen 1:27). Trying to redefine "male and female" is an attempt at altering God's image in us.