Nowhere does following Jesus feel more counter-cultural than when it comes to sexual ethics. In a hook-up, casual-sex culture Jesus holds up an ethic of intimacy which protects and honours faithful, committed relationships between a husband and wife. It is an ethic that values sex as God-given, sacred and beautiful, and far more than an animalistic instinct. In a society that objectifies other humans, perceiving them as simply there to meet my needs, Jesus calls his followers to the higher ground of mutual submission and love.
Strangely, contemporary cultural observers are beginning to agree with Jesus.
Louise Perry, a secular feminist, in her groundbreaking book “The Case Against the Sexual Revolution” says:
“The sexual freedom experiment has failed.”
She has been described as making a non-Christian argument in favour of Christian ethics!
Gary Wilson in “Your Brain On Porn” has shown conclusively the psychologically damaging effects of the growth in addiction to internet pornography. He says:
“It is almost certainly the cause of the widespread sexual dysfunction found in recent studies of late adolescence. It is a problem that is most likely impacting you, or your loved ones, without you even being aware of it.”
Spectator sex devalues humans and rewires our brains with a dopamine kick as powerful as morphine. In contrast, Christian sexual ethics call us to deep human-to-human connection, faithfulness, mutual respect and care.
Yet, tragic public failures of Christian leaders and problematic safeguarding processes make salacious headlines almost every week. Add to the mix the personal struggles many of us face in this area and the very real spiritual attack focused on sexual temptation and the result is a paralysing fear and anxiety that stops us from addressing this powerful and deeply human reality.
Yet Jesus, a celibate bachelor Messiah, shows us how to be human and fully alive in this world. In “The Sermon on the Mount” he confronts how destructive objectifying others as sexual objects is for us and for meaningful connection with others.
So, we are back in Matthew 5:27-32 again this week courtesy of a burst water main curtailing last week’s sermon.
There are some big issues here: Marriage, sexual temptation and divorce and only a short time to cover so I would recommend some other resources:
Marriage:
Book: The Meaning of Marriage, Tim Keller
Scriptures teaching on divorce:
Website: Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible and in the Church – Dr David Instone-Brewer
Sex and sexuality:
Book: Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot, Mo Isom
Podcast: Theology in the Raw, podcast with Preston Sprinkle
Book: Winning the Battle Within, Neil Anderson
I pray that this message will be liberating and life-giving offering us grace, hope and healing.
Don’t miss it!
Iain