Is the Bible against sex?
Ragnar Oborn
Actually, the Bible is very positive about sex. In fact it is God's idea and he invents it as part of Creation. Nowhere in the Bible is there anything against sex. The Song of Solomon in the Old Testament is an erotic love poem between a lover and a beloved on the consummation of their marriage.
Since God created sex, He knows best the context and purpose for which it is to be used and enjoyed. When you look at the creation account we see the context for sex. There was a man, who was given one woman to be his wife for life. That is the way it was designed to 'work'. The problem is that this seems so restrictive and at times very contrary to our inclinations. And no one seems to follow that standard. We would rather be able to have sex with anyone we like, and so many are doing just that. What is going on?
I think that there are really only two possible explanations. Either there is something wrong with the Bible's understanding of sexuality, or there is something gone wrong with us. And that is exactly what happened in the Corruption. The very first thing that Adam & Eve noticed was that they were 'naked'. So their sexuality was affected in the corruption. The Bible then goes on, from the very next chapter, to then describe human sexual conduct in biblical history. It reads much like our world today: lust, prostitution, promiscuity, homosexuality, divorce, polygamy, rape, orgies, mistresses, lovers – hardly like the original design of husband and wife for life.
In the Western world, we have been living in the throes of sexual 'laissez faire' that really took speed with the sexual revolution of the 1960's. So we've been experimenting as a whole civilization for about a generation now with sexual 'freedom' - casting off all constraint. And what has been the outcome to date? Have we become better adjusted? More satisfied? Better relationships? More able to love? I don’t think so. Sex is now needed to sell almost any consumer item, music videos have become pornographic, pornography has exploded, infant pornography has multiplied. People use each other, and get used, and lots of hurt, heartache, betrayal, and loss of love has been the result. Terms like 'date rape', 'rape drugs', 'safe walk', 'STDs', 'AIDS' are now part of our new sexual landscape. It seems we have become more enslaved to lust, and yet at the same time things need to get continually more raunchy in order to get the same 'thrill'. That is not freedom, that's slavery. I think the Bible is right – our sexuality is corrupted.
I guess that is the choice we all have to make. Will we accept the Bible's plan and diagnosis of our sexuality or not? Most do not accept this simply because they do not like it. To accept the Bible's view of sexuality will require courage (because you will be in the minority), self-control (because you will not follow every urge), humility (because you will find yourself failing). It will also allow you to build your life and marriage on a solid foundation according to God’s design.