Adam made love to his wife Eve… —Genesis 4:1 (NIV)

1. Sex was God’s idea.

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” —Genesis 2:18 (NIV)

The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. —(Genesis 2:23-25 (NIV)

2. Human sexuality is unique.

Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. —Genesis 2:19-20 (NIV)

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. —Genesis 2:26-27 (NIV)

3. Sex involves every part of our being.

Adam made love to his wife Eve… —Genesis 4:1 (NIV)

4. Sex requires boundaries.

God says no to sex…

Outside of marriage. – Hebrews 13:4
With a member of your family. – Leviticus 18:6
Between persons of the same gender. – Romans 1:26-27
With animals. – Exodus 22:19
Fantansies with anyone other than your spouse. – Matthew 5:27-28
That is forced or abusive. – Philippians 2:3-4

There is hope

1. Sin is acknowledged.

Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. —Proverbs 28:13 (NIV)

2. Repentance happens.

He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. —2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)

3. Emotional pain is embraced.

…weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. —Psalms 30:5 (NIV)

4. Life is transformed.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! —2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Discussion Questions

According to the document ‘Sexuality – Developing Good Conversation on Difficult Questions’:

‘Christians are heirs to at least two different ways of thinking about sex. One concentrates on the negative aspects of sexuality – its capacity for abuse, selfishness, deceit and destructiveness. The other sees the positive side of sex as part of God’s good intention for a flourishing human life, one in which love and companionship are developed within a committed sexual relationship’

How do you respond to this statement? Do you think it is accurate? What have you heard from the church about sex?

List positive features of human sexuality that merit the church’s attention.

List negative features of human sexuality that merit the church’s attention.

Which list is most urgent? Why? What should we be doing about it?