On this episode, we discuss sex and marriage from the world’s perspective. We talk about both what the world gets wrong and what it gets right about these two subjects.

Music:
“Kid Kodi”
Blue Dot Sessions
www.sessions.blue

Episode #46 –
Overvaluing Sex and Undervaluing Marriage

Introduction

• I have noticed, both in the wider world and in the church, issues regarding people’s evaulation of marriage and sex. 
• The world’s problem tends to be an overvaluing of sex and an undervaluing of marriage. 
• Problem with the term “The World”
  • We use this term a lot in Christian circles, but there are many issues with this terminology. 
  • It lumps together everyone who is not a Christian, or, more often, everyone who is not a part of our Christian group.
    • Not everyone fits our descriptions of “the world.” 
  • It assumes that everyone, throughout the physical world, thinks and lives the same way.
    • General descriptions are usually only accurate for a particular small local (e.g., the Bible belt, the United States, the West, China, India, etc.) 
  • By “the world,” we mean generally/commonly held beliefs and/or practices by people in the United States that are a result of the fallen state of the cosmos because of sin. 

Overvalues Sex

• Sexual desire is a good and natural thing. Therefore, individuals should be allowed to express their sexuality in any way they desire and with whomever they desire, as long as it does not infringe on the rights of others.
  • Examples:
    • Premarital sex is permissable, and even desirable to fulfill our basic human needs. 
    • Sexual expressions, such as homosexuality, are a perfectly natural lifestyle choice. 
    • Infringing on the sexual rights of others (e.g., rape, sexual assault, etc.) is not permissable. 
• What The World Gets Right
  • Sexual desire is a good and natural thing.
    • God created us as sexual beings (Gen 2:18–25) 
    • Sexual attraction, whether opposite sex or same sex, is not a sin and is not lust. 
  • Infringing on the sexual rights of others is not permissable. 
• What The World Gets Wrong
  • Just because we have been created by God as sexual beings, does not mean we get to use our sexuality in any way we want. Just like any other gift from God, our sexuality is meant to be stewarded in the manner in which God designed it. 
  • God’s design for sexual activity is for it to take place within the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman. 

Undervalues Marriage

• Marriage is not something that has to be pursued, and perhaps is not even desirable. Sex and procreation can happen through other means. My selfish interests should take precedence over getting married and having children. 
• What The World Gets Right
  • Marriage is not something that has to be pursued (1 Cor 7:8, 32–35)
• What The World Gets Wrong
  • Marriage is a beautiful, God-given thing that is desirable, even if not everyone is called to be married.
    • “One Flesh” (Gen 2:24) 
    • Witnesses to the world of Christ and the church (Eph 5:21–33) 
    • Filling the earth (Gen 1:28) 
  • Not pursuing personal gain, but rather marrying, having a family, and perhaps even staying home to care for the family is a selfless act that is an emulation of Christ (Phil 2:3–11)