Sex

TODAY'S READING: Num. 24, 25, 26, 27; 1 Cor. 13

SCRIPTURE: Num. 25:1-3
¹ While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, ² who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. ³ So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor. And the LORD’s anger burned against them.

OBSERVATION: Sex. It's a small, three letter word that has been both a promise and a problem for mankind. God gave it as a gift to mankind with limitations. He gave it as a way to bond a man and woman in a committed relationship so that their whole being (body, soul, and spirit) would be one together. It was designed for the purpose of mutual pleasure as well as to be the means of producing new life. Because man is created in the image of God, sex carries the power of creating a new spiritual being. This is the promise of sex. It is much more than just a physical act of pleasure. Though other animals reproduce themselves through sex as do humans, mankind is the only being that can create another spiritual being that will go on for eternity. It is a very "god-like" power that carries with it a proof of being created in the image of God. Satan was cast out of heaven for wanting to usurp the position of the Almighty Sovereign God. The fact that we mere humans have a "god-like" power that he does not have angers Satan. I believe it is why he attacks our sexuality so relentlessly. It is why the devil tempts us to pervert it in every way possible. Here, in this passage, we see a perversion of sex that brought judgment on the entire community. Baal worship was based on hedonism. Children, the fruit and promise of god-given sex, were often sacrificed in fire during the sexual orgies that comprised the "worship service" to Baal. The pleasure of the sex act was divorced from the limits God gave of containing it within a committed marriage relationship. The physical experience was exalted as an end in itself without connection to the soul and spirit of a person. The result was heinous murder of children and a lack of caring for the partner with whom one engaged sexually. I'm sure that diseases accompanied this unbridled behavior, just as it does today.

APPLICATION: Though there is no Baal worship in our society, there is a worship of the creation over the creator. Hedonism is a religion that is rampant in our society. Instead of burning our children in the fire, we simply abort them when they will interfere with our lives and our pursuit of pleasure. Our sexuality is a gift of God, but when we disobey the Lord by refusing to abide by the limits he placed on sex for our own good, we open ourselves and our society to a multitude of ills. When people accept the idea that sex is only a physical act, it leads them to use and abuse others for their pleasure without thought to the spiritual, emotional or physical well-being of the ones they engage with sexually. It also leads to children who are uncared for or killed and tossed away as garbage, diseases and a host of social ills. If we claim to be Christians we must embrace God's standards and realize that this gift is precious and powerful and not to be abused. We must be aware of why Satan hates our sexuality so much and resist his temptations to misuse it.

PRAYER: Father, forgive us for our sin. Cleanse us from all unrighteousness and may we realize the preciousness of being created in your image. Help us to stand against the attacks of the enemy. Make us whole and holy for your glory. May the beauty of the gift of sex be realized by all who name your Name and call themselves part of your family. Heal the brokenness we have created in ourselves by our disobedience to you in this area. In Jesus' Name, Amen.