Sex is a powerful thing for all human beings, Christian or not. It is pleasure-filled, socially powerful, and a profoundly deep part of each of us. There is quite a bit that can be said about sex. However, in this post, I want to focus on how it points to something greater.

Modern America primarily sees the Christian “No sex before marriage” as nothing more than a rule and often an obsolete one at that. There are even popular myths among Christians that somehow sex will be better if they save themselves for marriage. The catch is that there is no guarantee that this will happen for you. In fact, there have even been clinical cases of those who put so much expectation on this idea they were unable to perform when they finally had the opportunity. Others found it didn’t match up to the fantasies they had created in their minds as they waited for that day to arrive. I would submit that such issues are because they weren’t thinking of sex rightly in the first place. It had become an idol of sorts in their minds and hearts.

In reality, sex is but a shadow of something greater. That’s right, I called it a shadow. Despite people around the world who clamor for a chance to experience it, it is but a shadow.

A shadow? Well, how can that be? Wasn’t this supposed to be the greatest thing about getting married?

Yes, it is a shadow. What I am referring to is that it is a model to something much grander. And, yes, sex is still a great part of the married life before Christ, including other great parts, despite how I may have sounded like I was knocking it just a moment ago.

These metaphors of “shadow” and “model” are in reference to there being a greater state of intimacy and pleasure in Christ. Let me explain: A marriage between a man and a woman is also symbolic of Jesus Christ and the Church. Jesus Christ is the man and the Church (God’s children – a.k.a. true Christians) are represented by the woman. There will come a day when Christ comes to claim His bride who is the Church and upon that day they will be with Him in perfect closeness. The pleasure and joy of that day will exceed anything that could be experienced in sex and the best part is that there will be no sin present to mess it up. Think of it, the Creator of all wants to share a state of perfect closeness with us for all eternity!

When we choose to have sex outside of marriage and use and abuse it as we see fit, we thereby choose to act as a bride who is rejecting their husband and sleeping around. We don’t just cheat on those we love here on Earth, but we also cheat on Him. We are telling Christ that we don’t care to honor Him in our sexuality just as choosing to sleep around brings shame and dishonor to the one partner we are supposed to be united to.

There’s much more I could go onto from there, but I’ll leave it there for now. Just know that if you have messed up in the matters of sex and you are reading this, you still have the opportunity this day to turn to Christ, ask for forgiveness, and move forward seeking after Him, His goodness, and His likeness!

For additional reading, check out:

http://www.canonandculture.com/the-meaning-of-sex/

(some of the points for this post came from this article)

and

https://www.monergism.com/search?keywords=sex&format=All

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