Sunday, September 12, 2004
Speaker Notes on Christian Sex Talk
"A Christian Perspective on Sex" -- September 2004
“Qualifications” (counselor) and Disclaimer (usually three hours context of Love, Sex, and Dating) – Starting point: I’m not against sex--totally for it!
Why I love sex! God’s gracious and loving design for unique intimacy and bonding…and it’s intensely pleasurable.
A Power tool—Procreation and recreation. Abusing a power tool can be both dangerous and destructive. It comes with an instruction manual and with boundaries in order to protect you.
Consequences of abusing sex (using sex outside of marriage)…
DEHUMANIZING…Science tells us that we are only advanced animals…or a collection of chemicals…either way humans are reduced to objects. In the past we tended to value people and use things. More recently we have shifted toward valuing things and using people. If we use others to gratify our own sexual desires we are treating them as expendable consumer items. Sex without responsibility of commitment can become a form of consumerism. As Christians, we are to be vitally concerned with the value and dignity of every human being. We are called to serve others in love…not use them for self-gratification.
DESTRUCTIVE…
PHYSICALLY…STD (sexually transmitted diseases)…a modern disease of gigantic proportions which is virtually dependent on pre-marital and extra-marital for transmission. Limitation of sexual expression to marriage would wipe out AIDS in one generation. Uganda example.
PSYCHOLOGICALLY…Psychiatrist Doris Odlum, while Vice-President of the American National Association of Mental Health, stated, “only the most depraved and perverted people would accept the view that we should satisfy our primitive urges to steal…or to murder (for example)…that it would be damaging to our mental health if we restrained these impulses.
She goes on to say, “It is somewhat curious, therefore, that people have failed to understand that a completely selfish and irresponsible attitude in relation to the fulfilling of our sexual demands…damages our personality, as well as being anti-social…”
SOCIALLY…Dr. J. D. Unwin after surveying societies both civilized and uncivilized in his book Sexual Relations in Human Behavior, concluded in part…“Any human society is free to choose either to display great energy or to enjoy sexual “freedom”; the evidence is that it cannot do both for more than one generation.” “Sexual freedom” is a Satanic euphemism for enslavement. True freedom is not the ability to say “yes”, but the ability to say “no”. (Example of slavery “Yes, massa”…and liberation “no way.”)
DISTRACTING…a casual approach to sexual morality tends to pull our eyes away from a focus on God and His purposes. Through the centuries, I suspect that no other single sin has done a better job of sidetracking young Christians from a closer walk with Jesus than sexual temptation, sin, and the resulting sense of guilt. “Holiness” means to be set apart for God’s special purposes. He calls us to sexual purity so that He can use us in His perfect plan. We choose whether or not we will be “holy” so that we can be used to by Him.
Casual pre-marital or extra-marital sex is dehumanizing, distracting and destructive.
Killing wolves in the Artic--illustrative story. When we give us what we really need for what we desperately want it can gradually kill us…individually and socially…and we may not be aware of it until it is too late!
Sunday Sun-Herald article…
The really good news is that we can have an idea where the boundaries are. We do have a rule book for relationships. (Bible)
Within marriage…the rules regarding sex are few. The Bible is not obsessed with rigid rules of sexual practice within marriage…it simply infers, “Marriage is the primary boundary of wholesome sexual activity.” So there are not an abundance of rules…and no real need to repeat them frequently.
A word on forgiveness…I John 1:9…if we confess our sins…cleansing
Positives…Cleansing for service
Call to a new culture (Generation X) and a “new” sexuality…
A high calling—on a mission from God—
Shining out in the darkness…demonstrate the high value of Christian values and corresponding behaviours. Choosing to say “no” to the world.
"You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world ... shine out among them as beacon lights, holding out to them the Word of life." - Philippians 2:15-16 (LB)
Romans 12:1-2, II Corin 6:9-20
Biblical values—the right choices are easy when you value the right thing!
As a Christian, I bear the name of my Heavenly Father. To be holy means to live so that others will think well of Him. To be holy means bringing credit to our Heavenly Father by what we say and do. It means living so that those who don't know him, know him because they know us.
Being holy means living so that others will say, "He serves a wonderful God," and so that God will look down from heaven and say, "That's my boy!" or "That's my girl!"
It is said that in the days of Alexander the Great a soldier was charged and tried for desertion in battle. The Emperor heard about it and called the young soldier in. He heard the charge and then he asked his name. The reply came beck, "Alexander, sir." With that the Emperor looked him sternly in the eye and said, "Soldier, change your behavior or change your name." We bear the name of God everywhere we go, and that ought to make a difference in the way we live…or change our name!
(Tertullian, a Christian historian spoke of the Gnostic “blasphemy against the Creator”, saying “they make no distinction between pagans and believers. They have commerce with magicians, astrologers, and philosophers.” Point: how are people to see a difference if we are not living differently? Virginity is not something to be ashamed of!!!)
Tribal intimacy—sheep (flock power) with a powerful shepherd.
Creating a new modality—journeying together, learn from experience,
(possibly marrying younger?)
A new power source—the Holy Spirit…Acts 1:8…the empowering Spirit makes it possible for others to see Jesus in me…and seek him out!
“Qualifications” (counselor) and Disclaimer (usually three hours context of Love, Sex, and Dating) – Starting point: I’m not against sex--totally for it!
Why I love sex! God’s gracious and loving design for unique intimacy and bonding…and it’s intensely pleasurable.
A Power tool—Procreation and recreation. Abusing a power tool can be both dangerous and destructive. It comes with an instruction manual and with boundaries in order to protect you.
Consequences of abusing sex (using sex outside of marriage)…
DEHUMANIZING…Science tells us that we are only advanced animals…or a collection of chemicals…either way humans are reduced to objects. In the past we tended to value people and use things. More recently we have shifted toward valuing things and using people. If we use others to gratify our own sexual desires we are treating them as expendable consumer items. Sex without responsibility of commitment can become a form of consumerism. As Christians, we are to be vitally concerned with the value and dignity of every human being. We are called to serve others in love…not use them for self-gratification.
DESTRUCTIVE…
PHYSICALLY…STD (sexually transmitted diseases)…a modern disease of gigantic proportions which is virtually dependent on pre-marital and extra-marital for transmission. Limitation of sexual expression to marriage would wipe out AIDS in one generation. Uganda example.
PSYCHOLOGICALLY…Psychiatrist Doris Odlum, while Vice-President of the American National Association of Mental Health, stated, “only the most depraved and perverted people would accept the view that we should satisfy our primitive urges to steal…or to murder (for example)…that it would be damaging to our mental health if we restrained these impulses.
She goes on to say, “It is somewhat curious, therefore, that people have failed to understand that a completely selfish and irresponsible attitude in relation to the fulfilling of our sexual demands…damages our personality, as well as being anti-social…”
SOCIALLY…Dr. J. D. Unwin after surveying societies both civilized and uncivilized in his book Sexual Relations in Human Behavior, concluded in part…“Any human society is free to choose either to display great energy or to enjoy sexual “freedom”; the evidence is that it cannot do both for more than one generation.” “Sexual freedom” is a Satanic euphemism for enslavement. True freedom is not the ability to say “yes”, but the ability to say “no”. (Example of slavery “Yes, massa”…and liberation “no way.”)
DISTRACTING…a casual approach to sexual morality tends to pull our eyes away from a focus on God and His purposes. Through the centuries, I suspect that no other single sin has done a better job of sidetracking young Christians from a closer walk with Jesus than sexual temptation, sin, and the resulting sense of guilt. “Holiness” means to be set apart for God’s special purposes. He calls us to sexual purity so that He can use us in His perfect plan. We choose whether or not we will be “holy” so that we can be used to by Him.
Casual pre-marital or extra-marital sex is dehumanizing, distracting and destructive.
Killing wolves in the Artic--illustrative story. When we give us what we really need for what we desperately want it can gradually kill us…individually and socially…and we may not be aware of it until it is too late!
Sunday Sun-Herald article…
The really good news is that we can have an idea where the boundaries are. We do have a rule book for relationships. (Bible)
Within marriage…the rules regarding sex are few. The Bible is not obsessed with rigid rules of sexual practice within marriage…it simply infers, “Marriage is the primary boundary of wholesome sexual activity.” So there are not an abundance of rules…and no real need to repeat them frequently.
Outside marriage…sex is prohibited. The boundaries are prescribed adequately enough in Scripture for us to rule out any question of God’s intent. According to the Bible, adultery (Exodus 20:14), fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18), and homosexuality (Leviticus 16:22, I Corin. 6:9) are prohibited for the believer.
The time to decide about your standards (based on your values) is now…not in the back seat of car in a sexual embrace.
A word on forgiveness…I John 1:9…if we confess our sins…cleansing
Positives…Cleansing for service
Call to a new culture (Generation X) and a “new” sexuality…
A high calling—on a mission from God—
Shining out in the darkness…demonstrate the high value of Christian values and corresponding behaviours. Choosing to say “no” to the world.
"You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world ... shine out among them as beacon lights, holding out to them the Word of life." - Philippians 2:15-16 (LB)
Romans 12:1-2, II Corin 6:9-20
Biblical values—the right choices are easy when you value the right thing!
As a Christian, I bear the name of my Heavenly Father. To be holy means to live so that others will think well of Him. To be holy means bringing credit to our Heavenly Father by what we say and do. It means living so that those who don't know him, know him because they know us.
Being holy means living so that others will say, "He serves a wonderful God," and so that God will look down from heaven and say, "That's my boy!" or "That's my girl!"
It is said that in the days of Alexander the Great a soldier was charged and tried for desertion in battle. The Emperor heard about it and called the young soldier in. He heard the charge and then he asked his name. The reply came beck, "Alexander, sir." With that the Emperor looked him sternly in the eye and said, "Soldier, change your behavior or change your name." We bear the name of God everywhere we go, and that ought to make a difference in the way we live…or change our name!
(Tertullian, a Christian historian spoke of the Gnostic “blasphemy against the Creator”, saying “they make no distinction between pagans and believers. They have commerce with magicians, astrologers, and philosophers.” Point: how are people to see a difference if we are not living differently? Virginity is not something to be ashamed of!!!)
Tribal intimacy—sheep (flock power) with a powerful shepherd.
Creating a new modality—journeying together, learn from experience,
(possibly marrying younger?)
A new power source—the Holy Spirit…Acts 1:8…the empowering Spirit makes it possible for others to see Jesus in me…and seek him out!
# posted by Speckman's Scratchings @ 1:01 PM 
