Godly Sex

It's been a while since I've posted something so I thought I'd write something attention grabbing.

Something that is not attention grabbing for most people is the book of Leviticus. Filled with laws about worship and cleanliness in a time and place far removed from us, the modern reader often chooses to read something more "practical" for his or her life. Leviticus is mostly about a God who instructs His people how to be holy in their worship of Him because He is holy. Living holy lives before a holy God should affect every area of our lives, especially our sexuality.

Buried in the middle of this overly neglected book, in the 18th chapter, are some guidelines concerning unlawful sexual relations. But what is often overlooked is verses 3-4 which gives the real reason for these restrictions. Contrary to popular opinion, God is not trying to take away of our fun or control us. He is telling us these things for our protection.  These verses also contain some vital truths that should change our perspective on how we view God's law:

You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them; I am the LORD.

Check out the emphasis here. It is to not do as they did in the place where they were slaves. For New Testament believers, this obviously parallels our old life as slaves to sin. They are also told to not do as they do in the promised land of Canaan to which God was bringing them. Again, for us today the parallel is the still the ungodly world around us that we've been redeemed out of.

The Ten Commandments were given in this context at Mount Sinai. They were given after God called Israel to be faithful to his covenant and reminded them that they are his people, his treasured possession. The law came after slavery as a reminder not to go back to it and before being surrounded by rampant idolatry as a warning not to succumb to it. Without this understanding, the law of God, particularly those concerning unlawful sexual relations in Leviticus 18 make little sense.

God's plan and design for sex is 1 man and 1 woman in 1 monogamous relationship for 1 lifetime. The unbelieving world obviously has a huge problem with this. But God's word says that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight" (Prov. 9:10). God's commands are for our protection and our benefit. If we will open our eyes and our hearts to rightly see this by fearing the Lord, then he will give us wisdom and insight to understand these truths.