June 28, 2022January 5, 2024

Human Sexuality, Marriage and the Sanctity of Life

by in From The Desk of Pastor Gene
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Human Sexuality, Marriage and the Sanctity of Life

We are inundated with opinions and political notions about human sexuality, marriage and sanctity of life from politicians, television, radio, movies, news sources, social media, electronic mail, educators and not to forget family, friends, classmates, neighbors and the occasional loudmouth in the grocery store. The opinions and notions are so strong we are experiencing a growing amount of anger, accusations, name calling and even threats. Regrettably, violence as well. So, how are you fairing amongst all of the debate?

Obviously, everyone is free to have an opinion and even peacefully voice their opinion in a democratic society. Debate can and should be a good thing if we are civil and respectful and we armed with more than emotion, feeling opinion and notion. After all, in the midst of any type of debate, how do you decide who to agree with or disagree with, what to agree with or disagree with and why? For that matter, are emotions, opinions, notions or feelings a good foundation for our moral compass?

As we read in the Bible, the Lord is sovereign (Psalm 135:6, Proverbs 19:21), Jesus is truth (John 14:6) and the Bible is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Therefore, as Christians, our morals and beliefs are based on a biblical worldview instead of the changing tides of culture, political views and popular notions.

In order to establish a biblical worldview, the first question we ask is what does the Bible say about this topic? Since the beginning of creation, God revealed His intention for human sexuality, marriage and the sanctity of life.

God created humanity in His image as male and female, thus giving all humanity value, dignity, and eternal significance. The distinction God created between male and female is part of His wonderful plan. It is the foundation for all human life and is reflected in each person’s biological birth sex determined by XX (female) and XY (male) chromosomes. This is established and affirmed in scripture, GEN 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

God designed marriage to be a monogamous, enduring and devoted relationship between a male and a female. This divine design is also the standard that defines appropriate expressions of our sexuality. As such, any expression of our sexuality, physically and in thought, that is outside the bonds of marriage is sexual immorality. This also comes from a biblical worldview as recorded in the following verses of scripture:

MT 5:27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

MT 19:3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” 4 He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

RO 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

1 COR 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality

Our biblical worldview not only establishes the truth about human sexuality and marriage but it also establishes the truth about the sanctity of life. “Sanctity of Life” is fundamentally based in the truth that all humans are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26–27), ultimately declaring that human life is sacred and must be protected and respected. In fact, the murder of another human being is expressly forbidden, with the penalty of death (Genesis 9:6).
You might ask, when does life become life? Again, establishing a biblical worldview let’s consult the Bible.  JER 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” In short, in God’s foreknowledge, He knows when we will be born and He already has a plan for us even before we are born.

In addition, the following are a few points from a Focus on the Family published article at the link https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life/pre-born/science-vs-bible-when-does-life-begin/

  • “In the most scientific sense of the word, life means, “an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction.”

 

  • “Ultrasound technology has improved and evolved exponentially since the beginning. Now, life in the womb is detectable as early as 8 to 12 days post-conception.”

 

  • “According to studies in Embryology, a developing embryo contains unchanging genetic information for the life it contains. Consequently, a full-grown adult contains the same genetic blueprint as they did as a developing embryo. Knowing this, we can reason that, genetically speaking, life begins at conception.”

Here are also a couple of videos you should watch to educate yourself about life beginning at conception.
https://youtu.be/sI7azyQ1jsQ
https://www.focusonthefamily.com/seelife22/

As you may have already discovered, human sexuality, marriage and the sanctity of life are intrinsically linked in God’s sovereign plan of creation. So, I’ll ask again. How are you doing amongst all of the debate? We are obviously flooded with opinions from every direction and every possible news source. The views are so strong that the debate often includes anger, finger pointing, insult and even threats. However, in the midst of the chaos, I challenge you to read the Bible and pray as you develop a biblical worldview that becomes your morale compass.

A Work in Progress,

Pastor Gene