Prudes, Fornicators, Adulterers, Homosexuals,and other Perverts & Sexual Deviants

Each of the categories listed in this title, along with others that are not listed, are forms of idolatry.  In each of these is the false presumption that one can be in control of oneself apart from faith in God, that a person can choose the best way for oneself apart from the design that God has declared to be the true way.  In each of these categories a person trusts not God but oneself for the determination of what is the best perspective concerning human sexuality.  In each of these sexuality is not honored as the truly blessed, pure, holy, and wonderful gift that God has given it to be.

From our warped, corrupted, and perverted, sinful nature, we abuse all of God’s gifts to us, including our own bodies and the life that we are meant to enjoy in connection with our bodies.  Is it any worse to treat one’s body and the functions of one’s body, functions designed by God, as something to be despised, or is it worse to use those functions in ways that mock the very design clearly indicated even from a cursory anatomical observation?  Is it worse to steal the proper use of sexuality through being a prude, or is it worse to steal the proper use of sexuality through fornication or adultery, or perhaps through rape or incest?

All of these are perversions of human sexuality.  All of these are deviations from the obvious design that anyone can easily observe.  Moreover, the proper use of our sexuality has been clearly declared by the Creator.

The Creator also clearly states the purpose for His design.

The first aspect of this purpose is not what a person may first presume.  Procreation and reproduction are not included in the first statement regarding being created male and female, as sexual beings.  The first statement is that this is in accord with the image of God in which they would exist together as one.  Unity in God’s communion is the first stated aspect of being created as we are.  The man was created first.  But man was not complete without woman.  So from the man God took flesh and bone and created woman, to be joined in union with the man as one flesh.  In their God ordained union they were complete.  Together they were man, created in the image of God.  They were designed to be a perfect fit with one another, to unite as one and to continue in that union, in the likeness of God’s union with Man in Christ.

Next stated is the aspect of reproduction and filling the earth with children who would likewise live together in the image of God, that is, Christ.  Together Man would live in communion with God and thus with one another.  They would enjoy together the manifold blessings of the cosmos.  They would fill up the earth with people who would rejoice together in the goodness of the family of God.

And thus also is observed the aspect of family in God’s purpose.  God’s loving providence would be manifested in the family structure.  Unity and love would be demonstrated in everything.  Husband and wife would come together in the union of God’s love and design and children would be produced through God’s blessing of their union together.  These children would be nurtured by their parents in God’s love.  They would grow to become parents themselves.  All of mankind would gather on the Sabbath to be refreshed in the Lord’s communion.  They would enjoy all that it means to be the children of God living under His Fatherly care.

Adam’s willingness to accept the devil’s notion of free will overturned this design.  Now Adam and his wife saw their nakedness and were ashamed.  They no longer were covered and clothed with the image of God, but now stood as mere earthlings, creatures of dust and ash.  The glory of God was no longer theirs.  Now they stood corrupted and exposed in their corruption.  The perfect unity into which they had been joined was disrupted.  The holy relationship of God’s communion was perverted by their deviation from His Word and will.

The farther that people transgress from the Word and will of God, the more deviant their views of themselves and of what is good become.  Even the clear anatomical witness becomes muted by the noise of their corrupted thoughts and opinions and imaginations and fears and insecurities.

But the Lord was not willing to leave His beloved children to wander aimlessly to their peril and destruction.  He came calling for them with the plan of redemption and salvation and restoration that He had for them even from eternity.  He gave the promise of the Savior who would be born of the woman.  He brought that Savior into the world through the virgin Mary.  He established His Church on earth for the preaching of the Gospel and the administration of the Sacraments for the ongoing reconciliation of Man to God in Christ.  In this way the image of God is restored, at first still in connection with our corrupted flesh, but in the Resurrection with flesh that has been changed into incorruptible.

At that time the marital union of male and female will no longer be functional, for the marriage of Christ and His Church shall supercede it.  Those who have been incorporated into the body of Christ shall be truly one with one another in Christ and together they all shall rejoice in God’s Holy Communion forevermore.

Then no more corruption of the human nature and perversion of the human will shall exist.  Even the desire for sexual union will become obsolete, as perfect union with God in Christ shall be enjoyed by all the saints.  True fulfillment shall then be realized by all.

For the current time, however, God still has plans for husbands and wives to be joined through marriage in the unity of the one true faith so that all who are to be born in this world to hear the Gospel and be joined into God’s family shall be.  And so we wrestle with our fleshly desires, created holy but corrupted through unbelief and transgression.  Even though mankind greatly abuses these desires and gifts, God still uses them for good.  Those who recognize this seek to use these wonderful gifts of God and to enjoy them in accord with His good and gracious will.  Thus healthy families are produced and new children are brought into the world to rejoice in God’s goodness.  This is true also for those husbands and wives to whom God reserves life without children of their own, as they nevertheless rejoice in their God given union together in their bodies as well as assembling with those who demonstrate the even greater union of the common confession of the one true faith by which all of mankind is reclaimed as God’s family and restored to the unity of His image once again.

+ + +