Standing Firm in Sexuality – A Sacred Regard for Our Bodies

There is a strong cultural voice encouraging us to express ourselves sexually in any consensual manner. But as we continue to read through Ephesians and ‘pull up a chair’ with the Apostle Paul in chapter five, we encounter godly limits in the all-important aspect of our physicality.

The “P” of the SPIRE

The “P” of the SPIRE is the Physical aspect of wholeness that begs for attention. We are saved and made new in Christ with wonderfully made, gendered, physical bodies. Paul doesn’t ignore the obvious gift and vices of sexuality and physicality, so neither do we.

What Does Scripture Say?

Paul began the Ephesians five conversation this way –

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. Ephesians 5:3-4 (NLT)

Paul was telling his readers that not all their desires were acceptable to act on. He was indicating that the sexuality common within the ancient Greece culture of his readers was not the model for Christ followers.

A Message on Sexuality for Today

This message speaks to our here and now. Some of our appetites are harmful and oppose God’s goal for human flourishing. We are not to use our culture, societal norms, predispositions or desires to excuse ungodly action. Rather, we go to our good God and look with faith and expectation towards his loving leading and empowerment to live whole and holy.

Sexual Immorality and Greed United

This passage in Ephesians is uniting sexual immorality with our greed. Greed is a selfish desire for more – always more. God has a better way.

Scripture is consistent from beginning to end in its messaging that sex is to be enjoyed within the protective boundaries of a covenant relationship between a man and woman, mutually submitted to the good of one another. Search the holy Scriptures for yourself on this.

We covenant with a spouse and curb other appetites. We look gratefully to God and one another for the expression of sexuality in a life-giving environment. Our gratitude combats the greed that tempts us to explore harmful alternatives.

Coarse Jokes and Obscene Stories

As God’s people we hold sexuality in a sacred light. We’re not even to debase this beautiful aspect of our humanity with coarse jokes, or obscene stories. Social media shares, series, or movies that display or condone ungodly sexuality are not for us. That popular show that mocks purity and normalizes impurity are not for our consumption. Perhaps some of us who would not engage in sexual activity outside of our marriages nevertheless participate in unholy sexuality with our eyes on our screens.

In contrast, we are to receive the gift of our bodies as unique and sacred gifts from the One who formed our frames and breathed his breath into our lungs. In gratitude, we honour and care for our bodies and those of others as marvelous gifts entrusted to us. We resist direct or indirect harm of any sort.

I enter this space and address sexuality because the Bible does. Our silence, often bought by the fear of cultural kickback, and our passive complicity, are unhelpful.

Love’s Call

When we receive the grace of God our feet are set in the direction of wholeness. We are spires, and we are to reach relentlessly towards God, who reaches out to us with the pierced hand of love. Love calls us out of our brokenness and towards the light. We rise from the mud to the heavens by leaving unholy things behind.

We can share the light of God and point the way for others as we make room for the light to replace any element of darkness within us.