Chapter 5e

This chapter accompanies the chapter on the male/female principle, yet it is sort of a deviation from the overall Angelfall theme. The following discussion on the subject of sex in general will be of interest to many people, and it presents the conclusions I have come to after entering into the overall understanding of things—based also upon both theomatics and the Angelfall message. Because so many people are messed up when it comes to this subject due to sin in the world, it is important to say something about it. At the end of this discussion some brief comments will be made as to how sex itself connects to the fall from heaven and the message of Angelfall.

One fundamental and very important fact to point out is the following. For people of the world in general, there are NO RULES of morality when it comes to consenting human sexuality (with the possible exception of sex with minors or sex with animals). Only through a religious belief of some sort, can there ever be any black or white ground rules as to what is right or wrong when it comes to sex and morality. For that reason, the following discussion is primarily addressed to Christians.

Is Sex Sinful?

A General Discussion on Human Sexuality

Sex is God's way to get the fallen angels, who are spiritual beings, into earthly bodies.

Here in this chapter we are going to propose a whole different approach to the issue of sex and marriage, and what God really thinks about the subject. Gone will be the popular beliefs currently circulating, that God intends sex to be for the greatest pleasure of mankind, and that God wants even Christians to have great sex and enjoy it to the fullest degree as our kingdom right (and as one preacher recently stated, "sexual enjoyment is God's greatest gift to the Church").

Today there is a mind boggling amount of emphasis on sex and erotic pleasure. Numerous web sites now cater exclusively to "Christians" and promote all sorts of erotic paraphernalia, sex toys, videos, etc. to enhance married love—thus providing a "Christ centered alternative" to the world's so called adult entertainment industry. Go into any Christian book store and there is a whole section dealing with nothing but sexual and relationship issues (and also numerous books to help people find freedom from their sexual addictions).

This overall emphasis on sex in society never existed before in world history to the degree that we see happening today. Go back even 30 or 40 years (before the age of the video cassette and the internet) and you will find little of what we are now witnessing. The truth of the matter is that back in the "good old days," the less emphasis there was on the importance and pleasure of sex—this conservative atmosphere provided moral protection and was an important catalyst in keeping people more faithful to their wedding vows and to the sanctity of marriage.

Times have certainly changed. The divorce rate has both doubled and tripled. The concept of lifelong marriage is now pretty much a thing of the past. Divorce and remarriage for just about any reason is now perfectly "acceptable" in most churches. Numerous other individuals simply live together. Relationships can end at the drop of a hat as people's lives move on to greener pastures.

The main culprit and contributor to this moral breakdown in society as a whole has been ONE SINGLE FACTOR—the constant bombardment of T.V. and the media over the past decades. Television and movies have literally destroyed the moral fabric of our society (at least in America it has).

And more recently everything has graduated to the internet. Pornography in one form or another is by far the biggest thing on the world wide web. The hard core porn industry worldwide is absolutely enormous—over 70 billion dollars a year, and 13 billion dollars in the United States alone. Over 20,000 new pornographic videos are produced and marketed each year. About 25% of all search engine requests on the internet are for pornography and sex—it is estimated that 30% (about one third) of all downloads from the web are pornographic. Pictures and images appear openly on the internet from literally hundreds of thousands of "adult" websites that are absolutely vile and perverted, as well as cable and satellite T.V. channels. Various polls of society indicate that over 50% of all "born again" Christian men and 25% of Christian women have deliberately visited porn sites—JESUS HELP US!!!. The inbox on every person's computer is chock full of "porn spam" offering all sorts of sexual enhancement drugs and products. Although the government tries to fight pedophilia and child pornography, it is still rampant. Escort services and prostitution exists on a large scale in just about every city. Swinger publications offer hundreds of ads for casual sexual encounters. As the local Oregonian newspaper (where I live) stated, "having sex these days is almost as easy as ordering a pizza."

All of these factors have caused a massive breakdown in morality and the institution of marriage as people are far less monogamous—sexual perversions and practices of all imaginations are now looked upon as being perfectly "normal" and socially acceptable. Homosexuality, once regarded universally as a perversion, has become common and "acceptable," even in some liberal churches. The issue of "gay marriage" would not have even come up a few decades ago. We are indeed living in an age of sensual idolatry. The advancement of the new technology and "cybersex" is the fuel driving the lust engine, turning the entire world into a virtual Sodom and Gomorrah.

Even though all the above paints a clear picture of the bad side of the coin concerning sex, Christian leaders emphatically teach that the world has only perverted what God made good and wonderful and beautiful, i.e. sex from God's point of view is still holy, righteous and good, and meant by the Creator to be enjoyed.

This statement is only partially true. And that is the issue that we are going to be looking at here in this chapter—what is God's view on sex? What does the Bible REALLY have to say about the subject? We must look deeper and study God's Word honestly and carefully in order to find the objective answer from the Creator's point of view.

Part I: Sex Itself IS Indeed Sinful

Here in this chapter we are going to making a daring and bold statement. We are going to build on a completely different premise. What I have to say is not going to be popular with most people. But after you read the following verses from the Bible there will be no other possible conclusion.

Based upon what the Bible explicitly states and teaches, when one carefully looks at the entire body of scriptural evidence (excluding the poetic and somewhat vague Song of Solomon passage), and weighs honestly everything said about the subject—sex itself in the Bible IS indeed portrayed by God in certain aspects as being inherently sinful (as well as being good and necessary in other aspects). From God's point of view, sex itself is both good and bad, and NOT the ultimate fulfillment that many people believe it is.

However, the above statement needs to be carefully clarified and explained. Before you jump to any conclusions, please read this chapter in its entirety (this is not going to be as bad as it sounds).

Note: For a theological and philosophical discussion on the Song of Solomon, please refer to: www.wordtrade.com/religion/bible/biblesongofsongsR.htm

What is Sin?

First off, by saying that sex is sinful, that term is not used in the absolute sense of what sin is commonly defined to be. The expression "sin" means to "miss the mark." Anything can be sin, even the most minute item that is not in keeping with God's perfect will and God's perfect plan could be labeled as "sin" (even too much ice cream for desert).

Look at the animal kingdom and all of nature. Certainly God created sex, and this is His established plan for the biological earth. Here are the two major and obvious reasons.

• Procreation and the continuation of the human race. None of us would obviously be here if it was not for sex.

• Marriage and physical sexual union is an important aspect of bonding and it fulfills a social, psychological, and spiritual need for most people.

Certainly those two things are essentially good and part of God's established order. Since God created two classes of people (men and women), sex and marriage is necessary and quite natural. People need to dwell in a family structure of some sort. The Bible says "it is good for man (and woman) not to be alone."

But that is not the point that we are after here. There are two sides to this coin and we want to know what is on the reverse side. The major question is this.

Is sexual "fulfillment" the ULTIMATE meaning and purpose of our existence? Does God's wonderful plan for every Christian include the "joy of sex?" Is this something that every human being should seek after and pursue intently, as our unalienable right to enjoy as God's children?

The answer is a resounding NO! God's Word does not teach anything like that at all. In fact, it teaches quite the opposite. And the reason is clearly stated in the Bible.

No Sex in Heaven

If sex was God's ultimate plan for pleasure, meaning, and purpose, then there would be sex in heaven. God would make sure that the whitewashed saints up in glory had the best performing and most stimulating sexual organs, and that men and women would be the most beautiful and sensual possible. Husbands and wives would experience the greatest eroticism imaginable and heaven would be a place of one continuous state of orgasmic bliss.

If you stop and think about it logically, if there was sex in heaven (in any way similar to what is on this earth), it would create total mayhem, as lust would almost certainly spin out of control and everything would eventually become one big celestial orgy. How could one man or one woman live with each other for ten million years and not get the least bit bored?

Three times and in three of the gospels, Jesus made it emphatically and abundantly clear that marriage (and obviously sex) does not exist in heaven or in the redeemed state.

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Mat 22:29,30).

"And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven" (Mark 12:24,25).

And this next verse is the most definitive. Noticed that sex and death are linked, and when sex and marriage end, only then can resurrection and eternal life begin.

"And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection" (Luke 20:34-36).

These explicit words of Jesus Himself can only lead us to the conclusion that we were not created for sexual fulfillment, but that ultimate joy and fulfillment must be found in SOMETHING ELSE—more precisely our relationship with God as our Creator, and our love relationship with our Lord and Savior, along of course with a pure love among the brethren. In God's economy, the earthly state and the heavenly state are two completely different worlds. So when we state that "sex is sinful," we are only saying so in the context that biological sex is not God's ULTIMATE purpose or perfect plan. This earth is NOT God's ultimate destination—He has something far more fulfilling and wonderful in mind. But this can only happen when earthly sex ends, and it can only lead us to one singular conclusion, which is simply this.

Earthly sex is more of a required and mandatory thing rather than being a desirable thing—A STOP-GAP NECESSITY. It is only temporary and has no eternal value (only the male/female principle, and the spiritual meaning incorporated into that, has eternal value).

Where is the Weight of Evidence?

So when looking at this entire subject and evaluating it, particularly from the New Testament, we must ask ourselves one fundamental question.

When all the scriptural passages are examined, is the weight of evidence stacked in FAVOR of sexual fulfillment and enjoyment for the Christian, or does the scriptural weight of evidence move us AWAY from all of that?

The answer to this question is going to surprise (and even shock) a lot of Christians. Not many preachers will be enthused about the following Bible verses. You rarely, if ever, hear these verses talked about, especially on Christian television, and more especially—by those who promote Christian marriage enrichment seminars.

The truth is, there is not one single verse in the entire New Testament that promotes erotic or sexual love between a man and a woman. Not one verse! The only apparent passage that makes any pointed or overt statement on the issue is this verse in Hebrews.

"Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge" (Heb 13:4).

If this verse says anything at all, it is restrictive. It is hardly a passage that can be used as, "God wants this for all His children—Go for it!" Rather it simply states what is permissible and what the boundaries are, and what the penalty will be for not staying within the bounds of marriage.

What we are about to discover—explicitly from numerous Bible verses—is that GOD PUTS GREAT VALUE ON THE ABSTINENCE FROM SEX ALTOGETHER. This fact is going to be undeniable and clearly stated in the Bible. Again, many people will try to ignore or downplay these verses, but they are there in the Bible none the less.

Personal Comment: Please understand that the author of this website is a happily married man (since 1985 to his first and only wife—the most wonderful and beautifully sensuous woman in the whole wide world). So I am not in any way biased or promoting celibacy. The reason for this discussion is to arrive at an objective and BALANCED understanding of what God's thoughts are on the issue so we can correctly understand where our priorities in life should be focused, and avoid falling into Satan's many traps.

Passage #1: The Words of Jesus

"His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have MADE THEMSELVES EUNUCHS for the sake of the kingdom of heaven's. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it" (Mat 19:10-12).

Jesus reflected the question of his disciples about divorce and remarriage. He did not answer their question directly. Instead he stated that there are three classes of people who never have sex. (1) Those who are born sterile, (2) those who are sterilized by men (a common practice in Bible days when slaves worked around wives and concubines). And (3) those who VOLUNTARILY abstained from sex for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus then made the declaration that not all men are able to accept celibacy, yet "He that is able to receive it, let him (or her) receive it." These words are not a command, but an INVITATION from our Lord. What Jesus is essentially saying here, is that if you want to really show your love for God in the ultimate way, and your consuming desire is His heavenly kingdom, then abstinence from marriage and sex is one way to sacrificially accomplish that goal.

It should be quite obvious that to the person who makes this sort of commitment—either by choice or circumstances—God accepts this as being very pleasing and honoring, and even preferable in some instances. For people that are not married, especially older Christians, there is nothing to be ashamed of. You are indeed special to God.

The message that the world constantly sends forth is one of self indulgence, no restraints, just live for pleasure and whatever makes your body feel good… fulfill what comes natural to you. God's heavenly kingdom is built upon the principle of sacrifice and self denial and at times giving up what is even natural in order to obtain something that is higher.

The Apostle Paul, the most important figure in the Bible apart from Jesus, made numerous statements in favor of celibacy and a life of chastity. Here now is what he says.

Passage #2: It is Good not to Touch

"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is GOOD for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency" (1 Cor 7:1-5).

This passage is very significant. "It is good for a man not to touch a woman." The word "touch" clearly has to do with sex. Yet if sex was the thing, the Bible should have said "It is good for men to touch women—go for it." But this is NOT what is stated in the Bible. The clear message here in this verse is CONSTRAINT.

"I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is GOOD for them if they abide even as I (remain single). But if they cannot contain (control their sexual desire), let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn (with passion)" (1 Cor 7:8,9).

Here it clearly says that in God's estimation, it is actually a good thing to abstain from sexual relations. Yet in order to avoid immorality, i.e. you can't control your hormones, then it is better to go ahead and get married. When one reads God's Word, it is amazing to see how logical and practical and balanced God truly is (although sex in and of itself is a terrible excuse for marriage).

These passages literally smash the bias of those out there who would love to teach (particularly those are into "quiver-full theology"), that everybody should get married and have as many children as possible, because God commanded us to "be fruitful and multiply," and if you are not married and raising up a godly seed, then you must certainly be out of the will of God. This sort of thinking is in the same vein as Catholic teaching against birth control. To the single person out there who gets constantly asked—the idea that comes across is, "What's wrong with you?" This vein of thinking is a subtle way of sending a message—if you are married you are normal, but if you are single you are abnormal (and even violating nature). Yet God does not see it that way at all!

Also, in verse 5 in 1 Corinthians 7 above, it tells us that it is actually necessary to abstain from romantic relations in order to draw closer to God. This indicates that sexual activity can actually be a HINDRANCE to fasting and prayer, rather than being a spiritual catalyst.

Passage #3: The Unmarried Man

"And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away. But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife" (1 Cor 7:31-33).

This passage is profound. Here the apostle is telling Christian men to get their priorities straight. What this passage is unmistakably saying is that sex and sexual fulfillment is not important. What is important is caring "for the things that belong to the Lord." The contrast is made between the world (that worships sensual pleasure and sex) and "pleasing" one's wife, vs. putting God above all else in one's life, thus ABSTAINING from sex.

It is rather startling that God refers to earthly marriage as being a "worldly" relationship that can move a person AWAY from God. Jesus even uttered these pointed words concerning one's marriage partner.

"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, AND WIFE, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26).

Now let's move on to the next verse that talks about the woman.

Passage #4: The Unmarried Woman

"The unmarried woman and the virgin careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be HOLY BOTH IN BODY AND IN SPIRIT: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband" (1 Cor 7:34).

This verse is even more profound yet. It is saying essentially the same thing about the woman, but it adds the comment that by remaining chaste, a person "may be holy both IN BODY and in spirit." So the declaration is made—by abstaining from sex this clearly makes a person more godly and pure—both in their body and in their spirit.

Again, this whole degree of self denial is an unpopular idea, even among Christians, that few people will accept or adopt from God's Word in this sensual age of self pleasure and "fulfillment" that we live in. But that is what the Bible says pure and simple.

It is interesting to note that the verse refers to "the wife and the virgin." The Greek word for virgin, i.e. PARTHENOS, can apply to either male or female. So this passage could be referring to men becoming more pure in body and in spirit. We have proof of that in the book of Revelation where the same Greek word "virgin" is used and in the following instance it applies only to males.

Passage #5: The 144 thousand Male Virgins

"And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads… and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth no lie was found: for they are without fault before the throne of God." (Rev 14:1,3-5).

Now without getting into a deep discussion about the 144 thousands (see numerous chapters on the number 144 in prior theomatics books)—this reference to the thousands of male virgins is obviously spiritually symbolic (where would the prophetic pundits find 144,000 male Jewish virgins living in Israel, who never had sex or ever told a lie, i.e. "Scofield's Jewish evangelists," if Revelation was meant to be interpreted literally?).

The key point that needs to be mentioned here is that in this case the word "virgin" applies to men. And the fact that these men had abstained from sex altogether, made them qualified to enter heaven. Again, all of this is totally spiritually symbolic and is not disqualifying good Christian men who are married (and who are indeed part of the 144 thousands as a representative number).

Important Note: The spiritual application of this passage in Revelation and the meaning of the expression "defiled with women," relates to Eve in the Garden of Eden and the male (or Adam's) participation in that act of spiritual fornication when Eve was deceived by the serpent and handed him the fruit. There are some very interesting theomatics in that regard.

The above is just one more passage from the Bible showing that abstinence from sex is highly pleasing to God and contributes to a person being more pure both in their body and in their spirit.

Passage #6: Seek Not a Wife

Here now are two verses from the Bible that seem to contradict each other.

"Art thou loosed from a wife? Seek not a wife" (1 Cor 7:27).

"Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtains favor of the Lord" (Prov 18:22).

We find in these two passages God's perfect formula for whether or not a person should marry, at least a Christian person. There is a distinct difference between "seeking" a wife and "finding" a wife (or husband). Here is a little illustration.

Suppose that some morning you wake up and say to yourself, "I am going to go to the downtown area of the big City, and I am going to walk up and down the streets looking for $50.00 bills laying on the sidewalk." How many miles do you suppose you would have to walk before finding your first $50.00 bill? To give you an idea, the most money I ever found in my entire life were two fives and a ten laying in the parking lot when I was in college. It would be safe to say that a person could walk an entire lifetime and never see a $50.00 bill laying on the sidewalk. But let us suppose that someday I go to get in my car, and as I look down there laying on the asphalt is a $50.00 bill. Wow! What a surprise. I was not looking for one. I was not expecting to even see a $50.00 bill. But there is was! I would later tell all my friends, "Yesterday I FOUND a $50.00 bill!"

My Own Personal Experience

Before I met my wife in 1985, I had either met or "coffee dated" about 25 girls, most all of whom claimed to be Christians (I had even joined two or three dating services "seeking a wife"). I had brought about half a dozen ladies home to meet my family, but for some reason nothing ever clicked (including one failed engagement just weeks before the wedding). After two or three dates, I instantly realized that these were not people I wanted to spend the rest of my life with (most of the older women were very secular in their thinking and quite independent. And VERY opinioned and set in their ways).

Then one day an older lady friend of our family, whom we had not seen in many many years, called my parents to get my phone number. She later said that God had spoken to her while she was standing one day in her kitchen—the names Del & Darlene came instantly into her mind as thought some voice had spoken it supernaturally, and as she stated later, "I was afraid to disobey God by not following through on it."

When the call came to my apartment, she was absolutely trembling, voice shaking on the phone—first asking if I was even married—and then in a lengthy rambling manner, telling me all about this wonderful musical family who had a daughter I should meet. Through a very awkward exchange of communications, we finally made contact and agreed to "meet for clam chowder" at a restaurant near where she worked.

When I drove up to the medical office that day, I expected to meet some homely little girl that this dear old saint felt sorry for. But when Darlene opened the door I did not expect to see what I was looking at—I was instantly "smitten." Everything coasted downhill after that. There is no question that God had arranged the whole thing.

What we have over the years both said to each other—at the time we met neither one of us were dating anyone and we were not even thinking about romance. But suddenly and unexpectedly I "found a wife."

What all this should tell us as Christians, is that we should not seek after marriage fulfillment, but we should seek the Lord and have our spiritual priorities in order first. It is in that state that God is able to most effectively lead us and bring about his will for our individual lives. This does not mean that a Christian man or woman should not stretch out and try to meet people, as on eHarmony.com (God usually guides a moving ship). But our attitude should not be as the people of the world, who can easily grab the first sensuous thing that comes along and really mess up their lives. It happens every day.

This Whole Thing is a Serious Issue

Finally and to conclude to this phase of our discussion, it is imperative for the child of God to realize that sexual immorality, or lustful thoughts to any degree, poisons and pollutes a person's soul and spirit, and it and can kill outright the life of God within. Sexual sin that is continuous and unrepentant, completely shuts off the Holy Spirit from a person's life, and can actually cause a person to lose their soul if the sin is not forsaken (although a truly born again Christian can never ever be lost according to God's Word).

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither FORNICATORS, nor IDOLATERS, nor ADULTERERS, nor EFFEMINATE, nor ABUSERS OF THEMSELVES with mankind (homosexuals), nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor 6:9,10).

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and WHOREMONGERS, and sorcerers, and IDOLATERS, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rev 21:8).

Now in Part II, let us discuss some items related to human sexuality in general.

Part II: The Bible is NOT a Manual on Human Sexuality

The primary purpose of God's Word is to reveal the eternal plan and purpose of God. While in many passages the Bible does lay the ground "rules" as to how Christians should live their lives, and there are indeed "some" statements given on the subject of sex—the Bible is explicitly NOT an organized presentation or manual on the subject of human sexuality. In that sense it falls far short of being a complete rule book.

This fact has greatly frustrated many Christians as to what sexual mores and practices are acceptable or not acceptable to God. It is important to realize that the Bible is unambiguously clear in general matters related to adultery and fornication, prostitution, wicked imaginations, foul language, homosexuality, etc. But when it comes to many other issues, things are not so clearly defined (many problems arise when people either try to interpret the Bible literally or try to find verses to justify their own personal convictions). The following is just a partial list on some of these great areas of controversy.

Item #1: The Divorce and Remarriage Quagmire.

No subject has elicited more frustration, contradiction, and turmoil in the Christian church than trying to adopt a "Biblical" policy on divorce and remarriage. Church after church has wrestled with this issue (there are thousands of websites that vigorously debate it). Virtually every Christian denomination out there has a somewhat different policy on the subject of Christian divorce and remarriage. Many churches will marry (or remarry) just about any person who can fog a mirror, and who are also willing to attend a couple of pre-marital classes or have a short visit with the pastor before the wedding.

My own wife came from a Pentecostal holiness church called the Apostolic Faith Mission, which is a large world wide denomination (birthed out of the Azusa St. revival in California during the early part of the 20th century). Over the years this group of believers have emphatically taught the only marriage God ever recognizes during any person's lifetime, is their first original marriage (no exceptions)—their position being that "according to God's Word the marriage covenant is sacred and can only be broken by physical death." According to this teaching, each time a person has sexual relations with someone who is not their first and original spouse, they are breaking God's marriage covenant and committing "an act of adultery," and therefore cannot be saved unless they repent AND leave/forsake that "sin of adultery." Any Christian who ever gets divorced and remarried (and their original mate is still living)—they would immediately lose their salvation and go to hell if they died, because the Bible explicitly says that adulterers will not inherit the kingdom (1 Cor 6:9). Even now, no one is welcomed into fellowship with this church who does not follow a strict and hyper literal KJV interpretation on these matters in scripture. People who walk into the church and have been remarried (even if the divorce took place long before they became Christians)—they are told they must leave their present "adulterous" relationship immediately—even if they have been happily married for 15 years and have a bunch of children—and go back to their first mate… Or, if that is not possible, they must still separate and then remain single for the rest of their lives, or at least until the first spouse has died (as the Old Testament marriage law demands in Rom 7:1-3 and 1 Cor 7:10,11—see comment paragraph below) even though their first mate may have actually remarried someone else who is also "living in adultery."

If the above is a true premise of what the Bible actually teaches on this subject, then the only logical conclusion is that SALVATION IS NOT OPEN to those who are divorced and remarried (and their original mate is still living) unless they become single again. Probably 30% to 40% of all born again Christians in churches would be automatically excluded from heaven if this was true.

This particular church has a whole group of divorced and lonely women (including the head pastor's own daughter), who refuse to date men because they are afraid of losing their salvation. This particular denomination is Armenian and vehemently anti-Calvanistic, and they also teach that no one is truly saved for sure unless they have a secondary experience called "sanctification," where the Adamic nature is actually obliterated and a person essentially becomes "sinless." One must therefore remain in that "sinless" state in order to RETAIN their salvation, which can be easily lost if a person does not walk the walk.

In reply to all of this, God is a reasonable and logical and practical Being—He would NEVER put these sort of shackles or bondages on any of His dear children. The circumstances surrounding every person's divorce and/or remarriage is very different and the misfortunes of life are many times outside one's control. Such dogmatic teaching and "Biblical literalism" can only be described as cultic, a binding form of legalism (similar to the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus day), which is a subtle form of salvation by works.

The reason for all the confusion on divorce and remarriage is how one interprets the Bible. When it comes to this issue, people have a tendency to take sides and will look at everything one of two ways:

• Either through the eyes of the law, attempting to judge the entire issue from a LEGAL standpoint (rules and commandments ).

• Or through the eyes of grace and forgiveness, and attempting (from the Bible) to evaluate each situation circumstantially based upon a person's intentions.

The legalistic view takes Biblical statements absolute and literally—to the hilt—vs. seeing the spiritual principles and carefully analyzing what the Bible is actually saying; then judging each situation by what is in a person's heart and what their MOTIVES are (many passages in the Bible are more implicit rather than being explicit).

Personally, I have seen numerous marriages by sincere and precious Christian men and women, who (usually as teen-agers) hastily and impulsively married someone that was impossible to live with and incorrigible, and the marriage soon ground to a halt. Later that same person remarried someone else in the church who was "normal" psychologically and a truly committed Christian, and they had a very happy fulfilled life. It was obvious that God's blessing was on that second relationship, but not necessarily on the first one. Irregardless of how one attempts to interpret the Bible, those are the hard facts of reality.

The New Testament explicitly says that Christ abolished and did away with the law of commandments and ordinances (Eph 2:15), which would make a no divorce/remarriage law for the Church an impossibility, otherwise our eternal salvation would be contingent upon keeping a SPECIFIC law based upon works. And if there was a marriage law that Christians were required to keep in order to be saved, then what other laws might there be? The Bible clearly states that if we place ourselves under law and violate even one of them, then we have broken all of them (Jam 2:10).

In reading the words of Jesus from the Gospels on divorce, they appear to be very rigid. Yet it is important to point out that He was not addressing the Church when he made His remarks (or placing the church under a new binding law of sorts); but rather his apparent target was the deceptive HEARTS of the scribes and Pharisees who, according to the law of Moses, were looking for an excuse to put away their wives FOR ANY REASON, even on a whim. Later Jesus went so far as to say that even a lustful thought in the heart and "looking upon a woman" constituted adultery in God's sight (see Mat 5:28—How many people are guilty of that???) Our Lord's statement shows clearly that God's definition of adultery is NOT so much a legal issue as it is a matter of what a person's INTENTIONS are. Many Christians who remarry after a tragic marital failure, and are trying to put the pieces of their lives back together again—they are absolutely pure in the eyes of God if they have unadulterated hearts.

Paul was somewhat more liberal on the issue and makes many "ambiguous" statements on the subject. In trying to decipher all of it, Hebrew and Greek scholars wrestle over the interpretation and meaning of numerous words in the Greek, and also vigorously debate the historical/Jewish interpretation of marriage and divorce within the culture of that day. Numerous cultural customs and laws from the Bible days do not even apply today, such as Jewish betrothal rights. Also, men in the Bible days literally owned their wives as property, and had a legal right to divorce or "put away" their wives FOR ANY REASON (including a wife's bad cooking); but a woman could not leave or divorce her husband without actually being stoned to death (Mat 19:3,8 and Joh 8:3-5). To try and derive a modern day policy for the Christian Church from many of these Bible passages, is both ridiculous and absurd.

Comments: Along with the words of Jesus, there are two passages that the no divorce/no remarriage proponents quote. In Rom 7:1-3, Paul was not at all applying the law example as a regulation for Christians, but he was simply quoting the Old Testament law of Moses—of the wife not leaving her husband and marrying another "lest she be called an adulteress"—SIMPLY AS AN ILLUSTRATION of the marriage between Christ and the church, showing that because Adam died the believer is now by faith free to be "married to another," i.e. Christ. This is clearly NOT a passage establishing New Testament church doctrine on divorce and remarriage. And in 1 Cor 7:10,11, where the woman is "commanded" by the Lord not to leave her husband, and if so to be reconciled or remain unmarried—the Greek word PARANGELLO has more the meaning of "to announce" something. There is a vast difference between an absolute command (or laying down the law) vs. an announcement. What this passage is clearly announcing is the Lord's will for the permanency of marriage which in the heathen world of that day, was not looked upon as a necessary thing. But for Christians the sacredness of marriage is not to be taken lightly, and the best solution in most instances is forgiveness and reconciliation (In other words, don't rush out and remarry someone else right away, but try to work things out—that is all the verse is saying). In that sense the words of Paul are pastoral in nature.

Christians have never and will never agree fully on this subject. The Bible is just too ambiguous. There is even a little known passage in the New Testament that specifically and CLEARLY states if a Christian person remarries after a divorce, they have not sinned, even if their first mate is still living—see 1 Cor 7:27,28 and the following web page, www.divorcehope.com/christiandivorceandremarriage.htm. The Bible also states if a Christian is abandoned by an unbelieving mate, the believer is released and no longer bound to the marriage (1 Cor 7:15). Even Jesus Himself stated that if a person is unfaithful morally, that essentially can end a marriage (Mat 19:9).

There are many ways to interpret and apply all these passages in the Bible. As an example, there is even a proposal today among some Christian leaders that if a man is blatantly addicted to pornography and sexual fantasies (and unrepentant about it)—that in itself constitutes adultery and unfaithfulness to his marriage vows, which would then give the wife the right to divorce her husband (Jesus confirmed that adultery can involve just "looking"—see Mat 5:28).

In conclusion, numerous passages all through the Bible make it clear that divorce completely ENDS a marriage (that obviously is beyond reconciliation). The idea of perpetual adultery for someone who has remarried and established a Christian home, and is attempting to follow Christ with all their hearts—is simply not true and a horrible affront to God's saving grace. New life and forgiveness always BEGINS AT THE CROSS (1 Joh 1:7)—even for the "backslidden" Christian who rededicates his life to the Lord. God does not lock people down in chains for their past failures—regulating them to the ash heap of singleness and loneliness the rest of their lives (as long as their hearts are right). That would directly contradict the Biblical statement that "it is good for man not to be alone."

So when it comes to this entire issue of divorce and remarriage, it is my belief that God put enough in the Bible (in the strict sense) to preserve the sanctity of marriage and make Christians realize that they should not live "loosey goosey." God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). Yet God also, in His great eternal wisdom, made the issue ambiguous enough so that this would prevent legalism from taking hold, and self righteous condemnation by others against those who experience marital failure, which by the way, can happen to anybody.

Item #2: The Subject of Masturbation

This is another area of great controversy. Many Christians wrestle with this issue. It is not an easy subject to talk about openly. The Bible says nothing specifically about the subject of masturbation. And God in His great eternal wisdom planned it that way as well (if there was even one verse in the Bible against it, you can just imagine the guilt and self condemnation that people would put themselves under???) There are Christians ready to send anyone to Hades who relieves themselves sexually, and many teach that solo sex of any kind is a great abomination to God and actually invites demon possession. According to them, only through "wet dreams" or in marriage relations, is sexual release acceptable to God. A personal story in that regard would be appropriate.

Years ago I attended a large mega church in Portland, Oregon. On a certain Saturday, one of the main pastors gathered all of the younger single men of the church together (about 100 or so), and he stated that he had called the meeting because the Lord had been dealing with him about a sin in the church that needed to be exposed and brought out into the open. All of us sat there wondering what this great sin was?

It was the sin of masturbation, he declared. The men in the church were masturbating. He then proceeded to give a fire and brimstone sermon, showing five points from scripture that this was an abomination, and anyone involved in this activity needed to repent before God immediately. The meeting was very awkward and embarrassing to say the least, as some of the guys sort of looked at each other and giggled like "you've got to be kidding" (who is going to go down to the altar in front of all the others and expose this "sin" in their lives???)

Later I had a personal meeting with this pastor and I told him that I felt his presentation did not go over too well. "The Bible says nothing about this subject," I told him, and "I believe that this is a matter of personal conscience of the individual before the Lord" (obviously any involvement with lustful fantasies or pornography WOULD be sinful). I then proceeded to tell him, "Are you aware that James Dobson teaches that masturbation is not wrong, that that this is actually a healthy way to relieve sexual stress and keep one FROM temptation?" At that point the pastor became furious. "I know that Dobson believes that, and I do not agree with him!!!" He then proceeded to tell me, "The reason I preach so strongly about this subject, is because I have had to struggle with it in my own life."

As someone once put it. About 25% of all men masturbate. The other 74% lie about it. And the remaining 1% are honest because they were born sterile." This is also an issue with women as well as men.

In conclusion to this matter, it is important to point out that sexual thoughts and habits can affect each individual very differently. One person's temptation and struggle might not affect another person in the least. That is why it is impossible for the Christian to come up with a list of "Biblical" rules that apply equally to everybody in all situations. One person's conviction and solution to handling their sexual urges and keeping their thoughts pure and biological functions under control, may have dire consequences for another individual. That is the reason why, I believe, God is essentially silent on this issue in the Bible. Every person struggles differently and God recognizes that fact and in that sense He is respectful of each of His children.

Item #3: Oral sex and other Sexual Practices

There are literally thousands, even tens of thousands of filthy websites and pornographic movies that show explicit oral sex as well as other perverted practices. A former president of the United States was impeached by congress when he lied about "oral sex not being sex."

There is tremendous debate as to whether this practice is acceptable in Christian marriage or not. Obviously the Bible says nothing about the subject directly, or for that matter any heterosexual practice. Most all Christian books on sexual issues state that any erotic affection within the walls of the marriage bedroom (including the use of sex toys) is perfectly O.K. as long as both partners find it stimulating and enjoyable, and it is not being forced on the other person. As one Christian woman stated, "When me and my husband do our thing, we leave the Bible outside the bedroom door."

The reason I mention this, is because I DO believe that some of these practices are indeed sinful and harmful, and even abominable and perverted—they can encourage lust and multiple sexual partners, dalliance into perverted fantasies and blatant hedonism, and they are a deviation from the biological and spiritually unifying purpose that God intended for sex and marriage.

Yet it is IMPOSSIBLE to derive from the Bible a list of rules as to what is acceptable or not acceptable when it comes to how people touch and stimulate one another. Here again, this proves that God did not give us the Bible as an explicit manual on human sexuality in all matters. He expects Christians to use common sense and restraint.

It should also be mentioned that down through church history, and even today, some very strict legalists and "holiness" Christians, teach that sex is only for procreation and not intended by God for pleasure. Therefore anything other than conventional sexual relations are sinful, and as a fundamental principle, sex should only be engaged in for the purpose of impregnation and producing children. Various leanings within Catholicism and the Adventists, among others, have promoted this view.

In reply, the Bible does not teach such a concept (except for the purpose of prayer and fasting for a limited period of time, 1 Cor 7:5).

Homosexuality

If there is one subject that the Bible leaves little wiggle room concerning, it is the subject of homosexuality. There are seven passages throughout the Bible that unambiguously and EXPLICITLY condemn any homosexual practice—it is obviously a violation of nature and it is clearly NOT a natural act. In the Bible God portrays homosexuality as an abomination. Words could not be more specific than the following.

"If a man also lie with a man, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them" (Lev 20:13).

"Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was due them. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient (or natural)… Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Rom 1:25-28,32).

People who are caught up in the gay lifestyle need love and support, and shown a way out. There is no such thing as gay marriage—it is impossible—God did not create Adam and Bruce, or Eve and Sandra. Two men or two women cannot produce new life. For me personally it is hard to comprehend how a man could be attracted to a man, or a woman to a woman. I have been in men's locker rooms, and nothing would be more gross or unpleasant to me than to touch another man's body. Yuk!

But here is something interesting. There is one verse in the Bible that the gay community tries to use to support their lifestyle. Here are the words of David from the Old Testament.

"I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women" (2 Sam 1:26).

David was of course married during his life and had many wives. Obviously he and Jonathan (the son of Saul the king) were good buddies. But there is nothing here that overtly promotes homosexuality. I show this verse simply to demonstrate that even in the face of everything the Bible says against the practice of homosexuality, people will always be able to find one verse that "proves" their bias.

Item #4: Polygamy, Interracial Marriage, and Other Issues

There are currently 40,000 polygamous marriages in the state of Utah by Mormon Fundamentalists (such as the FLDS). Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church allegedly had twenty-three wives, and Brigham Young had over sixty. Smith taught that the only way to achieve godhood was through multiple wives. The main Mormon church officially changed their policy on that issue in the year 1890 due to pressure from the U.S. Government, which then allowed Utah to become a state.

Most people, including even non Christians, would consider polygamy a terrible thing. It is not an accepted practice even by today's secular and immoral society. If a man walked into church with two or three wives, and umpteen kids, we would probably throw him out the door. Major Christian leaders have openly referred to polygamy as being a great abomination before God (evangelical leaders such as the late Adrian Rodgers and John MacArthur, Jr, have openly renounced "the sin of polygamy").

Yet do you realize, that there is not one single verse in the entire Bible, from cover to cover, that condemns having more than one wife. There is not one verse. Not even one! Many great men of God in the Old Testament were granted multiple wives by God, and they were blessed in those relationships. In fact GOD HIMSELF commanded polygamy in a number of instances (such as Deu 25:5-9). When we come to the New Testament, it is completely silent on the issue. It is a matter of history that the practice of multiple wives existed throughout the early New Testament church world. Yet Jesus or the apostle Paul did not make one single statement against it. The only passage that people try to use, is where it mentions the qualifications of bishops and deacons as being "the husband of one wife" (1 Tim 3:2,12). This is an ambiguous passage that hardly addresses the issue of polygamy (maybe having two wives makes a bishop or deacon even more qualified???)

Personal Comment: My own brother-in-law is 59 years old, a bachelor who has never been married (he has only had three or four dates in his life), and he is a full time church pastor, and a tremendous man of God. According to 1 Timothy 3:2 he would not be qualified to be a pastor, yet no one has ever raised the issue that he is unqualified because he is single and not "the husband of one wife" as the Bible explicitly states. He is still an effective bishop and has a true shepherd's heart—the people in the congregation love him. Isn't it kind of strange that apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers, could all be single, but pastors and deacons would have to be married men if the Bible is to be taken literally? (It is obvious that the expression "husband of one wife" must contain a spiritualized meaning and not to be taken absolutely literal). Another side example, if 1 Tim 2:11,12 was taken literally, a woman could never ever open her mouth and teach the Bible under any conditions (only her children at home).

Polygamy is definitely not a good idea, and in most instances it would be extremely degrading to women. Only if demographically there were 2 to 3 women to every man (or visa versa), would the practice become acceptable again by society in general. There would be a lot of lonely people out there with no family structure.

This issue also provides a dilemma for many Christian missionaries in Muslim countries. Muslim men many times have multiple wives and numerous children, and when they become Christians the whole family turns to the God of the Bible. Is the missionary then supposed to tell this man that he must send all but his first wife packing?

The only reason I brought up this issue here is to demonstrate one simple fact. People would love to condemn and call something a sin that the Bible does not. This is more of a cultural issue than a Biblical issue. Yet according to God's word having more than one wife (or even a husband) is at the very least, permissible, and it definitely could not be classified as an overt sin. If all the men and women in the relationship were faithful and cared deeply for one another, and they were all content and made a marriage commitment "til death do us part," there is nothing in scripture to prohibit that sort of family structure (although that never would make it "the norm," or even a good or practical idea. It would probably never work well except in the rarest of circumstances).

A few years ago I saw a T.V. documentary from Australia. A big yellow school bus drove up and a heavy set blond haired man was driving it. A large number of women and children got off the bus. This fellow had nine (9) wives and sixty-three (63) children!!! All his own. All the children were the most beautiful physical specimens I have ever seen. He lined them up and gave all their names, the oldest girl was 19. At supper time each mother fed her own brood. Later they interviewed the women and kids, and they said that they had a very happy family life (the Australian government supported the family financially).

Comment: Many people in other times and places thought slavery to be acceptable, even good; while most people today would view slavery as a great evil. Yet in the Bible, the apostle Paul all through the epistles admonished slaves to be obedient to their masters and he admonished masters to treat their slaves with respect and dignity (many early Christians were slaves). One cannot draw any conclusion from this other than the fact that slavery must be acceptable to God because it is nowhere condemned in the Bible—it was obviously a cultural issue at that time and acceptable by society in general. In fact, during the Civil war the Confederate Southern states clearly had the Bible on their side when it came to this issue (yet praise God for Abraham Lincoln and the emansipation proclamation).

Here is another issue—interracial marriage. There are many Christians that would love to find a verse in the Bible condemning marriage between the races (such as the fiasco a few years back with Bob Jones University who lost their tax exempt status over this issue). Many states in the United States actually have old laws on the books prohibiting interracial marriage, until that was finally overturned by the Supreme court. Yet there is nothing in the Bible that would prohibit someone from Nigeria marrying someone from Sweden. Or someone from India marrying someone from China. One of my best friends married a woman from Japan, and he experienced a hellish marriage because of the cultural differences. Personally, I do not think interracial marriages are always a good idea, and I would not recommend it to anyone. Yet there is no verse in the Bible that condemns or even addresses the subject. One of the most effective missionaries that I personally support is a German missionary woman that married a Colombian man (he talks to her in Spanish and she talks back in English), and they have had a beautiful relationship serving God together for over 50 years (Harriet and Ignacio Guevara).

Here is yet another issue to consider. A 90 year old man, a widower who happens to be a millionaire and has no heirs, is being nursed by a relatively unattractive 20 year old girl. For some reason they care deeply for one another and actually fall in love. There is nothing in the Bible to prohibit a 90 year old from marrying a 20 year old. This may not be a good idea and I would not necessarily recommend it, but there is nothing in the Bible that would prohibit this sort of relationship. (In the case of the 20 year old girl, this might actually be a good decision—the elderly man would only live a few years and she would be set for life financially, making it much easier for her to find a second husband).

All of these examples go to show that God has given the Christian believer great latitude in some of these departments. Men always want to adopt rules and regulations beyond what God requires. Fortunately, God has not made it easy for them to do so, otherwise we would be under some sort of legalistic structure or "evangelical Talmud" that judges and condemns according to the rules and ordinances of men (Mark 7:7,8 and Titus 1:14).

It Cannot be Stopped

The sexual desire is built into each person, and in many cases it is irresistible. In that sense, like it or not, human sex is an animal instinct. Like deer or elk during mating season (and all other animals who breed)—people JUST HAVE TO DO IT! And the reason God programmed and wired people's brains and organs in this manner—if the Creator had not, then people would not mate and babies would not be born. So it is a somewhat crude natural process that will always be with us as part of the ongoing procreation process—it has happened, it does happen, and it will continue to happen.

Christians have always tried to sanctify sex and make it holy. There can indeed be a loving and spiritual bonding between man and wife which is a good thing—the sex act itself incorporates the "creation" of new life. Yet putting it bluntly—when you get right down to it, sex is still a biological animal instinct. If the bedroom lights were turned on and the sheets removed, the pastor and his wife making love would not look a bit different than what one sees in a low class porno movie. Sex is sex. Recently I read (this is the truth) of some Pentecostal woman who, when her husband "forced" her to do it because he needed it, she said she would quietly "pray in tongues to try and keep the encounter more holy and sanctified." (Lord, bless that poor woman!!!)

God is a God of Forgiveness

That is why I honestly believe that God is quite forgiving of sexual sin, more than we realize. The encounter that Jesus had with the woman taken in adultery proves that fact (see John 8:1-11). Jesus was far more condemning and brutal with the Pharisees and the condition of their hearts, than he was with the woman that they brought to him. He easily forgave her, but not them.

There are many sins that God takes far more seriously than sexual sins. Sins of the occult are among the worse, and blatant sexual immorality can lead one directly into the realm of the demonic. There is a vast difference between the 17 year old girl in church who gets pregnant by her boyfriend, vs. the XXX porn star who is completely sold out to Satan.

Sexual sin is different than a lot of other sins, because it is inherently part of the human biology and psyche. To become an alcoholic, or heroin addict, or gambling addict, or a career criminal who performs armed robbery—those evils are acquired. But sex is built into us as human beings, and everybody has to deal with it whether they want to or not. That is still no excuse for doing the wrong thing or violating God's principles. But God is still a God of mercy and the Bible teaches that the blood of Jesus cleanses from ALL sin (1 John 1:7). We can take comfort in that fact.

Now to conclude this whole discussion, it would be appropriate to talk briefly about how all of this relates to angelfall and the message of the fall from heaven.

Sex and Angelfall

In spite of all the difficulties, in spite of various belief's among Christians about these issues, in spite of rampant sexual immorality that exists in today's society, in spite of all sorts of relationships out of wedlock and teen age girls getting pregnant, one thing is certain—people keep on having sex and babies keep on being born. No one can stop this process. One way or another, sex is God's way to get the fallen angels down here and into physical bodies (even the fellow in Australia with nine wives and sixty three kids). There are evidently supernatural forces that cause certain people to mate in order to produce specific offspring with specific characteristics.

Important: There is an extensive chapter in Angelfall that explains all of this in depth, and the whole male-female principle (see previous Chapter 5d). Most everything I would be prepared to present here can be read in that chapter. So please refer to chapter.

The Male-Female Principle

In this lifetime upon earth, both male and female are divided. But in heaven that will not be the case. Those who enter into the eternal state, will be neither male nor female, or more correctly put—we will comprises ALL the characteristics of BOTH male and female. In other words, in heaven each person will be fully complete within their own being—all the objective (male) and subjective (female) characteristics will be incorporated and united into one individual person—there will be no longings or lack of fulfillment or inherent loneliness, and no sexual urges or lustful perversions of any kind in heaven. Our spirits will be united forever with the Lord who is our Creator and who made us in the first place. Look now at this amazingly significant passage.

"What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? … But he that is joined unto the Lord is ONE SPIRIT. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (1 Cor 6:16-19).

In this passage the distinct contrast is made between fornication and sexual immorality vs. being joined to the Lord and becoming the temple of the Holy Spirit—the TWO WORLDS ARE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED. Because we are joined to the Lord and because the Holy Spirit dwells within us, that is why "we are not our own." We are no longer to be ruled by our own fleshly tendencies, but we are to allow God's Spirit to rule within us.

All Because of the Fall

All the emphasis on eroticism and the perversion of sex, is a major part of the rebellion and fall from heaven—it is a mockery of the wholesome spiritual aspects of both the male and female principle that God created.

You see, by not keeping God's sexual restraints and respecting the sanctity of marriage in a committed relationship that CARES FOR THE OTHER PERSON, and making sex a form of self gratifying "adult entertainment," that is just one more way that men are spitting back in the face of their Creator. Every person who has been cast down here in rebellion, subconsciously KNOWS the fact that they are headed for hell and the second death. So by participating in deviant sexuality and lusts of all kinds, this is man's way of telling God "f___ you! I don't care what you are ultimately going to do to me. I will live my own life the way I please."

The fact that men enjoy forbidden fruit—this is the manifestation of their fallen nature. Lust comes quite naturally to all of us because our conscience has been seared as to those things which are pure—the pure and the simple things no longer bring us joy (see Philippians 4:8). For that reason our psyche is ruled by the flesh rather than the Spirit. It is lust that causes one to enjoy looking at the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. The tendency of a godly person is to want to cover nakedness, not expose it. Of course there is always extremism (such as in Islam where women must completely cover their faces which is both absurd and degrading). Lust is a matter of the heart, not necessarily the clothes people wear.

Finally,

To the Christian who wants to please God in all things, the final solution to all of this is to give one's heart and MIND to the Lord, and allow His Holy Spirit to rule over the flesh in our lives. The answer is found in the following passage.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present YOUR BODIES a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom 12:1,2).

By renewing our mind with the pure Word of God, this is like pure water that will wash away the filth and mud and help us to see and understand clearly. We will truly find what is "that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

The world wants to draw us into its mold. Television and movies and all forms of entertainment are geared to drawing your heart and mind AWAY from God. It is Satan seeking to blind us. There is a spiritual force and power behind all of that.

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor 4:3,4).

Sexual sin is one of the enemy's most potent weapons to accomplish his goal of destruction. Only by being wise and alert, and in a state of constant prayer, can we defeat the enemy in this area of our lives.

May God give strength and purity to all who have read these words.