1 Corinthians 7:1-7

Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. -1 Corinthians 7:1-7

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There’s a common misconception that Christianity is prudish about sex.  Nothing can be farther from the truth.  Christianity isn’t anti-sex, it’s pro-sex.  In fact, God created sex so it has to be good!  And it is!

Notice how in this passage it talks about the husband and wife submitting their bodies to one another.  They are surrendering themselves to one another in mutual trust and openness.  The act of sex is merely a reflection of the bond and the intimacy already enjoyed relationally between the two.  That trust and openness and true intimacy can only occur in a committed relationship where both have promised to stay with one another in sickness or in death.  Only within this context can sex be truly enjoyed the way God meant it to be.

There are a lot of ideas out there about sex and most of it devalues it.  The world tells us, “It’s just sex so you can sleep with whoever you want.”  And they think by doing so they are enjoying sex.  Far from it.  Without the trust and the life-long commitment, it’s but a fleeting shadow of what sex really should be like.  It’s like comparing the Tenafly duck pond to Saranac Lake.  We’re far too easily satisfied with the duck pond, when God offers us Saranac.

How do you view sex?