I prepared a series of brief conversations on “A Christian Perspective on Human Sexuality.” These are in production for video presentation in the Church of God Division of Education DOE1 project. I am presenting the manuscripts here. This is part 1 of 9.
The sexual revolution is seeking to redefine humanity in ways in which sexual functions and gender roles are not fixed, but fluid, even changing from day to day. The purpose of this conversation is twofold: first, we must be willing and able to disciple the Christian community; and second, we must engage this conversation outside the Christian community as a public witness.
The issues we struggle with today are not new, but ancient. We are struggling to answer the ancient question, “What is humanity?” As Christians, we believe that a proper understanding of humanity must be informed by the biblical narrative. So, we will begin with the creation narrative in Genesis. The creation narrative was written to challenge the prevailing mythology of the ancient near east. These ancient divinely inspired words also challenge the prevailing notions of the secular postmodern world.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule…” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:26-27 NASB).
Humanity is created in the image of God. The image of God does not speak to human form, but to the sharing of God’s spirit. Genesis 2:7: “…the LORD God formed ’adam of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; the human became a living being”. Humans are created as the children of God to bear the Spirit and glory of God. Humans were created to rule over the earth as God’s vice-regents and serve as priests mediating God’s presence in the cosmic tabernacle of creation (the Hebrew word in Genesis 2:15 translated cultivate suggest priestly service).
Humanity is created as male and female. In the ancient world, the gods were male and female and it was sometimes assumed that the first human was created as bisexual, possessing both male and female characteristics. The mythological gods of the ancient near east copulated with each other, they copulated with humans, and sometimes copulated as animals or with animals. The Genesis narrative challenges these assumptions. The God of Genesis is of one substance, and is not gendered as male or female. The Hebrew word ’adam is best translated as human. The testimony of Genesis is that humans are created as gendered beings – male ’adam and female ’adam. The God of Genesis does not copulate with humans, and humans do not copulate with animals. Male and female humans are suitable only for each other.
Male and female are sexually differentiated, but equally human (Genesis 2:18, 21-23). The female ’adam is “a helper suitable” for the male ’adam, that is, the female human corresponds to the male human, or matches the male human. The female ’adam originates from the side of the male ’adam. The female ’adam is of the same substance – bone and flesh – of the male ’adam. The female ’adam and male ’adam are of equal substance, of equal status. The word helper speaks to one as encourager, strengthener, or deliverer. There is no suggestion that the female ’adam is subordinate to the male. To the contrary, she is helper because she is strong and capable to share in ruling the earth and leading as priest. Male and female are fixed sexual distinctions with unique biological functions.
Marriage is a sexual relationship between a man and a woman (Genesis 2:24). The Genesis narrative is offered as a theological reflection on the significance of marriage. Sons and daughters leave the families of their origin to form new families. The man and woman “become one flesh”, a euphemism for sexual intercourse. This testifies to the mutual interdependence of male and female, and their mutual equality. Furthermore, the phrase “one flesh” speaks to the permanence of the marital bond.
Male and female were “both naked and not ashamed” (Genesis 2:25). This signifies the intimacy and joy of their sexual union. Sex, in the proper context, is not shameful. The Song of Solomon celebrates sexual desire in which male and female share mutual love and joy.
May he kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine… Draw me after you and let us run together! The king has brought me into his chambers. We will rejoice in you and be glad. We will extol your love more than wine… (Song of Solomon 1:2–4).
The writer of Hebrews declared, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled” (13:4). The Apostle Paul teaches us that husband and wife are co-equal partners who share their bodies for mutual sexual pleasure (1 Corinthians 7:3-4).
The purpose of sex is twofold: intimacy and procreation. “Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth…” (Genesis 4:1). The Hebrew word yada (had relations) speaks to experiential knowledge. Marital love is expressed sexually. Proper sexual expression is not limited to physical pleasure, but must include sharing life with one’s spouse. Humanity flourishes because of love. The sexual love of marriage causes the marriage to flourish and causes humanity to flourish and multiply. With the creation of the male and female, God pronounced creation to be “very good.” Sex is God’s very good idea.
