One Flesh: The Word & Sexual Intimacy - Night Two
Preached by Benjamin Vrbicek
May 4, 2015
1. Review: leaving and cleaving, becoming one flesh
Last night: our foundation and ultimate authority is the Word; this is over and against the other authorities (quote from Luke Timothy Johnson)The importance of Genesis 2
Genesis 2:18-25
18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,“This at last is bone of my bonesand flesh of my flesh;she shall be called Woman,because she was taken out of Man.”24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
Sin had not entered the world yet
The sequence of events (God “realizes”; then Adam is made to name the animals; then Adam “realizes”; then Eve is made.)
A “suitable helper” (complementarity)
“Therefore, a man shall leave…”
Jesus and Paul have a “back to Genesis approach”
In short, God’s design for sexual intimacy is one man, one woman, one lifetime, in the covenant of marriage—leaving and cleaving, and becoming one flesh
2. Marriage: a city under siege
Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
A “city” experiencing many attacks (to name a few: greed and consumerism; secular views of sex; no fault divorce; over- and under-valuing children; rosy, romantic views of love; the objecting of women and pornography; and homosexual biblical revisionists)
3. Pornography: its damage and gospel victory
a. Its damage
The scope is staggering (quote from Porn-Again Christian by Mark Driscoll)
Shame and guilt like 1,000 paper cuts to spiritual vitality
The objecting women and the global (catastrophic) outworking’s
b. Some helpful gospel victory strategies
Get to the root (sin as unbelief) and feast on the gospel
Visual / tactile reminders
Make war (Matthew 5:29)
Study a positive vision of God’s design for sex
c. An illustration from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace, Week 1
4. The Bible and homosexual practice: the texts and the objections
a. Disclaimers
Awareness of who is in the room
Love is compassionate and love does the hard things
What question am I answering (quote from Kevin DeYoung)
b. The texts
All other verses that generally address sexual immortality, poneia (e.g. Ephesians 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3)
Lack of any scriptural evidence to support homosexual behavior
c. Objections
Jesus’ universal call to love
The Bible, especially Jesus, doesn't say all that much about this
Leviticus, and the Bible (generally), has many ridiculous commands
NT authors (Jesus, Paul, Peter, James) quote from Leviticus, especially 19:18
Continuity and discontinuity between the OT and NT (both complex but clear)
Paul’s neologism in 1 Corinthians 6
The meaning of “abomination”
Jesus and Paul’s “back to Genesis approach”
Not all that important; let’s just agree to disagree
(Not covered) Difference between biblical time’s and today’s
(Not covered) A matter of justice (slaves, women, and homosexuals)
(Not covered) Born this way and sexual identity as unchangeable
(Not covered) See several others in Kevin DeYoung’s books
5. A way forward: loving the broken and what “change” looks like
Careful with language and humor
Equally vigilant that all biblical sexual morals are upheld
Understand salvation and conversion, and what “change” looks like
Jesus as our model of faithfulness to God and the friend of sinners
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so (Psalm 107:2)
VI. Resources
10 Resources on the Bible, Sex, and Homosexuality
A Celebration of Sex by Dr. Douglas E. RosenauSex is a good gift from God and this book celebrates that. It also explores typical problems in marital intimacy. It’s a great resource for married couples.What Is The Meaning of Sex? by Denny BurkThis is a great book for believers wanting to explore deeply various questions about the purpose of sex. At the most fundamental level, Burk argues persuasively that human sexuality was ultimately intended to bring God glory.The Mingling of Souls by Matt ChandlerThis is a study through the Song of Solomon. It moves through dating, courting, marriage, and intimacy. There is an excellent small group video series that goes with it.What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoungThere are so many questions about homosexuality, but this book answers the question that must be answered before any other questions can be broached. That question is this: according to the Bible, is homosexual practice a sin or, under the right circumstances , is it a blessing worth celebrating and solemnizing? DeYoung affirms the traditional understanding, and he also engages the most common objections to this view.Is God Anti-Gay? by Sam AllberryThis book explores what the Bible says about marriage, sexuality, and same-sex attraction. What is especially helpful in it is Allberry’s perspective on these matters. He is a pastor who experiences same-sex attraction yet is committed to living a celibate life in accordance with his understanding of the Bible.Washed and Waiting by Wesley HillLike Allberry, Wesley Hill experiences same-sex attraction but is committed to celibacy for the glory of God. However, Hill’s book is more of a personal memoir of his experience of growing up in the church and grappling with his sexuality. This book is especially helpful for those wanting to consider whether their church provides a healthy atmosphere for those who are same-sex attracted to hear the gospel.The Bible and Homosexual Practice by Robert GagnonThis book is for those who want to grapple with the question of homosexuality at a very academic level. Gagnon is perhaps the leading scholar on the Bible and homosexuality. Interestingly, even though he’s part of a denomination affirming homosexual marriage, he sees nothing in the Bible that would support this position. Consequently, he has been much maligned for his writings on this topic.Loving Homosexuals as Jesus Would by Chad ThompsonThis is a practical book teaching us how we might love our homosexual friends. It is written by a former practicing homosexual.Out of a Far Country by Christopher YuanThis book is the moving personal story of Yuan’s conversion to Christianity. Like Wesley Hill and Sam Allberry, he’s same-sex attracted. It is also one of the best books available for thinking through why the church and Christians are often seen as enemies by the LGBT community. Yuan does an excellent job of helping believers rethink their approach to sharing the Gospel with LGBT friends, family, and acquaintances.Porn-Again Christian by Mark DriscollThis book is, as the subtitle states, “a frank discussion on pornography and masturbation.” It’s a book for men. You’ll have to Google it to download it as a free ebook that it is.
