Human beings are sacred. Our bodies are temples of God (1 Corinthians 6:19). This means that sex, the most intimate of physical acts, is a matter of extreme sanctity. It is never just a physical act; it is a spiritual act of opening oneself up to another person and joining yourself to them in a sacred union. This is why sex is given so much space here in Leviticus 18. The sexual relationship is the foundation of human community since from it grows family, tribe, clan and the whole family tree of humanity. If the foundation is compromised, then the whole edifice that is built on it is threatened. Sex is not a casual affair; it is deeply impacting for better or for worse whether we feel it at the time or not. It should be a wonderful part of life, but, if God’s design for it is distorted, it becomes immensely damaging. To have sex with a person is to gain access to a sacred space, a kind of spiritual inner sanctum. This is why there is such a strong sense of violation if there is force or coercion. There is also a violation of sacred space if a person is treated as a pleasure object. This is why pornography is such a serious issue. It habituates a person to treat others as objects of sexual pleasure. To honour God is to honour what he holds sacred. Sex, by God’s design, is designed to consummate the sacred lifelong union of a man and a woman that serves to reflect God’s image. It must not be treated in any other way.
Commit your sexuality to God and ask him to help you live with sexual integrity.
Read Leviticus 18.
