(Photo by Zelda Dominguez)

Sex and the City

By Zelda Dominguez

Then and Now

The Christian church in Corinth existed in the midst of a very corrupt city and culture. The Corinthians were conforming to the behavior patterns of the larger society. The apostle Paul urged them to foster a sense of being at odds with the world, but the Corinthian Christians were not thinking right and had wrong ideas about God’s power and work. Paul addressed their moral problems, but Corinth was a city notorious for sexual immorality and idolatry. It wasn’t hard for a Corinthian to think they could be religious and still act any way they pleased morally. It was certainly a city that was accustom to sex as the norm; it was even tolerated by the believers.

Sound familiar? We have become a sex-saturated society. It’s as if a new religion has emerged in which the body is the supreme object of worship and does not value sexual integrity and purity. Instead it values instant gratification and pleasure at all costs.

The Birds and the Bees

Sex isn’t talked about much in families; at least it wasn’t in mine growing up. It’s a topic rarely spoken in church, for that matter. Did you ever have the “talk,” about the facts of life and the birds and the bees? Whatever you call it, where were you instructed on this important topic? Where were you given the proper truth?

I asked several people about the first time they heard about sex, and the majority said when they were young, and by friends. I thought: ‘How much could a friend of the same age know?’ If this is our first introduction, shouldn’t it be appropriate and truthful? This becomes the basis from which we see sexuality from then on. Sadly, some experienced it in the wrong way, or were not given proper information and were left to find out themselves: leaving them with a distorted or unhealthy view. Yet, God can restore that.

I then thought about myself. I found a book with pictures and an inappropriate storyline. In middle school, I had two BFFs who were already dating boys and would talk about their experiences. I was clueless but quickly educated as they explained proudly. I went to a dance and stayed over at one of their houses. Her mom didn’t see, but one of them came home with a hickey. I had heard of different remedies for pimples and other things, and being the least experienced, I wanted to sound knowledgeable. I said, “I know what to do! Get some toothpaste and rub it on your neck. Then get a spoon, heat it up over the stove and rub it on the spot.” She was scared her mother would see it, so we did it. You could just hear her skin sizzle as I placed the hot spoon on her neck! The next morning, she had a huge blister. And when asked about it, she replied she had gotten burned accidently dancing with a guy who was smoking a cigarette.

When you play with fire, you’re going to get burned.

Proverbs 12:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” People make wrong decisions that seem right. They can’t tell the difference between right and wrong, because they have no moral compass to direct them in the way of absolute truth. We have a Heavenly Father that loves us and can be trusted to guide us through life’s path. God’s decrees always come from a loving Father, not a distant tyrant. He sees the big picture and wants the best for our lives. He gave us the Bible as a road map and the Holy Spirit as a helper to guide us.

Learn to guard your mind, heart and body against sexual compromise. Understand God’s plan. We can discuss more about how to do this in future articles.

In the Beginning

God’s design of sexuality in Genesis states God created Eve and gave her to Adam. They were united and became one flesh. God created sexual union as a gift within the context of marriage between a man and a woman. In this way, it is not sin but rather something beautiful and to be enjoyed. We experience God’s blessings when we follow God’s design. On the other hand, there are painful consequences of sex outside marriage. God owns the rights to sexuality, and thus sets the standard where culture cannot. In the same way, the Holy One has called us to be holy, or set apart (1 Pet. 1:15-16).  Our key verse of Marked Ministry is 1 Thessalonians 4:7 “For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life” (NIV). This is not just regarding sexual purity, but in all aspects of your life.

As we celebrate our one year anniversary, I pray this magazine has been an encouragement, and that you will continue to read it and live according to the truths presented here.