BIBLICAL BASIS TO SEXUALITY

 BIBLICAL BASIS TO SEXUALITY:   

INTRODUCTION:

Sexuality has its origin since the beginning of mankind. In the book of Genesis we could read that God created Man (Gen 1:26) and then created Woman from the rib of Man (Gen 2:22). This makes the man and woman unique and definite in their physical structure and their functionality. Man and Woman are equal in the eyes of God. Every Man and Woman should realize that each other needn’t take advantage and pride over one another. There are certain characteristics in which Man takes primary roles and there are also certain other characteristics in which Woman takes primary roles. Only when the committed couple complement each other, there will be fullness in their life.  Jesus too affirms to the Pharisees who enquired about divorce that “Have you not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?” (Matthew 19:4-6).

The nature of sexuality is special within every man and woman. It could be destructive or constructive. It could be destructive when the person acts out of self-control and behaves in such a way to gratify himself with whatever means possible. It could be constructive when the person acts out of control and commitment towards one person with whom he wants to be intimate with the rest of his life. The act of sexuality could never solve the problem of sexuality for it only intensifies it till the sexual energy is completely drained in an individual. But the Commitment and Intimacy makes the sexual act enjoyable and makes the life more content even after sexual energy is completely drained, that is the beauty of God’s creation and the wondrous disclosure behind sexuality. Sexuality is only one part of a person’s life which should be balanced with some other emotions and cognitions.

Usually it would be thought in teenage, ’Why the problem of sexuality is continuously pursuing?’ because of the criticism and wrong values derived from friends and other wrong teachings. Mostly everyone say that immorality is wrong but no one explain why sexuality exists, for what it exist, and how do we need to handle it. Thereby it could be understood only after careful study and analysis that sexuality has influence in person’s feelings of shyness, pride, submissiveness, acceptance, commitment when the real purpose of sexuality is felt and when the act is not just mechanical.

ILLEGITIMATE AFFAIRS OR INCEST:

Lot was made drunk and his two daughters had sex with him as they had no man left because Sodom was destroyed by its evilness, in order to sustain their generation, Lot was unaware of the incident and it was not for lust, pleasure or sexual starving, the major reason is procreation and have generations after them. Moabites and Ammonites were from them (Gen 19:32-38). It wasn’t mentioned whether it is right or wrong, still we can notice that Life of Lot has no dependence on God, though he believed God. God was gracious to him because of Abraham’s justice. The situation of that incident was very different to our real life, which made Lot’s daughters to do that. Though the other preferences by them could be thought and discussed, we couldn’t get the entire picture as we don’t know it exactly what it would have been. We shall just accept it, in which no lifetime positive or negative inferences could be obtained.

Judah had intercourse with Tamar, his own daughter in law and gave her an identification mark till he sent a young goat (Gen 38:18). Judah was angry when he heard that her daughter in law was pregnant, acted like a prostitute. He wanted to bring her out and burn her. But when he saw seal, cord and walking stick Tamar had sent, which he had given, he admitted his mistakes. (Gen 38:24-26)

Absolom had sex with his father’s concubine as per the advice of Ahithophel. (2Sam 16:22)

Tamar, Absalom’s beautiful sister was loved by Amnon, David’s son. Amnon had eyes on her and Jonadab, son of Shimeah, Davids brother who was friend to Amnon told him to lie down, pretend to be ill and asked to call Tamar through David to take care. Tamar went, prepared and gave him food and when she went near Amnon he held her and said to have sex with him. Tamar was asking to leave and requested the king to get her in marriage. But Amnon refused to listen, and being stronger he forced her to sex (2Sam 13:1-15).

These biblical instances could help us know how tricky the sexual impulses or intentions are, that the people have acted out of mind, emotions and morals, even with their close associates for procreation, sexual gratification or vengeance.

SUSPICION:

If a man’s wife goes astray to another man, though her husband or anyone knows about it, she has defiled herself. Also, if a man becomes suspicious because of jealousy, she should be brought to the priest and jealous offering should be made (Numbers 5:13-31).

The suspicion could be a slow killer for the human relationships especially between a man and the woman and it needs to be settled before God.

HOMOSEXUALITY:

In ancient days, few men were very cruel to have sex with even men (Gen 19:5, Judges 19:22). Woman too had homosexuality (Roman 1:26). Homosexuality is a detestable sin (Lev 18:22), the man who practices it should be put to death (Lev 20:13).

Homosexuality could be reasoned with so many controversies but the essence of human gender is male and female though it may controversially differ in physicality and mentality. The problem of sexuality is with every human being, which needs to be tamed appropriately with Godly values. There are people who exist without gender identity due to physical or mental or social problems that should be acceptable and needs to be dealt appropriately. But there are also people who choose to be transgender for self-gratification and having sex with same gender which is evil.

PROSTITUTION:

Prostitutes stayed at the entrances and beside the roads (Gen 38:14). Judah propositioned Tamar to have sex with him, thinking that she is a prostitute. And Tamar was asked the rate of her payment (Gen 38:16).

Samson went to Gaza, saw a prostitute there and went in to have sex with her.  (Judges 16: 1).

Symbolizations for Prostitution:

Israel was portrayed as a women who decorated herself and given to men to have sex with (Eze 16:17; 25; 23:44). It was paid for prostitution, Jerusalem is compared to a prostitute who pays to have sex with her (Eze 16:33)

Samaria and Jerusalem were symbolized to be adulteresses (Eze 23ch)

Prostitution was very common from the ancient period of time and that’s why even God had symbolically used to teach the people and condemned their sins. Prostitution was sexual immorality and it was always condemned.

SEDUCTION:

If a man seduces a virgin and have sex with her, he must pay the customary bride price and marry her. If her parents do not give her, he should still pay the price (Ex 22:16).

If a man has sex with a slave girl, he should pay the compensation to her master, but may not be put to death as she is a slave. But the man must be cleansed by the priest with offering of repentance (Lev 19:20, 21).

Seducing some person for their selfish gratification was known from the older times and it was not acceptable for the ignorant to be seduced, thereby there were compensations for seduction. 

EVIL INTENTIONS:

Onan was the brother of Er. Er died and Onan had to marry Tamar and give her children by law. But Onan was not willing and every time while he had intercourse, he shed his semen down. So lord struck him (Gen 38: 9, 10), though there was no evidence that Onan had ever thought about God. God was righteous and faithful towards all his creation with the written as well as unwritten law.

When Jesus said that knowing the truth will set free, the Jews replied that they are not enslaved to anyone because they are offspring of Abraham. Jesus then explained about sin and not the earthly enslavement, still they didn’t have the sense about sin and Jesus told that they are following the sins of their fathers. The Jews replied that they were not born of sexual immorality thinking that it is the only sin, whereas it had no connection with the person’s sins in thoughts and emotions which Jesus tried to explain (Matt 8: 31-41). Sexual immorality is absolutely sin which defiles a man or woman who does, but the Jews had the evilness of not accepting their sins in intentions.

The sexual act is not sin and it has a purpose behind, God created it for good but the evil intentions and selfish gratification are all sin.

SEXUAL ASSAULTS:

Dinah, Jacob and Leah’s daughter went out to visit the women of land. Shechem, son of Hamor the Hivite and a regional leader saw her, grabbed her and raped her, humiliating her. He was attached to Dinah since he loved the young women and spoke tenderly to her (Gen 34:1-3)

People of Benjamin disturbed the travellers who stayed in the home of Old man to have sex, but the old man didn’t let and took the concubine who was raped by taking turns. She was fallen in front of the home the next day (Jud 19:18-26).

There are some sexual assaults or abuses that had happened to the people of the bible and the people who did had to face the consequences for it.

FORBIDDEN SEXUAL PRACTICES (Lev 18ch):

Sex with close relative is forbidden (Lev 18:6-18), they must be put to death (Lev 20:11, 12, 14, 17, 19-21).

Sex in the menstrual period of woman is forbidden (Lev 18:19).

Sex with Neighbours wife is forbidden (Lev 18:20).

Men having sex with the gentile woman is prohibited as they can turn them to their God.

Since sexual relationship somehow binds two individuals not just physically but mentally too, purpose of sex in God could not be accomplished in all sexual relationship or situation and it could be disastrous most of the time when it is acted inappropriately.

ANIMAL SEX:

Anyone who has sexual relationship with animal should surely be put to death (Ex 22:19).

A man or woman having sex with animal defiles themselves with the perverse act (Lev18:23).

Even mating two different kinds of animals are forbidden (Lev 19:19).

Both animal and man who had sex with it should be killed (Lev 20:15).

There are some indifferent sexual acts that exist around even from the older times such as having sex with animal, having sex with dead bodies or unconscious or impaired. All those are forbidden and serious consequences will be faced by those, as it is inhumane and makes a person to lose his quality as human being.

PREVENTION:

Women should not allow men to touch them (Eze 23ch).

Moses prepared the people by consecrating them to worship, and told them to abstain sexual intercourse (Ex: 19:15).

The intensity of the sexual impulses are very great that could turn anyone to act with selfishness though have a good communion with God. So precaution and prevention is very much necessary by giving place to God regularly and acting with self-disciplines.

MULTIPLE MARRIAGES:

Rachel told to Jacob to have sex with Bilhah, her servant because she couldn’t bear child (Gen 30:1-4)

Judah while staying in Adullam, saw a Canaanite woman, daughter of shua and married her. He slept with her and gave birth to Er, Onan, Shelah (Gen 38:1-3).

Judah, the father of Er gave him Tamar in marriage. As Er was wicked God struck him without child (Gen 38:7). Judah, said to Tamar (his daughter in law) to wait for Shelah (his third son) to get old to marry her. Though Judah doesn’t intended what he said (Gen 38:11). The law was kept at high, the difference in age of men and women were not noticed much.

There were many instances in the bible where many people did multiple marriages that includes even the people of God, as females would have been more than males during that time or the major reason could be procreation and producing more offspring which was considered as a greatest privilege. God’s eternal plan is one man to be bonded with one woman which could be derived from creation in the beginning and teachings of Jesus.

DIVORCE:

Jesus recalled the saying that whoever divorces his wife can do that by giving her a certificate of divorce which was proclaimed by Moses due to the hardness of heart of the people of Israel and it was practiced from beginning. But Jesus taught them that whoever divorces his wife except on the ground of sexual immorality makes her to commit adultery and Jesus continued that whoever marries a divorced woman,  commits adultery (Matt 5:31,32; Matt 19:8,9).

Divorce is not there in the plan of God as the purpose of marriage is for union and not separation, but the sins of people are very great that God has to deal with it through certain regulations.

CUSTOMS AND PRACTICES:

Shechem after abusing Dinah, Jacob’s daughter wanted to marry her and Shechem addressed Dinah’s father that he is willing to give all their demands as dowry and wedding presents no matter how extensive it is for Dinah to be his wife (Gen 34:11,12).

There were sex workers who receive money for sex (Gen 38:16).

There is a law to marry the brother’s wife if he dies without child and the heirs who arrive would be his generation. Judah asks Onan to marry Tamar when Er, his brother died (Ge 38:8).

There should have been some religious custom of using women as public property. For Hirah inquired of Tamar as Shrine prostitute (Gen 38:21, 22).

The laws, regulations and customs existed from the ancient times differing from time to time, which are very superficial and doesn’t really define the purpose of sexuality as that of the customs of today.

DRESS CODES:

Widows would have had unique cloths. Tamar had worn. Cloth with a veil of disguise is for prostitute (Gen 38:14, 15).

There were dress codes that enabled people to identify prostitutes and widows from the ancient times as that of today.

EXTREMITY FOR SEX AND PROCREATION:

People of Benjamin were denied to take Israel’s daughters for marriage as sworn at Mizpah. So Israelites with 12000 brave men killed every male and women who had sex within themselves in Jabesh gilead, and found 400 young virgins for the people of Benjamin. They also snatched some of the women who came to the vineyards, so that they would get wives and their tribe would be sustained (Judges 21Ch).

David saw Bathsheba, wife of Uriah and daughter of Eliam, bathing from the roof of King’s house and sent messengers and take her to have sex with her. Later, after she got conceived David tried to justify with Uriah through tricky things and wrote to Joab, the commander to set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting that he may be struck down and die (2 Sam 11: 1-15). 

Ish-Bosheth, Saul’s son questioned Abner, head of the house of Saul, Why he had gone to his father’s concubine Rizpah who is daughter of Aiah. It stimulated Abner to much angry and at the time there was war between house of David and house of Saul, So Abner gave his words that the kingdom would transfer to the house of David, over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba (2Sam 3:7-10).

The people had behaved very weird to find or get the sexual partners for them, for the purpose of procreation or pleasure. The sexual impulses are intense and strong that it changed the destiny of many empires and emperors throughout history generally and biblically.

LEGITIMATE SEXUAL PRACTICES FOR PROCREATION or CHILD BIRTH:

Sexual relations were very essential for reproduction and rise of generations (Gen 4:1, 17, 25)

Sarai told Abram to have sex with her Egyptian servant Hagar as she was unable to give birth to a child (Gen 16:2-4).

Leah told Jacob that he ought to have sex with her that night for her son’s mandrakes for Rachel and Jacob did (Gen 30:16).

The first wife (even a slave) of a man has the right to food, cloth and sexual intimacy (Ex: 21:10)

Paul advises the Corinthian church not to have sexual relations because of the immorality they had amongst them. Also gave an instruction that because of the temptation of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights and likewise the wife to her husband (1 Corin 7: 1-3)

The sexual relations between a man and woman bonded together were widely encouraged and accepted for procreation or pleasure and to avoid sexual immorality. Even the acknowledgment of sexual practice with the knowledge of first wife for procreation was accepted based on the culture and demography.

GUILT OF SEXUALITY OR CONSEQUENCES:

Isaac lied to the people of Gerar that Rebekah is his sister due to the fear that people might kill him because of her, since she is beautiful. Abimelech saw Isaac caressing Rebekkah and confronted Isaac that She is definitely his wife and he accused him because he said that she is his sister as any of his men could have had sex with her and caused all of them to be guilty (Gen 26:10).

A man caught in adultery (having sex with the wife of another man), should be stoned with women (Deut 22:22).

The Lord told David that his wives would be given to his neighbours before his eyes and they would have sex with them in broad daylight (2 Sam 12:11), because of the sexual sin he committed with Bathsheba. 

Anyone who has sex with neighbour’s wife, will be punished (Proverbs 6:29).

There is strong guilt that would be carried by the people themselves and proclaimed by the people around when there is illicit sexual relations or adultery. Everyone who commits illicit sexual act needs to face the consequences of it.

SEXUAL IMMORALITY:

Jesus affirmed that out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander, which will defile a person (Matt 15:19-20; Mark 7:21).

One of the key issues that was addressed by the early apostles among people who accepted Christ is sexual immorality and thereby they decided together to write to them that the people who had known God needs to abstain food polluted by idols, sexual immorality and abstain what has been strangled from blood (Act 15:20, 29, 21:25).

Sexual immorality was key issue that was addressed in the epistles even among believers and church (Romans 13:13; 1 Corin 10:8; Ephesians 5:3; Col 3:5; 1 Thess 4:3) and the believers are taught to dissociate from such people (1Corin 5:11). In Corinthian church a person has intimacy even with his father’s wife which was strongly condemned (1 Corin 5:1, 2). Paul writes to Corinthian church that body is not meant for sexual immorality (1 Corin 6:13) and Paul writes to flee from sexual immorality as every other sin a person commits is outside the body but the sexual immorality is committed against own body (1 Corin 6:18). Those who practice sexual immorality will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal 5:19-21). Sexual immorality will have the punishment of eternal fire (Jude 1:7).

Sexual immorality was strongly resisted amongst believers but still Paul understands the vigorous nature of it and concludes his letter by a cautioning and calm note for the need of repentance from sexual immorality though it was practiced once (2 Corin 12:21).

Sexual immorality was practiced as religious custom in Balaam (Rev 2: 14: 2:20). God gave time to repent from sexual immorality but Jezebel didn’t and those who were immoral suffered greatly till they repent (Rev 2:21, 22. People did not return from sexual immorality along with murders and witchcraft and thefts (Rev 9:21). Babylon was proclaimed to be fallen because of sexual immorality (Rev 14:8; 17:2; 17:4; 18:3; 18:9).

Sexual immorality provide temporary gratification but it leaves a permanent guilt within an individual as well as outside them, putting their lives at risk without values and feeling of worthiness.

LIMITATIONS OF SEXUAL ACT:

Sarah laughed to herself when the three men of God said that Abraham and Sarah will give birth to a child in a year’s time. As Sarah was old and beyond the age of childbearing, she thought and laughed to herself that after she and husband is old, how they would be having sex (Gen 18:12).

Sexual impulses would be on only in a certain time line of an individual’s life and it would be turned off once the sexual energy is completely drained out in an individual. There are certain things in life that exist throughout the life which should be kept with care and commitment.

ESCAPING THE ILLEGITIMATE SEXUAL ACT:

Potiphar’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and called him to have sex with her and she spoke to Joseph day by day. She grabbed Joseph and demanded to have sex at one point but Joseph ran outside leaving his outer garment still in her hand (Gen 39: 7-12).

Never devote your energy to sex (Proverbs 31:3).

There are many teachings and one instance says to Flee from the sexual immorality due to the sensitivity and encapsulating nature of the sexuality, as the human beings are made as man and female with natural tendency to attract one another. Commitment to keep the sexual act for the one person who commits their life for the partner would be helpful to avoid the illegitimate sexual act.

ENJOYABLE SEX:

Sex with a prostitute woman or someone in street, may seem to taste good in the beginning, but will be bitter later. It is the wife who should and can satisfy and captivate at all times with her statutes. (Proverbs 5Ch)

The sexual act between the committed and bonded man with woman alone could be enjoyable physically, mentally and emotionally, as it is approved socially and spiritually.

CONCLUSION:

The sexuality is a greatest wondrous of God which would be a mystery or just an act for gratification without knowing the master behind it. The sexuality defines the uniqueness and speciality of the human beings as handicrafts of God the creator. The act of sexuality removes the cleavage between committed man and woman, to be one in flesh with a greatest sense of oneness though differ in many things (Matt 19:5,6). The whole book of Songs of Solomon describes the admiration of bride and bridegroom, one another physically, emotionally, psychologically and socially.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

The Sovereign and Almighty God could alone completely guide and give hands to control the sexual desires, helping to act appropriately at right time at right place with right person in-spite of all our limitations and inability. Believing in the author of all help us to use sexuality for pleasure, procreation, and intimacy with constructiveness.

For everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. – 1 Timothy 4:4, 5