Appreciating God’s Gift of Sex

Last night we talked about Appreciating God’s Gift of Sex, and I referenced a few different resources and statistics. Since this is a topic of such interest, I thought I should post some related resources in case you want to do some further reflection.

Here’s the sound-byte version of my message:

Sex was God’s idea, and He’s given it to us as gift. We need to understand how to receive His gift with respect and gratitude. The first thing we need to know is that sex is fundamentally relational and not merely recreational. The goal is intimacy in relationship, and purity paves the way to intimacy. Research shows that the best sex is monogamous sex, and that if you’re promiscuous, you’re actually sacrificing quality for quantity. Maintaining purity in a polluted world requires wisdom and self-honesty, and God can restore our purity when we have lost it.

Some of the passages of scripture that I referenced: 1st Corinthians 6.12–20, Colossians 3.5, 1st Thessalonians 4.3–8, Matthew 5.27–30

, and Hebrews 13.4.

Here are some online resources you might want to check out:

First, some data:
* Cohabitating Doesn’t Lead to More Committed Marriages, Study Finds
* Missionary Cohabitation, Missionary Cohabitation Part 2
* The Best Sex
* Leadership U Special Focus: America’s Sexual Revolution

Second, some common-sense via articles by J. Budziszewski:
* Going All The Way (this is the conversation I quoted from last night)
* Sex At The Edge of Night (why sex outside of marriage is not a good thing)
* What If We Love Each Other? (why “being in love” isn’t sufficient justification for extramarital sex)
* Ordinary Lust (practical tips for winning the war within)
* Who’s On First? and The Moves (articles about dating)

I hope these resources help you as you reflect on sex and developing a Chrisian perspective on it!