This week was very interesting. I heard some things I have never heard before. Most teachings and commentaries on the book Song of Songs says that is just allegory and is over spiritualized. Pastor John has stepped outside of that box. He believes this is about what it says it is about, sexual love. Only he believes this is God's way of teaching us how to do it right. 2 Timothy 3:16 says: : " All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." God created us to be sexual beings, and sex is his gift to us, not only for procreation, but for pleasure. So would God give us a gift and not provide a means for us to learn how to use it? Would he leave it up to the world through TV sitcoms, movies, advertising, with their "Sex In The City" mentality to teach us? No! God provided instruction in the bible, called the Song Of Songs to give us a picture of what real sexual love can be like in the confines of a monogamous, safe,committed marriage relationship.
Once again, you need to listen to this whole teaching, which you can do by tuning in live at www.livechurch.ca, or go on the site and watch a download that has been recorded.
The one thing that stood out to me in this session was the "Narrowness of marriage". As part of the City Of God, once you become married, that's it, you have forsaken all others. No more exploring the ocean for other fish. You are with that person until death do you part. That is Gods perfect will for marriage. Yes, there is forgiveness and restoration for sin and mistakes and other things that happen beyond our control, but these things still leave a scar that will last a lifetime. The thing is though, that although it appears to be narrow and restrictive, it opens up a whole universe of discovery in that one person, that you could not achieve any other way. A fulfillment and a joy and a growth and a depth, that cannot be attained through multiple relationships.
God is a God of pleasure and he wants us to enjoy sex the way he created us to enjoy it. That is why he chose it to be expressed in the confines of a marriage. Waiting for marriage to have sex actually increases the pleasure. It's the anticipation. Sharing that one thing with that one special person that gives the power to the expression of it. In other words the pleasure of sex is much greater within the confines of a loving marriage relationship than if you indulged in lots of sex with multiple partners. God wants us to maximize our pleasure. The enemy on the other hand wants to decrease our pleasure because he hates God and the gift God has given us. His strategy is to create " an ever increasing craving for an ever decreasing pleasure". For example, those that have indulged in making porno films, have been so overexposed to sex, they find it harder and harder to become sexually aroused. For them, the pleasure is almost completely gone.
What a shame!
Next weeks continues the study in the Song Of Songs.
Want to learn more about romance? Stay tuned!
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2 comments:
Again, you did an excellent job of summarizing the sermon. I love that line " an ever increasing desire for an ever diminishing pleasure ". As he said, this was the reported experience of Hugh Heffner, the father of illicit sexual activity and I'm sure, the experience of the characters in the TV series, Sex and the City. That's why they keep trying. Without God, no one can find real satisfaction----of any kind.
Unbelievers would probably disagree. They think they are being satisfied, but have no explanation as to why they are so miserable and empty inside. They require more and more and more to be satisfied, but get less and less and less. Satisfaction is always elusive and just out of reach. Not a nice state to be in. Let's hope some get the message and get a hold of the one that can satisfy........Jesus!
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