Gods Divine Design
Five Words We Need to Hear:
It is not about me!
First Five Words of the Bible:
"In the beginning, God created..."
Hebrews 3:4 NIV
4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
Romans 1:20 NIV
20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
The foundation of understanding marriage, sex, and gender begins with understanding God’s divine design for us.
Genesis 1:27 NIV
27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
Culture or feelings don’t define us; God does.
Genesis 2:18 NIV
18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
God created marriage to exist between a man and a woman.
Genesis 2:25 NIV
25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Sex is designed as a gift for a man and woman in marriage.
Matthew 19:1-12 NIV
1 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. 3 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” 10 The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” 11 Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”
God's Divine Design
I. Marriage is for life.
Til death do us part.
God’s design is for a husband and wife to be joined together as a picture of Christ and His Church.
God's Divine Design
I. Marriage is for life.
II. Sex is for marriage.
When you sleep with someone, your soul makes a promise whether you know it or not.
Sex is a sacred gift from God to be celebrated and enjoyed in marriage.
If you are a Christ follower, you are not your feelings or your desires; you are a child of God.
You were created by God for God to know Him and enjoy Him.
Proverbs 6:24-35 MSG
24-35 They’ll protect you from promiscuous women, from the seductive talk of some temptress. Don’t lustfully fantasize on her beauty, nor be taken in by her bedroom eyes. You can buy an hour with a prostitute for a loaf of bread, but a promiscuous woman may well eat you alive. Can you build a fire in your lap and not burn your pants? Can you walk barefoot on hot coals and not get blisters? It’s the same when you have sex with your neighbor’s wife: Touch her and you’ll pay for it. No excuses. Hunger is no excuse for a thief to steal; When he’s caught he has to pay it back, even if he has to put his whole house in hock. Adultery is a brainless act, soul-destroying, self-destructive; Expect a bloody nose, a black eye, and a reputation ruined for good. For jealousy detonates rage in a cheated husband; wild for revenge, he won’t make allowances. Nothing you say or pay will make it all right; neither bribes nor reason will satisfy him.
God's Divine Design
I. Marriage is for life.
II. Sex is for marriage.
III. Obedience is a struggle.
Temptation is not a sin.
1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
Attraction is not a sin.
James 1:14-15 NIV
14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Jesus loves you and will help you struggle well.
Our world is broken, our bodies are breaking, and our desires are fickle, but Jesus never fails.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NIV
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Don’t struggle alone – but struggle.
If you are struggling:
1. Get help.
2. Get with the right people.
3. Feed your spirit – not your flesh.