Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States

God's View of Sex


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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5).

When God created the universe, He made everything beautiful. Because of His love, He made animals and human beings with many gifts - one of them is the gift of sex. God made companionship for human beings and for animals and to help us understand His love for us. He allowed Man and women to build family together and to satisfy their desires and sexual needs.

There are so many questions and arguments about sexuality especially among our young generation, and it is our duty to explain to them what God's view of sex is by answering these questions in a straight forward manner.

"It came to pass at that time that Judah departed from his brothers, and visited a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua and he married her and went in to her" (Genesis 38:1-2).

We can see clearly how after Judah sinned by selling his brother Joseph and lying to his father Jacob, his life kept going downhill and his wickedness in the sight of the Lord kept multiplying because he allowed himself to be separated from God. God allows us to see that clearly in Genesis chapter 38.

On the other hand, we can look at Joseph for another example. Although he was separated from his family and became a slave in Egypt, he did not allow himself to sin in the sight of the Lord and turn away from God. Instead Joseph saw the hand of God was with him.

If we took advantage of all the blessings God gave us and utilized them contrary to God's will, we will not be blessed. In the Holy Bible there are many prohibitions against extramarital sex such as:

  • Shall not approach anyone who is near in kin to him (Leviticus 18:6)
  • No homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22)
  • Shall not lie down with any animal (Leviticus 18:23)
  • Adultery with a married woman (Deuteronomy 22:22)
  • Lust of the heart (Matthew 5:28)

What is the definition of love?

"Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

It is easy to confuse real love with other kind of love, especially when you experience fuzzy feeling inside around someone special. Soon we realize that the feeling is temporary. So when you are ready to date someone you need to ask yourself does he/she

  • Have the same beliefs
  • Have the same values
  • Good character
  • Communicate in a positive way
  • Trustworthy
  • Good reputation

What is the definition of lust?

"Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king's house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Then David sent messengers, and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house" (2 Samuel 11:2-4).

We all face these challenges every time we have any kind of desire, craving, longing for that we are not meant to have and that means we should take lust very seriously because it can lead to our separation from God and sin against our own body.

What are consequences of having sex outside marriage?

  • May develop many sexual diseases
  • Become a single parent
  • Damage our relationship with God
  • Lose the innocent part of his purity
  • Has no self-control or obedience
  • Intimacy which consider the big part of the life of the marriage couple is lost
  • Very receptive to divorce
  • Can lead to many other future problems

What can the person do to guard his heart?

"My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all there flash" (Proverbs 4:20-22).

  • Stay away from bad company
  • Understand your beliefs
  • Keep God's laws in front of you at all time
  • Flee from the things that can cause you to lust
  • Be concerned about what is right and wrong
  • Fear the Lord in your heart
  • Pray for godliness
  • Seek an advice from a priest or godly friend

Finally, it is our duty as part of the body of Christ to take care of it and nourish it. We should avoid participating in any acts or behavior that will affect our life as Christian people but instead we should honor the Lord with the way we conduct ourselves.

Foolish Mind
Foolish one who ignore
All what he learn through the years
For just a moment of pleasure
He is willing to risk everything
For the glow will fade away
And slip silently and disappear
And tears and agony will replace
And his spirit will be full of sorrow
And weep out of separation
His heart will be filled with pain
And live with it through the years
His bones will shake and aces
And wonder why his in distress
For he forget that without the Lord
His life will never be the same again

Written by
Nagwa Abdou


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