We have already read that Adam and Eve, after rebelling against God, realized they were naked – and they were ashamed of their actions and nakedness. What had been wonderful and good was suddenly tainted by the ability to think of evil, to think with impure motives, to act and view one another with selfishness. What a fall!
It is impossible to be in a right relationship with God apart from being in an intimate relationship with Him. God does not want our casual or occasional love. He does not accept our concept of limited devotion and half-hearted holiness. To be in intimate relationship with God means baring oneself before Him. It means being honest and open with Him about our sins and failures. It means being totally honest with Him about our fears and failures. And being intimate with Him means opening ourselves up to Him to receive wisdom, instruction, correction, and direction. When we come to this type of honest, authentic openness before God, we truly begin to walk with Him in intimacy.
Marriage is something of a representation of - or a picture of intimacy with God. When a husband and a wife have intimate relations (sex), they bare themselves before each other. At that moment, we are intensely vulnerable. At that moment of intimacy we are on “high alert” in every respect – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Words spoken to each other will not be neutral. We will either bless with loving statements and verbal expressions of love – or we will break hearts and wound one another with critical comments about how we look or act or respond. A couple takes a while to grow comfortable with each other during intimacy because we are so vulnerable. We are either “built up” or “torn down” by how we view and express ourselves during sex. And spiritually, the “one flesh” bond that is formed is strengthened or torn down by how we treat and act towards one another.
The preceding two paragraphs give us some understanding as to why sex apart from marriage is so difficult and in God’s eyes, sinful! Sex, without real intimacy, is insulting. It reflects an attempt to have the pleasure of sex without the work of intimacy. This is the same as being deceived in believing that we can have an abiding relationship with God apart from spending any time with Him in prayer, the word of God, and serving Him. This is not indicative of a real relationship.
There are many dangers related to illicit sex. But the greatest is being the enemy of God! We may believe that “times have changed!” Well, they have – but God has not! Sexual impurity, immorality, and perversion will never be condoned by God. This is why I know ( and you know too) that when a husband or wife stray from one another, or a Christian teen starts sleeping around, or we become consumed with any sexually charged habits, porn, etc., we have forsaken intimacy with God.
Sex without intimacy will never be satisfied with the expression of sex in a relationship with one person. The eye will be roving – the heart will be straying – and the body will eventually act out the stuff that is truly in the heart. A person who is consistently sexually impure, will be consistently lacking in their relationship with God. These actions challenge, provoke, and insure the displeasure of God.
Does this matter to you? Does it matter to your teen-age children? Do we really believe that it matters if God is not pleased?
An intimate relationship with God produces a deeper, more thorough knowledge of God. Intimacy with Him, the baring of our souls before Him, results in our knowing Him and our knowing ourselves in a much deeper fashion. We know what pleases Him – and what disappoints. We know what brings His blessing and His punishment. We know what insures our hearing from Him, and what shuts up the heavens!
An intimate, God-honoring intimacy with our husband / wife does the same thing. We really experience deep love, deep care, deep passion, and deep knowledge of one another, nurtured by a loving intimacy.
Sex for the sake of sex, with numerous people and without the benefit of marriage and intimacy, leads to the greatest bondage. It is interesting! So many people pursue an illicit sexual path because they say they are free to do what they want. Yet the result is ultimately bondage – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength – and your neighbor as yourself! Sounds like intimacy!
More posts are forthcoming!