Our modern culture is obsessed with sex. Since the "sexual revolution" of the 1960s we are bombarded by the message that there is no such thing as a sexual sin. What was once considered sexually immoral has been normalized.
We are bombarded by messages of tolerance and acceptance towards extramarital sex, but it would be wise to consider what are the consequences.
Jesus told us to judge everything by its "fruits" while the world tells us that we should not judge anything, so what are the fruits of sexual revolution?
One would think that now that people have access to sex without any constraints and judgments that they would be satisfied, but take a quick look around and you will see that people are less sexually satisfied than ever. People go from partner to partner, but they are never happy. The number of children raised without fathers or mothers is ever increasing and according to multiple studies these children are at greater risk for depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and even suicide. Why?
To us Christians, who believe that the Bible is a text inspired by God and given to us as a guide on how to live a godly life, the answer is clear. The so called "free sex" outside the loving committed married relationship is empty and unsatisfying. To us sex is not bad or forbidden, but it is something that is holy and precious. It is given to us by God, so that we can not only procreate, but also that we could experience total unity in spirit, soul, and body with our spouse. It is an ultimate expression of love and commitment and it gets ever deeper and more satisfying with the passing years. People in healthy lifelong marriage relationships experience the kind of sex that promiscuous people who keep changing partners only can dream of, but never have.
When God tells us that we should wait with sex until marriage, He does not try to rob us of joy and pleasure. He just wants to make sure that we get something better and deeper than a passing thrill and possibly an STD, not to mention that feeling of worthlessness and emptiness that one gets after a one night stand.Each one of us has to make a choice. Do we want to have sex God's way and enjoy its blessings for decades or do we want it the world's way? Just look at the lives of those who propose that "free sex".Sadly even some Christians who defended Christian marriage and encouraged young people to wait with sex until marriage are now apologizing for being "judgmental" and not surprisingly divorcing their wives of many years...but this is the fruit of "free sex", divorce and the dissolution of the fabric of society that comes with it.
I chose God's way over 20 years ago and I never looked back. Marriage is a blessing and it is worth to wait and to keep it holy. Remember, there is nothing wrong with sex itself. It is good. Just like a knife is a very useful tool when properly used in a kitchen to prepare food, but deadly when used as a weapon.
As Christians we are free to hold our own moral standards. In democratic societies we are guaranteed the freedom of conscience and no one should be allowed to try to impose their morality on us, just as we do not impose it on other people. We are simply saying that "free sex" is not really free from its consequences and we have a right to point it out.
Now some Christian communities have a very legalistic approach to this that can be very unhealthy. They equate sex with sin, and do not allow young people of the opposite sex to have any relationships with one another at all, not even platonic friendships, which is a big mistake in my opinion because through these pure friendships people learn how to relate to one another. The best marriages are based on true friendships. Young people who are not allowed to have them miss on valuable experience that will help their future married relationships to be successful. Too much emphasis on early marriage without this experience can also lead to unhappiness and divorce.
It is therefore very important to have a godly, but balanced approach to this. Learn from those who are happily married. It is possible with God''s help to have a happily ever after. What it takes is a love of God in your heart. Your ability to love someone despite their imperfections, so that they can extend that same love towards you. It's not about someone making you happy, but about two people doing what they can to make each other happy.
