Perhaps more than any other area of our lives, our sexuality has become too intertwined with our identity. In holding sexuality up at such a high level, we have inextricably linked it to who we are as individuals. If God is the one who created sex and human sexuality, is this what He had in mind? According to the narrative of Scripture, we see that creation, the gospel, and eternity declare a different story. When God created all things and made man and woman in His image, we see His heart for human flourishing.
In Genesis 1 and 2, we see that God created man and womanβeach distinct, but fully in His image. He created them for one another and united them in marriage. Right out of the gate, God showed us what was best for human flourishing in His creation. Soon after that came Genesis 3. They chose to gratify their desires by their means, and sin has marred humanity ever since. We all have come into this world brokenβevery single one of usβour sexuality included.
All of us are born sinners, and every part of us is tainted. Not just sexual sin, but all sin separates us from Christ. However, when we are in Christ, we then have access to our true identity. So even if we fall and sin again, which happens to all us, our identity is not tied up in our failure. Nothing on our end has more power to define us than the blood of Christ, and our sexuality is no exception to that. Only God, through His Son, Jesus, has the power to redeem, restore, and renew us.
This includes our sexuality. All of us have misplaced and distorted desires. All of us are bent toward choosing ourselves over God. And, it seems that the church has gone to one of two extremes. However, in our efforts to be more inclusive and to even call ourselves more loving, we have missed so much more.
The call of the gospel is the same for all peopleβdeny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus. When we push back the boundary lines that God has drawn, we are attempting to make that process easier. We want to deny less.
