Sermon Tone Analysis

How would define freedom?

“How would you define true freedom?”

And the typical answer is, “Freedom is doing whatever you want to do.”

But I don’t think that’s true freedom.

I think true freedom is living according to God’s design for our life.

You can take a computer and say, “I’m going to make waffles with this,” “I’m going to surf on it,” “It’s a weapon.”

It’s not designed for that, so you’re not free unless you know the truth and you live it accordingly.

Freedom: Knowing and Living the Truth

God’s Law Is for Our Good

That’s why David, who understood that God’s law and His design was good—even though he didn’t follow and he fell short like all of us do—in Psa 19:7 David rejoices in the law of the Lord.

It says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.”

In fact, Psalm 1:2 said, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but”—here it is!—“his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.”

Friends, God has given us rules and commandments and guidelines for our good, and that’s really the central question, isn’t it?

Is there a God who has designed sex for a purpose, designed this world for a purpose?

And are we willing to follow His guidelines?

What question is at the heart of the issue of homosexuality?

You see, the question about homosexuality isn’t a question about the existence of God.

At its heart it’s kind of a question about the goodness of God, and we need to have the willingness to trust that God is good and knows what He’s doing with the design.

That’s why Moses writes in Deut 10:12–13, it says, “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?”[4]

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Ten Truths from Flame of Yahweh

Introduction

Now it’s time to start specifically looking at some of the biblical passages.

Let’s begin where the Bible begins, in Gen 1:26–27 and in Gen 2:24.

To frame, as we jump into these particular passages, it’s important to understand some underlying theology that’s taking place here.

Ten Truths

Old Testament scholar Richard Davidson, in his book the Flame of Yahweh, which is a very seminal text on ot ethics, in particular the area of relationships and sexuality, he says there is

“a growing consensus within biblical scholarship that Gen 1–3 provides the interpretive foundation for the rest of Scripture.…

In particular, the profound portrayal of God’s original design for human sexuality at the beginning of the canon constitutes the foundation for the rest of the biblical narrative and discourse on human sexuality and encapsulates the fundamental principles of a theology of sexuality.”

I think he’s absolutely right.

If you want to understand the whole portrait of sexuality in the Bible, it’s important to begin with these beginning chapters.

He gives ten truths that we’re going to highlight and focus on from his book the Flame of Yahweh.

Sexual Differentiation a Creation of God

The first one, he says, sexual differentiation is presented as a creation by God, and not part of the inherent nature of divinity itself.

In the ancient Near Eastern gods, sexual differentiation was a part of the character of god; rather, biblically, sexual differentiation is something that God creates Himself.

Gender Essential to Humans

Second, humans were created as gendered beings—male and female.

Gender is at the heart of what it means to be human.

Now Justin Lee, again, the author of Torn, he pushes back on this and he says,

But suppose two people loved each other with all their hearts, and they wanted to commit themselves to each other in the sight of God—to love, honor, and cherish; to selflessly serve and encourage [one another]; to serve God together; to be faithful for the rest of their lives.

If they were of opposite sexes, we would call that holy and beautiful and something to celebrate.

But if we changed only one thing—the gender of one of those individuals—while still keeping the same love and selflessness and commitment, suddenly many Christians would call it abominable and condemned to hell.

How would describe what he is saying?

Now, this is a pretty powerful rhetorical argument, but he seems to be saying, “If you have commitment and love and sacrifice everybody would be on board, but if you just change one thing, then all of a sudden it’s abominable.”

He’s assuming that one thing, gender, is kind of inconsequential and it’s not important, but this is not what Genesis teaches.

Yes, we’re to have self-sacrifice.

Yes, we’re to be selfless.

But the context that Genesis teaches clearly is that sexual relations is designed to be between people of opposite sexes coming together as one.

Marriage Is Monogamous

The third point that Davidson points out is that the divine design for marital form is monogamy.

You have one man and you have one woman.

That’s the pattern that is set up.

Equal but Different Roles

Fourth, there is equality of the sexes.

Now, there are different roles between the man and the woman.

They’re created at different times.

But even though the woman Eve is described as a helper, this doesn’t mean a subordinate; it means an equal helper to him.

Humans Made in God’s Image

Fifth, males and females are both in the image of God.

Women are in the image of God.

Men are in the image of God.

Every human being reflects the imago Dei.

You see, the holistic nature of mankind is complete only with male and female.

That’s why the one-flesh experience of husband and wife involves not only the sex act but also a oneness, a wholeness, in all the physical, sensual, social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of life.

Marriage Is an Exclusive Relationship

Sixth, the marriage relationship is exclusive.

In Genesis 2:24 it describes the leaving of the man from his family, [indicating] the necessity of absolute freedom from outside interference in the sexual relationship.

So it’s an exclusive relationship between those two.

Marriage Is Permanent

Seven is the marriage relationship is permanent.

The term “clings”—”the man will cling to his wife”—signifies the strong personal attachment that’s meant to last for a lifetime.

Marriage Is Heterosexual

Eighth, “man and his wife” indicates that the union is heterosexual.

It’s not a person and another person.

It’s not a man and a spouse.

We see gender worked into the nature of marriage in the early Genesis chapters.

The household is seen as a male and female, and the son leaves the household of his mother and father and bonds to his wife.

The implication is they will start their own household, have kids, and the pattern will continue on.

A Primary Purpose of Human Sexuality Is Procreation

Nine, says Davidson, one of the primary purposes of human sexuality is procreation.

In Genesis 1:28 it says, “Be fruitful and multiply.”

Now marriage and sex is not just about having kids; it has many purposes beyond that, but sex itself is a procreative act.

We can’t separate the act of sex from its end, which is producing children, which is part of the command in Genesis.

Human Sexuality Is Good

And then ten, sex is good, and it’s beautiful.

In Genesis 1:31 it says, “And it was very good.”

So, friends, if we’re going to look at this passage—and we’re going to look closely in a minute at Gen 1 and 2 and others throughout the rest of the Bible—it’s important to see that Genesis provides the backdrop and the pattern for how God views sex in the ot, in the nt, and even still today.[2]

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Is the Genesis Account Still Applicable?

Introduction

We’ve begun to look at the biblical teaching on sexuality from Gen 1 and 2, but the pushback often is, “Wait a minute, that’s the ot.

That doesn’t apply anymore.

That’s not applicable to how we approach the issue today.”

Jesus actually did weigh in on this issue.

In Matthew 19:3–6 He’s asked about the issue of divorce, which relates to marriage.

Let’s read this passage and see exactly how Jesus responded, keeping Gen 1 and 2 in the back of our minds.

It says

In Matthew 19:3–6 He’s asked about the issue of divorce, which relates to marriage.

Let’s read this passage and see exactly how Jesus responded, keeping Gen 1 and 2 in the back of our minds.

It says,

Jesus Regards Creation Account of Marriage Binding