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| The Purity and Dignity of Sexual Love |
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Introduction
Song of Songs 3:5 reads as follows, “Daughters of Jerusalem I charge you By the gazelles and by the does of the field:Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.” Bible talks about the purity and dignity of human love. God entrusted with his created human beings a lot of good qualities. One such quality is ‘sexual love.’ It is the quality to maintain intimate relationship, but this quality has been distorted due to human sin. We will see how God wants us to maintain the purity and dignity of human love.
Background
The book of the Song of Songs is love poetry. This is a series of poems that speaks of the passion, the commitment, and the struggle of two lovers. Both Jewish and Christian scholars had questioned the inclusion of the Song in the Bible from time to time. It is because of many explicit erotic descriptions in the Song. Their argument is that the Song talks about ‘lips’, ‘kisses’, ‘breasts’, ‘love’, but does not mention God even once. How could such a sexually explicit book be included in the Holy Scriptures? We must know that sometime in history, the Song enjoyed popularity and wide distribution among the Jews. The Song also received the endorsement of their Rabbis and religious leaders. The Song is, in many ways, like other ancient Near East love poetry.
The Difference!
We should know that the Song of Songs is not an ordinary love poem. It reflects a different set of theological and moral values from that of other ancient love poems. These values are consistent with those of the whole Bible. It is not a pornographic literary effort. It contains values found in the rest of the Bible. Therefore the Song is not a mere secular love song. It is a “God-breathed” like other Biblical books. It is right that it be included into the Canon. God wanted His people to know clearly how love should be expressed in their lives.
Bible & Sex
The sexuality in the Song should not come as a surprise. While the Bible gives emphasis to moral values, it also speaks of human sexuality. Right in the first book of the Bible, it tells us that God created sexual beings – male and female (Genesis 1:28). The purpose of the creation of sexual beings is clear – They are meant to have sexual union. The sexual union is not only for procreation, but also an experience of physical as well as spiritual unity. When Adam first met Eve, he expressed his excitement without any reservation or embarrassment: “This is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh.” (Gen. 2:23). Genesis says that both were naked, but they were not ashamed (Gen. 2:24). God never considered sex “bad” or “shameful.” In fact, it is one of the things that make God’s creation “very good.”
Is Sexual pleasure dirty or naughty?
The Bible does not see sexual pleasure as a dirty or naughty thing. On the contrary it tells us to enjoy it. Proverbs.5:18-19 says, “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice with the wife of your youth.” Why does the Bible, then, often give an impression that sex is “bad”? Well, this can be traced all the way to Genesis 3. In Eden the beauty of sexual union was marred by Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience. The couple was expelled from the Garden of Eden because of their disobedience to God’s command. Outside Eden, sex has been subjected to all sorts of abuse. The Bible records how sex was abused by Abraham (with Hagar); Judah (with Tamar); Leah & Rachel (to manipulate Jacob); David (with Bathsheba); Solomon (with his 1000 wives) and so on. Whether in the name of procreation or mere pleasure, sex has been misused, exploited, commercialized and even perverted. It is not sex itself that the Bible condemns, but the abuse of sex or illicit sex. God has meant, since the creation that sex is to be enjoyed within a parameter, that is, marriage. We see this parameter stated clearly in the Old Testament. In Moses’ law, sex is said to be maintained for marriage. For example, Deut. 22:13ff says that brides are required to show their virginity at their marriage. God repeats the same parameter in the New Testament – “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer” (Heb. 13:4). This parameter is an indication and assurance that in the fallen world it is still possible to legitimately enjoy God’s gift of sex. To a Christian, it is more than legitimate. It is also part of the experience of Christ’s redemption. As Christ’s redemption includes all aspects of life – spiritual, emotional and physical – it is safe to say that sexual union is also redeemed. Thus The Song of Songs provides a picture of the redeemed sexuality. Its portrayal of love indicates the return of sex to Eden. And this happens only in the marriage bed. In a legitimate married life, there is no shame, fear, and tension. All sexual unions outside the frame work of marriage have had created a lot of havoc in the life of individuals, families, churches, and society. But God’s provision for human beings is great. Thus we see that human love has such high priority in God’s plan. That’s why God inspired the human author to devote a book just for it. Thus the Song of Songs is purely about the dignity and purity of sexual love.
The Purity of Sexual Love Verse5 (cf. 2:7) says that this love should not be aroused or awakened until it so desires. Out of the beloved’s (girl) experience of love comes wise admonition that love is not to be artificially stimulated. Utter spontaneity is essential to its genuine truth and beauty. That happens only in the marriage bed, and not in the harlot’s house. Going after anyone other than your married partner for sexual pleasure is sexual immorality. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 says, “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God … For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.” So everyone must patiently wait and control his or her body with the help of the Holy Spirit for the day of marriage for genuine sexual pleasure. Joseph of the Old Testament was very careful about sexual indulgence in his master’s house when he had to confront Potiphar’s wife. Let your marriage be honored by all, and the marriage bed be kept pure. Apostle Paul admonishes us that it is better to develop a permanent relationship with a wife or husband than to lapse into sexual sin.
Conclusion
The Song is very much relevant today! A lot of changes are happening around us due to modernization. Today we get our sex education from schools and have access to sex information on the Internet and other forms of media. Past generation expected virginity, many young people today think it is out of date. Culturally in many countries, pre-marital sex is still forbidden, but in reality it is a common secret to taste the forbidden fruit. It is also common knowledge that abortion and divorce rates are on the rise in many parts of the world. There comes the importance of the Song of Solomon! What does the Song teach us? The celebration of human intimacy can be enjoyed within a parameter, which is marriage. Until then, never arouse it or awaken it. Trust the Lord; He will help you in times of temptations and enticement. So, each one must control his or her body. Our body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord (1 Co.6:13). 1Co.6:18: “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit …” |
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| May 14, 2008 |
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| Thanks Mathew...a worthwhile read! |
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