Christianity, sexuality - and the Bible!

why did God without gender, create gender?
God by nature is not gender bound. He is to us both a mother and father, masculine and feminine. But when he made us in his image, it was as if he separated himself to create the two sexes, each having qualities that the other doesn't, but both desiring what the other has. By dividing us into male and female, he created a need in all of us only satisfied by love. A need that teaches us what love is, and isn't - turning us into real men and women ultimately preparing us to be worthy of marriage to God!

is gender necessary?
Science says that there's no alternative way for life to evolve. But If you believe in an all powerful God (believing in a semi powerful one is pointless) then he can chose any method of reproduction he wants - according to the earthworm there is no such thing as sexuality! They're hermaphrodites - all the same! (worms have both male and female organs) But clearly there is a profound reason for splitting love into 2 - God wants to explore its possibilities to the fullest. The great giver of love wants to give the gift of love to others and allow us to share in the experience. We are even allowed to share in creating life itself!

God uses a neat trick to get round human selfishness - sexuality!
Most of us are pretty self centered! But God overcame our selfish nature in making us male and female. He woos us into giving of ourselves in a way that doesn't come naturally by offering an incentive in the form of strangely beautiful creatures of the opposite sex! It's as if we have to be fooled into love before we are prepared to look outside ourselves to someone else - before realising that giving is as fulfilling as receiving! Sexuality awakens and reawakens the desire to love!

gender keeps you on the edge of your seat!!!
Gender creates a needy love making life dynamic and interesting where otherwise it would be stale! Sexuality intensifies humanity in a way nothing else could. Keeping life full of surprises and expectations. A world without gender would be without drama, tragedy and comedy.

masculine and feminine
The boundaries are blurred between purely masculine and feminine. We are mixtures of each but predominantly one or the other.

why is sexual desire so powerful?
Sexuality among humans is disproportionately powerful to the function of reproduction having a life of its own (according to science, the human female is the only female that enjoys sex!) Such is the attraction between men and women, that the love of a single person may become more important to us than conquering a city or owning an empire! To love and to be loved is arguably the main driving force behind all the things we do and create, the reason why we fight and conquer. The desire for a woman, has the power to call a man away from the 'selfish life'. It can inspire or destroy! Amazingly God set up a rival to himself in making sex so powerful - offering the greatest possible challenge to selflessness. All of us will fail at times but the way we feel about sexuality will reflect our attitude to God. Our choice is to make known what we hold as important by choosing sexual love inside or outside the boundaries that God permits.

when sexual love becomes selfish
Sexual love can find selfish expression. It can have a disproportionate effect on how we conform to Gods' desires. It's a power that can destroy or drive people to great acts of despair and cruelty. The war against Troy was set in motion by an elopement. As Christians we should treat our sexuality like gold - taking care in the way we present ourselves, so our sexuality does not cause others to stumble. Overcoming self in sexual love is supremely difficult but it is most valuable. Of our fleshly desires, Sex is most powerful and has the ability to do most damage when misused. Therefore the rules of sexual conduct have to be strong to preserve communal harmony and stop sex from being destructive.

other issues

why did Jesus choose men?
We can't know for sure the reason. However In the first century AD women were discriminated against and denied movement and freedom of speech. If your primary reason to recruit people is evangelism, would it be wise to choose women under these circumstances?

how did Jesus treat women?
Christ treated women with the utmost respect. It is unlikely he would have denied them the right to serve him. Men and women's value cannot be measured. They are different.

should women teach in the church?
The whole history of Judaism and Christianity is proof that women as well as men are capable of great expressions of beauty.

Jesus' sexuality
Jesus had a taste for women and obviously attracted them. God however is set apart from sexual activity but not sexuality. So why is God interested in our sexuality -because he wishes to explore every aspect of love. From physical to spiritual and everything in between.

why didn't god create another being like himself!
You cannot have two or more beings of omnipotency. They would negate each other! The ultimate gift is to give creatures who have nothing(us) what in effect is everything - the power of the universe through the Holy Spirit!

do counselors need personal experience of their subject?
It is often objected that one who has not known human love is not fit to administer to others. This doesn't stand. Neither the father or son knew human love and if experience is the qualification for teaching on sexual matters . . . !! Undoubtedly certain experiences help us identify with other peoples problems but experience is not essential. What is essential is a knowledge of the problem and its consequences. A Christian can rely solely on the Holy Spirit to guide. If we bluntly refuse Gods direction then He may allow us to take a wrong path and learn by experiencing the consequences.

Why didn't God create another infinite being whom he could love?
Firstly God being infinite cannot share power with another being. It's not an option. If love is to be appreciated and understood fully, then the option of not loving and its consequences has to be open to us also.

is celibacy preferable to God?
No! But celibacy is right for some people. Men and women may learn to love God by loving each other. But without a competitor they are more likely to love God with some of the intensity he loves us. This is the reason why certain people take vows to concentrate wholly on God. But sexual love does not have to set up in opposition to God, as it's likely that the more selflessly a man and woman love one another, the more they will love God.

. . . .

what the Bible says
how did God create us?, Genesis 2:7, 21, 22, NIV.
"And the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being. . . So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, He took one of the manÕs ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib He had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man."

in whose image was man created? Genesis 1:27, NIV.
"So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."

copyright christian advice.net 2003