The Bare Necessity of Guarding the Morality of Sex and Marriage

Last evening for dinner, I had the joy and pleasure of meeting up with three high school classmates and friends. One I had not seen for over 40 years! We shared with each other in openness and honesty an overview of how our lives have turned out and what we are doing. The time was refreshing and so encouraging and hopeful, despite the fact that we spoke of how all of us have buried at least one parent, two of us both parents and two are in process of end life with a parent currently. The time flew by. Sandy’s watch said 2040. We teased her for her Navy career showing in this military time and the fact that this time seemed impossible. Could it be that late already? Seemed we had just sat down. Time can fly like that sometimes.

Looking back on life and sharing thoughts of our parent’s death(s) and the process of experiencing the severity of these losses was a sobering, turned spiritual, conversation.

I shared about the book I wrote and my husband edited, The Elephant Gospel. Each friend was gracious, kind and very surprised of what they did not know about me yet having “known” me in high school.

I also spoke of the Netflix series AnnE with an E. How my heart connected with the heroine, Anne, as a severely mistreated young girl eventually loved and adopted.… I loved the first season of shows and the second season first few shows. But then in the middle of the second season, I was hit like a blind side of a bombshell through the turn of events. This topic brought on another avenue of conversation.

At some point, I surprised myself by saying: “Sex is one thing that can wreck havoc more than maybe any other thing in life. It can mess you up. And the church really does not often talk on this!” We all agreed and talked a bit on this subject. All this got me to thinking on an even deeper level and how I might be able to help the next generation.

When I got home to my husband I enjoyed sharing the highlights of the eve. Then, as is our usual practice we read a chapter out of the Bible before bed and prayers together. The chapter was Acts 15 in the Message. I was amazed. LORD GOD, You are speaking to me! THANK YOU! So I decided to share. Please notice my emphasis on the bolded words.

Acts15:13-21 and 28,29) Message version:

“James broke the silence. “Friends, listen. Simeon has told us the story of how God at the very outset made sure that racial outsiders were included. This is in perfect agreement with the words of the prophets:

After this, I’m coming back;

I’ll rebuild David’s ruined house;

I’ll put all the pieces together again;

I’ll make it look like new

So outsiders who seek will find,

so they’ll have a place to come to,

All the pagan peoples

included in what I’m doing.

“God said it and now he’s doing it. It’s no afterthought; he’s always known he would do this.

“So here is my decision: We’re not going to unnecessarily burden non-Jewish people who turn to the Master. We’ll write them a letter and tell them, ‘Be careful to not get involved in activities connected with idols, to guard the morality of sex and marriage,…..

Onward to verses 28-29:

“It seemed to the Holy Spirit and to us that you should not be saddled with any crushing burden, but be responsible only for these bare necessities: Be careful not to get involved in activities connected with idols; avoid serving food offensive to Jewish Christians (blood, for instance); and guard the morality of sex and marriage.

These guidelines are sufficient to keep relations congenial between us. And God be with you!” (Acts 15:13-21 and 28,29)

Wow, guarding the morality of sex and marriage is a bare necessity of our Christian faith!

That very morning I marveled at the fact that marriage is God’s Will for me. My day had started with me asking for God’s Will to be real and lived out in my life. I thought on what that meant for me and had considered how to make my marriage more a priority and joy and example for our children and others. The LORD seemed to impress this truth and impact on me many times. How to love the LORD as my first love and my husband as my second love is something I daily consider and try to live. The fact we are still married and love each other as we do is by God’s grace and evidence and is an upholding of and guarding the morality of sex and marriage in real time in my own life. For this I am eternally grateful. It is surely an act of God!

As I write this the question: What would The LORD have me further do or say to uphold this command to guard the morality of sex and marriage as a bare necessity of our faith? This is a question every Christian might, could benefit to ask themselves and ask their church in the cultural war we here in America find ourselves in: with abortion on demand and LGBTQ “politically correct”, media blitzes continuing in subtle and apparently effective ways toward our youngest children in society and in school with comprehensive sex education in line with the “legalization of same sex marriage in our constitution” as a “new way of life” in America, we must take it to heart and bring actions AND MUCH PRAYER to establish the bare necessity, the guidelines, of guarding the morality of sex and marriage in upholding our Christian faith!

For now, I want to meditate and pray on what more I should write on this subject and how I might speak out by His leading and His power.

I pray all Christians might truly pray and consider this subject of “guarding the morality of sex and marriage as the bare necessity” of our faith with great urgency and prayerfulness!