Marriage, sex, and gender: three topics that seem to be a revolving door of opinions and trends. The God given and blessed arrangement of marriage is becoming less popular in recent years.  Divorce rates are down due to less people tying the knot and instead choosing cohabitation as a safer, more desirable alternative. More than ever there is pressure to engage sexually in casual and short lived relationships.

With these shifts in belief and practice there is growing confusion concerning our physical bodies, if they have value, and how we are to honor God with them. Regular church goers are struggling too, young and old. Struggling with their sexual thoughts, desires, and temptations, pornography usage and promiscuity. Wrestling with the tension between freedom in Christ and license to do what feels good. The next generation is watching and learning, coming to conclusions on how they will live, and what they will believe.

In 1 Corinthians 6 the Apostle Paul speaks to the church on these matters in clear terms. He does so out of deep love and concern for God’s people. In their ignorance and weakness the church was struggling to discern truth from error in what they were hearing from the world around them. “All things are permissible” was a slogan of the time. In our day we hear, “You do you” and “Love is love.” These messages have captured the hearts of many in the church who desire freedom, yet they have proven to be a prison.

Do you not know? Have you not heard the good news? You are not your own, you were bought with a price! The Christian can have great confidence and hope in regards to their bodies and sexuality.  God has graciously given us guide-rails for our good and protection. He has told us who we are and how to live. And knowing we would struggle and fail, God has given us his Son, whose body was nailed to the cross, covering all of our sin and shame. Believe that and you will experience true freedom.