This
week's selection is about sex. Or more to the point, it's about the new views
of sexual morality and how they vary from Christian sexual morality. I
copied and pasted it from a blog by Tim Challies.
It's
actually a critique of a book by Matthew
Rueger entitled, "Sexual Morality in a Christless World."
Yet it offers to us some very helpful insights about the revolutionary
nature of Christian sexual ethics in light of history, and I would add, the
alarming rise of sexual violence, human sex trafficking of children and adults,
and the type of environment that arises when people throw off all thoughts of
sexual restraint. I recommend both this blog entry by Challies as well as
the book by Matthew Rueger. Enjoy.
Sexual
Morality in a Christless World
Tim Challies
Times
are changing. Sexual morality is undergoing nothing less than a revolution as
traditional morality gives way to something radically different. The former
morality, based on the Christian scriptures, is being shoved aside by a new one
that not only departs from the Bible, but outright rejects it. Meanwhile,
Christians who abide by those traditional sexual morals are increasingly seen
as outcasts, backward people dangerously hung up on ancient, oppressive
principles. It is all very disconcerting.
Into
the fray steps Matthew Rueger with his book, "Sexual Morality in a
Christless World." Though
the last few years have brought us no shortage of books on how to live on this
side of the sexual revolution, Rueger offers something unique… he shows that
Christian sexual morality has not always been traditional but was at one time
its own revolution. In other words, Christians have been here before, and there
is much we can learn from our own history… He offers a fascinating yet
disturbing examination of what Roman culture considered good and normal.
“Rome’s sexual climate is a model of the utopia for which today’s sexual
‘progressives’ are striving.”
Yet
it was hardly Utopian. He shows that “In the Roman mind, man was the conqueror
who dominated on the battlefield as well as in the bedroom. He was strong,
muscular, and hard – in both body and spirit. Society looked down on him only
when he appeared weak or soft.” Respectable men were permitted to have sexual
relations with just about anyone, provided they were the aggressors rather than
receivers of such sexual acts. Marriage existed, of course, but was not first about
mutual love, but about the provision of an heir. A far purer form of love was
the love of a man for a boy, so a culture of pederasty arose in which adult men
carried on overt sexual relationships with adolescent boys. Prostitution was
rampant. Rape was widespread and accepted, provided a man raped someone of a
lower status. In so many ways Roman sexual morality was abhorrent and one of
its most prominent features was the strong dominating the weak.
And
then Christians showed up. Christians began to teach that men were to be
chaste, that homosexuality and pederasty were sinful, that men were to love and
honor their wives, that wives and husbands had equal authority over one
another’s bodies. Such teaching was not only seen as repressive, but as
full-out destabilizing to the Roman system. No wonder, then, that the whole
culture turned against Christians. “Though Christian morality promoted genuine
self-emptying love and was positive for society, it nonetheless set Christ’s
people against the prevailing culture. Romans did not like being told that some
of their favorite activities were displeasing to the Christian God, and they
pushed back.” And here is where we can draw important lessons for our
day, for today, too, Christian sexual morality is seen as destabilizing to the
culture around us, as a serious societal sin…
Rueger
also shows that Christian morality was almost as opposed to contemporary
Judaism as it was to Rome. This was especially true in according equal rights
to men and women, in protecting women from divorce, and in putting away notions
of sexual purity that harmed women. Again, Christianity offered a sexual
morality that was kind and equitable and that protected the weak and marginalized.
With
all of that context, he is able to show how these Christian teachings were
full-out counter-cultural, how they were radical, not traditional. He shows how
Christian sexual morality helped individuals, helped the marginalized, and
helped society—it was a tremendous blessing to everyone. Yet Christians
suffered because their views were seen as destabilizing and harmful. Though
today we see that their morality was actually a blessing, at that time it was
considered a curse. And Christians suffered terribly for it...
Rueger
says “My desire in writing this book is to help Christians engage the world
around them in reasoned discussion.” He does so very well. And his greatest
contribution is helping us understand that this is not the first time that
Christians have been at odds with the culture. This is not the first time the
biblical understanding of sex and sexuality has caused the culture to turn on
Christians, to consider them disloyal, to push them to the margins. For that
reason we need books like this one to interpret the times and equip us for
today and the days to come. I thoroughly enjoyed this work and highly
recommend it."
As
I have repeatedly stated over the years (in light of studying history) -- our
cultures sexual morals (or progressive eradication of them) is not a
sign of progress, but the sign of a cultural regression which
is taking us back to what existed before Christianity appeared on the scene
some 2000 years ago. And as those sexual morals are separated entirely
from Christ, and Christianity, history will likely repeat itself and we will
actually see more sexual violence toward women, more children put into the
growing sex trade, and a continuing devaluation of the Christian virtue of
committed and sacrificial love between a husband and a wife. And it will
become harder and harder to police, because it will become more and more
common, and more and more acceptable, and seen as less and less problematic to
the societal conscience.
As
Jesus predicted for the latter days, "the love of most will
grow cold" (Matthew 24:12). And Paul
restated that same truth when he said that people being "without
love" (for anyone but themselves or money or pleasure - II
Timothy 3:2-5) will be a sign of the approach of the last days.
No
predictions. I know better! Just some earnest food for thought, Pastor
Jeff
