All around the world we see relationships going crazy. Hook ups, break-ups, stand-ups, one night stands, betrayals, broken hearts, two-timing, fear of commitment, friends-with-benefits, you name it. And if hollywoods version of romance has anything to do with it, SEX is right there in the middle of it all. Maybe there’s a connection there? Hmmm, I wonder…
You’ve probably sometimes heard people say stuff like ‘the Church is hung up on sex’ , that it’s full of outdated rules like ‘don’t do this’ & ‘you can’t do that’, as if it was some big killjoy out to stop us all from having fun. But we wanna let you guys know nothing could be further from the truth. We wanna let you in on a big secret here that a lot of people seem to forget: God MADE sex! It was his whole idea! He thinks it’s awesome! And because God thinks sex is awesome (surprise surprise) so does the Church.
The Catholic Church doesn’t have a hang-up with sex, it just has a really good opinion on how to use it. But because that's not always a popular opinion, there’s always gonna be people who slam it and try to make out like 'the Church has a hang-up with sex'. If you look at the situation more honestly, it won't take long to see that the WORLD is the one who’s really hung up on sex! TV, movies, billboards, magazines, the internet, you name it, we’re soaking in it. Any honest guys among us would agree it’s hard enough as it is without the media shoving our noses in naked models 24/7. And the stellar advice this world has for you and me about sex? ‘If it feels good do it’. Yeah cool, hows that relationship advice working out for ya?! Not very well by the look of things.
Unlike the world, God actually cares about you and me and wants us to have a happy and fulfilling life. Part of that plan is using our bodies the way God intended them to be used. The bible teaches:
“You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you…
Run away from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? …So you must honour God with your body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
So pretty much right now, according to this verse, you are ‘a walking temple’. So is your boyfriend, girlfriend or anyone you will ever hook up with. Freaky hey! The power and beauty of sex is a gift that we’re not meant to throw around like take-away food or an old toy, but something powerful and sacred that we’re meant to treasure and use wisely. God’s plan for you and me is to save the incredible gift of sex for the right person at the right time, which the Church teaches is found in the marriage of a man and woman, for life. Not a one night stand. Not a drawn out ‘try before you buy’ relationship. Not in late night porn. Not in self-seeking exploration. Sex is higher than all these things; it’s worth SO much more. And so are you.
Now if this picture is not you and you’re feeling like “well I’m obviously too late, so why bother?” we want you to hear this: with Jesus, it's never too late. God loves you as you are and will always give you a clean slate to help you start again. That’s what the Church is on earth for. You might wanna check out the ‘I’ve stuffed up’ post for some practical advice here.
The bottom line?
God isn’t hung up on sex, He is hung up on YOU. When you hook into this and start to treat your body like the temple it is, we guarantee you’ll discover a satisfaction that is so much better and lasts so much longer than overnight.
You’re worth it.