God Pairs Sex and Worship
What does worship have to do with sex? Or, for that matter, what does sex have to do with worship? Most people think the two would never appear together, in word or in deed. I used to agree, but no longer. I’ve changed my mind. In the Bible, God quite consistently connects sexual and spiritual behavior. If you’re uncomfortable with God’s pairing of the two, you’re in for a surprise.
You may feel that connecting worship and sex disrespects God. Part of that response depends on your ideas about God. (Do you think He only approves of abstract, otherworldly, bland pursuits?) Part of that response depends on your ideas about sex. (Do you think graphic pleasure is unspiritual? Do you think it dangerous?) If you think this way, about either God or sex, I’m hoping you’ll change your mind.
Sex and worship turn out to be surprisingly similar. Both reach their peak only within a relationship where permanence is promised. In such relationships sex and worship picture each other. The visible physical joining of married lovers opens our eyes to parallel invisible wonders found in our marriage to God. The intimacy, passion, and pleasure of sexual intercourse mirror the intimacy passion and pleasure of sharing worship with our heavenly lover. Sex physically portrays a deeper – and thankfully longer-lasting! – spiritual reality. Sex illustrates and enhances worship.
God wants our sexual experiences to mirror the more intense experience of worshiping Him.
Worship also illustrates and enhances sex. As we experience intimacy with God, we become more adept and willing to thrill with sexual intimacy. Intimacy begets intimacy. Passion begets passion. Pleasure begets pleasure. Sex and worship each teach us about their counterpart. (If you dare, try musing about the similarities between these two experiences.)
Of course, we don’t have to be married to experience intimacy. Deep connection, as it should, pervades many dimensions of many different relationships. But marriage adds another dimension. Marriage opens us to an intense sexual intimacy not available in other sexual relationships. Why? Because it takes this faithful exclusive commitment to give us the freedom to be so thoroughly vulnerable. God designed us that way.
As you read my other posts on weddings and worship (and I hope you do), you may at times think I’ve gone beyond a proper and respectful understanding of the Bible. Please give my ideas a chance. I have spent many years studying what the Scriptures say about God and His gift of sexuality. Because I’m convinced that what God communicates to us in the Bible is real and practical and true, I’ve worked hard to represent His thoughts with accuracy and clarity. Indeed, I would never have the courage to write what I’ve written if I thought I was distorting either His character or His words. Please forgive areas where I may have fallen short of representing Him well, and, if you would, let me know how you believe I can better honor Him.
God Pairs Sex & Worship
© Lynne Fox, 2015
biblegrapes.com
This post offers content from my current book-in-progress:
Weddings & Worship: The Presence of Intimacy, Passion, and Pleasure.
Preview Its Table of Contents Here
God’s desire for intimacy at this level is rarely explored. Thank you for having the courage to address this subject.
From another perspective consider John chapter 4, the Samaritan women at the well. Most people think Jesus changed the subject from worship to her sex life. I believe He merely dug the plow in deeper. Her failed relationships showed her that she was worshiping at the wrong place.
Now consider Romans 1:24-27 “and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator”. Here Paul, connects sexual immorality and worship.
Jesus gives us the answer to the problem. John 4:23 “…true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth”. The term true worshiper literally means “made of truth”.
Thank you for a comment that deeply encourages me as I continue my work on this book in progress. Pray if you will that I write accurately and gift many with my words. Lynne
Women are best positioned to understand this truth owing to the fact that our relationship with God is typical of wife and husband…the church being the bride of Jesus
thank you for sharing these truths .
I am desperately looking into this , as the awesome experience I have been having with God during prayer, worship .. looks a lot like , in fact better than sex.
way more intense , more joyous , more intimate and never ends ( as in a climax that fades)
this happened when I was brutally honest with God and stopped hiding from Him , this sexual part of my heart and desires .
I believe that God showed me my issues and how to be freed from deep rooted sexual sins.
He was not shocked or disgusted.
I saw that I was stuffing into my soul, things I thought I needed to be whole , and satisfied .
now that those idols and sins have gone , God is now in those spaces previously taken by those wrong drives .
And He is awesome . So intense , so Holy , so deep .
often I cannot stand, or breathe, this worship is so wonderful .
I have given Him permission to drink of me anytime He desires me, and I can do the same with Him anytime .
I tremble at his presence .
this is too good to believe !
Carol- Thank you so much for your reply. And praise God for your experience. It greatly encourages me to know that the Lord worked through my words to bear such exquisite fruit. I’m in the process of writing my second book: “Sex & Worship – The Presence of Intimacy, Passion, & Pleasure.” As there’s been a lot of spiritual warfare as I write on this subject, I would greatly appreciate your prayers that the Lord will strengthen and guide me to write biblical truth that well represents His heart and will bless many. (The post you commented on was an excerpt from that book. From time to time I’ll post other excerpts on BibleGrapes. FYI, subscribers to BibleGrapes get weekly email notices of posts as they come out.) Thanks again for taking the time to comment. Lynne
I find this artical to be very educative and how i wish most couples would find time to read and undersatnd..how important and valuble this act of worship is (sex)..there would be less cheating..
Thank u ..so much…
Thank you for your encouragement. Please feel free to pass what you read on to others. As you can read at the end of this post, I’m currently working on a book on Sex & Worship. If the Lord so leads, I would greatly appreciate your prayers for this work in progress – that it will please the Lord and bear fruit in many lives. Blessings. Lynne