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Topic: Break (02/06/06)
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TITLE: Break the Yoke of Sexual Pervasiveness | Previous Challenge Entry
By Dawn Dale
02/11/06 -
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Cartoons depicting Mohammad as a bomb factory creating violent response in recent days, is a prime example. The connection of this violence to the yoke of sexual pervasiveness is not a stretch in our understanding.
In our lives, we come up with definitions for who we are and what lies around us. For the unregenerate mind, that definition comes partly from insecurities about their sexuality, and effects their behavior. Rabbi Allen Schwartz states in his article, Sex and the City: Sexuality on the Upper West Side, “...everything from bus stops to phone booths to billboards are designed to appeal to the sexual appetites of the consumer”. The unregenerate mind is even forced to interpret whether the way they have hung a picture on the wall is "sexy", or not. These are examples of inaccurate sexual references and they produce a burden to respond sexually that no human is capable of.
These inaccurate sexual references could be the fault of some of today's Christian teaching.
While there is great need for healing in the area of sexual identity, indiscreet teaching of Christian concepts among those who have not yet identified with Christ, leaves a gap that Satan fills with misconstrued ideas about relationship. The burden lies upon Christians to carefully lead. Exercising greater discretion as we teach God's Word begins to break the yoke of sexual pervasiveness. Those who have not yet identified with Christ do not have the Holy Spirit to protect them from hell's half truths! Hell knows how important the concept of sexual identity is to the unregenerate mind.
Sexual pervasiveness is an easy buy-in for the church. A large portion of our teaching focuses on healing of sexual identity. We cannot, however, become lax in instruction to believers. Compare this to the idea of conception and new birth. In the physical world, there's a point at which conception can appropriately take place. When appropriate conditions are not met, we describe this as illegitimate. Perhaps this is happening on a spiritual level. We have not met appropriate conditions of discipleship. We may have created an illegitimate experience for new believers that is not their fault. In turn, this produces greater insecurities.
We may even have to ignore some of our own sexuality, in the midst of the throngs, so that they can see a Holy God who causes them to cry out "depart from me, for I am an unclean man"! (Luke5:8, KJV) Truly, this does not create a "holier than thou" attitude. Do we not see the response in this particular scripture? Jesus then invited Peter to follow Him as a fisher of men. We're actually keeping people from fellowship with God and with us when we get in the way of a vision of a holy God, who causes sinners to cry out "depart from me, for I am an unclean man"!
Yes, indeed, in the midst of the throngs, our teaching must be pure. We are responsible for careful discipleship, so that those who identify with Christ may realize they are not bound by a philosophy requiring sexual responses they are incapable of. It is an awful burden to have to interpret everything, from the hanging of a picture on a wall, to a cartoon depicting Mohammad as a bomb factory, with a sexual interpretation. This may produce fear that leads to violent reactions, and this may very well be what we are experiencing.
This burden of careful discipleship is light in comparison to the yoke of sexual pervasiveness in an unregenerate culture that effects all our lives. We cannot afford this effect. We've seen the violent result in cultures that reject Christianity. We've barely held off in American culture, as evidenced by gang behaviors, such as the MS-13 gang that is being touted in recent news.
To break the yoke of sexual pervasiveness requires a concerted effort. Christians must curb expression of their sexuality in the midst of the throng. And, the secret is this, we will feel better for having reserved some of this type of expression for the one legitimate place where it belongs.
Rabbi Allen Schwartz, Sex and the City: Sexuality on the Upper West Side, The OC Web, September 22, 2004
King James Version
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