James Wibberding

Since I am not writing a dissertation on the subject, I’ll move on from biblical sexuality soon but not without exploring the biblical magna carta on the subject. Song of Solomon is the most explicit sexual material in Scripture. For this reason, church leaders through the centuries have forbidden the youthful to read it.

The most popular approach to the book is to make it symbolic. In this scenario, the love relationship between the man and his bride parallels the relationship between God and his church. But the only justification for making it symbolic instead of literal is the popular aversion to sex. And, really, these symbolic interpretations should make it more disturbing to those who fear sex because it puts God into sexually explicit terms.

Instead, this book should be taken literally, and the simple fact that it is part of Scripture suggests that sex is (or should be) a godly act. In it, we find references to almost every aspect of healthy sex-play. Perhaps the suppressive influences of the past are still too strong in me but I am hesitant to include a list of these things here. Just read the biblical book and take care to note what the metaphors are suggesting.

Based on the information in my previous posts, I think the real tragedy of sexual distortion is that it keeps sex from reaching its incredible potential for understanding God (a concept that probably still seems weird to most of us).

Maybe I’m too much an idealist but I think we can right this wrong, with God’s help. I am starting to believe that we have reverse thinking about sex. We see it as something we want but shouldn’t have (at least in many situations). I think if we begin to see the truth, we will be less tempted to indulge in distortions of this gift. We must not see it as a pleasant thing we can’t have but as a wonderful ideal that is only grasped and enjoyed to its fullest in its proper place. Do you see the reversal? Instead of fighting against our desire for a lesser thing we encourage our desire toward a greater thing.

For too long, this incredible gift of God has been hijacked by Satan. Let’s take it back. Even in the marriage context, there is work to do. Instead of the “one flesh” moment being our most godly moment, most of us shut God out because of a subconscious guilt linked to sex. Reverse thinking again.

There is a need to reverse our thinking about sex.