Sex: God, Gross or Gift?

Almost half of the Driscolls' book on marriage focuses on the issue of sex.  I actually think that this is a good thing.  It is clear that the Bible is not reticent about this subject but few Christian leaders teach openly and frequently on it.  Chapter 6 is entitled 'Sex: God, gross, or gift?'

Of course those who have talked openly with people about this area of their lives will know that along with the intimacy and vulnerability of sex comes confusion and pain.  The Driscolls ask, 'How did sex, which is a gift from God to married couples, turn into such a curse for so many of us?'  They answer this question with mention to the Fall (Genesis 3).  'This fall of humanity into sin infected, polluted, and corrupted literally every aspect of life on the earth.  This includes sex ... The result is that people tend to think that sex is god or gross to various degrees, rather than a gift.'

Sex as god.  This attitude can be seen in the ancient cultures that surrounded the Hebrews but is also observable in our own society. 

Sex as gross.  This attitude can be attributed to the influence of Plato on the thinking of the church.

Sex as gift.  This idea was actually promoted by the Puritans who appealed to the teaching of the Bible.

Under the heading of sex as gift the Driscolls say: sex is for pleasure, sex is for creating children, sex is for oneness, sex is for knowledge, sex is for protection and sex is for comfort.

Other interesting quotes:

'... your standard of beauty is your spouse ... Unlike other standards of beauty, a spouse changes over time.  This means that if your spouse is tall, you are into tall.  If your spouse is skinny, you are into skinny.  If your spouse is twenty, you are into twenty.  When your spouse is sixty, you are no longer into twenty, but rather into sixty.  And if your spouse used to be skinny, you were into skinny, but now you are into formerly skinny.  We are to pour all our passion and pursuit of sexual pleasure into our spouses alone, without comparing them to anyone else in a lustful way.'

'Your biggest sex organ is your brain.  Thinking rightly about sex is essential to your enjoyment of sex.'