Scripture

“Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”

Observation

Some Pharisees try to trap Jesus with a question, Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for any reason?

Jesus replies by quoting the verse in Genesis that says a man and woman become joined in God’s sight so nobody should split apart what God has joined together.

The Pharisees pushed back by asking, why the law of Moses allows a man to divorce his wife. Jesus says, this is a concession to hard-hearted men.

Application

In the west, even in the church, we take sex very lightly. Influenced by evolution and materialism, we see sex as just a thing we do with our bodies, usually for pleasure, and that is all.

God sees a spiritual dimension to sex that we who are blind do not see. God has ordered that sex be a part of marriage between a man and a woman. In sexual union, we become one flesh with our partner.

If we go around engaging in sexual relations with multiple partners, we damage spiritually ourselves and our partners. That one flesh binding that sex is meant to facilitate becomes weak and ineffective.

When sex becomes seen as something of no consequence, its sacramental and symbolic power are nullified.

God’s intention in designing us the way we are is that we become united in heart and body with one person and that we keep ourselves holy and separate from all other sexual practises that would undermine that one flesh relationship.

Prayer

Lord, you have made us with a sex drive that can both be exhilarating and hazardous. Please help me to be faithful to you in this dimension of life. Amen.