Q: Will we be sexual in heaven?
A: The answer is that I don't know. But I tend to doubt it. Human sexuality, as far as I can understand it, is human. We are spiritual beings and were spiritual beings before being given our assignments here on earth. Those assignments ... to go live human lives, included sexuality. Once those assignments are complete, I suspect our sexuality will also be complete.
Showing posts with label spiritual beings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual beings. Show all posts
Friday, February 18, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
What's Love?
Q: I know that 1 Corinthians 13 gives us a definition of love. But it seems that mankind - whether Christian or not - struggles to define love. Is it a feeling or an action? An emotion or a decision? Why do we struggle so with it - when the Bible is so straight forward about what love is? Seriously, how should love be any better defined or understood?
A: I believe the reason that mankind - whether Christian or not - struggles so much with the definition of love is that love refuses to meet our expectations. The thing about love is that a lot of evil wants to come under the disguise of love. Take selfishness, for example. Often when someone tells you they're in love, they talk all about what the other means to them. Consider these statements common to someone talking about love:
"He makes me feel so ...."
"He treats me like ..."
"I get butterflies whenever I'm around her."
What's at the root of those statements? Me! Often we confuse love with being how we feel about someone or how we react to someone. That says nothing about them ... but quite a bit about us.
1 Corinthians 13 is the place to start for a timeless definition of love. The best way to understand it is to look at the character and nature of love as its defined here --- and then begin writing more statements. Suppose, for this exercise, that the Apostle Paul told you he'd written this much, and he asked you to keep writing 1 Corinthians 13. So you'd start writing, and it might look something like this:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love doesn't keep track of whose turn it is to pay for dinner. Love leads with forgiveness ... even before it knows if who is to blame or if they're sorry or not. Love doesn't keep score. Love would never embarrass you in front of your friends. Love protects your reputation. Love would never have a good laugh at your expense. Love is eager to make sacrifices for your pleasure.
And the definition continues: Love is willing to confront you when you're wrong and gently correct you ... but not in front of others. Love always believes in you and is always willing to give you second, third and fourth chances. Love picks up after itself and is never late for appointments. Love pays its bills on time and lives within its means. Love is generous to a fault. Love draws firm boundaries and is quick to discipline.
So you get the point here. Keep writing. Think of all the situations and relationships you've ever been in ... and apply the 1 Corinthians 13 definition of love to them. Then watch how it comes out. You'll see that love is not so hard to understand or figure out. It just isn't what comes natural to human beings. But it is what comes natural to spiritual beings. So in conclusion, love isn't human. Rather love is supernatural, divine, spiritual and descends from heaven.
A: I believe the reason that mankind - whether Christian or not - struggles so much with the definition of love is that love refuses to meet our expectations. The thing about love is that a lot of evil wants to come under the disguise of love. Take selfishness, for example. Often when someone tells you they're in love, they talk all about what the other means to them. Consider these statements common to someone talking about love:
"He makes me feel so ...."
"He treats me like ..."
"I get butterflies whenever I'm around her."
What's at the root of those statements? Me! Often we confuse love with being how we feel about someone or how we react to someone. That says nothing about them ... but quite a bit about us.
1 Corinthians 13 is the place to start for a timeless definition of love. The best way to understand it is to look at the character and nature of love as its defined here --- and then begin writing more statements. Suppose, for this exercise, that the Apostle Paul told you he'd written this much, and he asked you to keep writing 1 Corinthians 13. So you'd start writing, and it might look something like this:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love doesn't keep track of whose turn it is to pay for dinner. Love leads with forgiveness ... even before it knows if who is to blame or if they're sorry or not. Love doesn't keep score. Love would never embarrass you in front of your friends. Love protects your reputation. Love would never have a good laugh at your expense. Love is eager to make sacrifices for your pleasure.
And the definition continues: Love is willing to confront you when you're wrong and gently correct you ... but not in front of others. Love always believes in you and is always willing to give you second, third and fourth chances. Love picks up after itself and is never late for appointments. Love pays its bills on time and lives within its means. Love is generous to a fault. Love draws firm boundaries and is quick to discipline.
So you get the point here. Keep writing. Think of all the situations and relationships you've ever been in ... and apply the 1 Corinthians 13 definition of love to them. Then watch how it comes out. You'll see that love is not so hard to understand or figure out. It just isn't what comes natural to human beings. But it is what comes natural to spiritual beings. So in conclusion, love isn't human. Rather love is supernatural, divine, spiritual and descends from heaven.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Horse Heaven
Q: Do horses go to heaven?
A: No. Only people go to heaven. And even then, only the people who are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ go to heaven.
We always like our animals and like to think of dogs, cats or even horses as being with us in heaven. We're just certain that God is such a fan of them as we are. But consider that if horses went to heaven, so would feral hogs, skunks, goats and all sorts of critters. Heaven is for spiritual beings. Animals are not and have never been spiritual beings.
A: No. Only people go to heaven. And even then, only the people who are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ go to heaven.
We always like our animals and like to think of dogs, cats or even horses as being with us in heaven. We're just certain that God is such a fan of them as we are. But consider that if horses went to heaven, so would feral hogs, skunks, goats and all sorts of critters. Heaven is for spiritual beings. Animals are not and have never been spiritual beings.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Godly Sexuality
Dear Victorious,
I've seen you write in the past about "godly sexuality." Isn't that an oxymoron?
Sexual Being
Dear Sexual,
No, it isn't - unless you're just ignorant of God's intent with mankind. Remember that in Genesis we're told that God created mankind in His own image. God is not a man or a woman. He doesn't speak English or French. He isn't black or white. He has no sexuality. Rather God is a spiritual being.
So God created us as spiritual beings --- and then assigned physical bodies for each of us during our time on this earth. Those physical bodies are sexual beings (amongst other things). Their purpose is to serve us as we go about doing God's will. They were never meant to control or enslave us. To the extent that we are controlled by our sexuality ... it is a perversion of God's will for us.
So godly sexuality would be sexuality that is expressed in the context of our spiritual beings. That would mean it is first and foremost used to bring us together as spiritual beings. Our acts of sexual intercourse can help us celebrate the relationship. And when we celebrate the relationship through intercourse, a child born of true love and devotion comes forth. God is honored and we are blessed. It is His plan for our sexuality. It is godly sexuality. Any other form of sexuality is a perversion of what God intended.
I've seen you write in the past about "godly sexuality." Isn't that an oxymoron?
Sexual Being
Dear Sexual,
No, it isn't - unless you're just ignorant of God's intent with mankind. Remember that in Genesis we're told that God created mankind in His own image. God is not a man or a woman. He doesn't speak English or French. He isn't black or white. He has no sexuality. Rather God is a spiritual being.
So God created us as spiritual beings --- and then assigned physical bodies for each of us during our time on this earth. Those physical bodies are sexual beings (amongst other things). Their purpose is to serve us as we go about doing God's will. They were never meant to control or enslave us. To the extent that we are controlled by our sexuality ... it is a perversion of God's will for us.
So godly sexuality would be sexuality that is expressed in the context of our spiritual beings. That would mean it is first and foremost used to bring us together as spiritual beings. Our acts of sexual intercourse can help us celebrate the relationship. And when we celebrate the relationship through intercourse, a child born of true love and devotion comes forth. God is honored and we are blessed. It is His plan for our sexuality. It is godly sexuality. Any other form of sexuality is a perversion of what God intended.
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