As we read through Genesis each morning with my family, I'm struck by the number of Bible stories that never make it to our Children's Sunday School class. I guess they've been marked "censored" due to their sexual content. And for good reason. These are stories you might only encounter in a Playboy magazine! Sexuality is described so candidly that a Viagra commercial looks like Skittles candy next to them.
Sex in Genesis. Click on any to read the entire account straight from the Bible.
- The first two people are part of the first nudist group.
- Noah plants a vineyard, gets drunk, falls asleep naked, and Noah's youngest son takes advantage of him in some way.
- Abram lies to Pharaoh about Sarai being his wife in order to save his own skin allowing him to take her as his own.
- Sarai encourages her husband, Abram to sleep with another woman.
- Circumcision is the sign of the Covenant
- Lot offers his daughters to the homosexual men of Sodom and Gomorrah.
- Dinah is raped; Her brothers take revenge on the Shechemites.
- Judah courts a lady of the evening and uncovers it's his daughter-in-law, Tamar
So, I'm thankful that my prepubescent children were not exposed to these stories when they were young, however, there does come a time when they should be discussed.
Our tweens and teens are bombarded with sexuality in today's culture. The message from Pop Culture is loud and clear: "Do what makes you feel good." But, is that the message from God?
Sex is good, don't get me wrong. God created sex. We are sexual beings. However, just like a raging river, sex becomes damaging and painful, if not experienced within Biblical boundaries. What feels good today, comes with dire consequences tomorrow. These Biblical stories are candid about sexuality; They are also candid about the consequences that follow unbounded sexual conduct.
Parents. Youth Leaders. Please take the time to read and discuss these stories with tweens and teens before our culture indoctrinates our young people into the world's way of thinking about sex. We cannot leave the responsibility up to schools, secular counselors, or the media. Negligence is not an option when it comes to this subject because if we don't teach on sexuality with a Biblical viewpoint, a God-less, Bible-less, moral-less society will fill in the void for us.
