Monday, November 14, 2005

Sexual Guilt

I taught my children that sexual attraction is natural and good. It is not lust and it is not sinful. I also cautioned them that such attraction is a powerful force that they must learn to master -- or it would master them.

I taught them the same about anger, coveting, etc.

It is tragic and sad that so many Christians burden themselves and their children with unnecessary guilt because of their misunderstanding about what Christ meant concerning "lust" and "if thine eye offend thee".

The goal is not to rid ourselves of our natural sexual desires. The goal is to master them and not let them cause harm to anyone (including ourselves).

The reason we beseech God to "lead us not into temptation" is not because temptation is a sin. God would not lead us into sin. It is because temptation is an occasion to sin -- and we don't need any more of those.

Christ did not set an example of doing something we CAN'T do (have no temptation). He set an example of something we CAN do -- master our temptations and not let them be an occasion to sin.

Be angry and sin not. Be sexually attracted to someone and sin not.

If only people could separate the sin from the temptation, a terrible burden of unwarranted guilt (and its sometimes tragic outcomes) could be lifted from their shoulders.

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