S5, Ep. 4: It's All Good

Mandi shares a mind-blowing revelation about biblical celibacy that helped her see how God affirms marriage and sex. 

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Transcript

Mandi: Mandi A. here welcoming you to my podcast - Find Your Beautiful: Life Through the Eyes of a Christian Disabled Woman.  

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Mandi: I hope you were able to listen to last week's episode. If you haven't, I strongly encourage you to hit pause here, go listen, and then come back. As a quick summary, I touched on the fact that Eve, the first woman God created, was a suitable partner for Adam because of the things they had in common, not because of their gender and anatomical differences. I also highlighted the fact that what God says is not good in creation is that the man is alone. He does not say the man needs a sexual partner, but instead a partner, companionship from a being who shares his likeness. Practically speaking, Eve had to be a woman and had to have the ability to birth children. Based on God's design, she couldn't be a man or barren, just as Adam couldn't be sterile, in order for them to multiply, but again this is a practical matter, not a command for heterosexuality.

Additionally, I addressed biblical celibacy. To align with Jesus' view on celibacy, it cannot be mandated or forced upon someone. Celibacy is a spiritual gift that some people are granted. However, according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:9, "It is better to marry than to burn with passion." Today, I'm going to discuss the three doctrines I mentioned last week that celibacy is rooted in:

1. The goodness of Creation

2. The fact of the Incarnation

3. Future hope of the Resurrection

Understanding this really gave me a new view of celibacy and helped me understand it's place in God's Kingdom, while truly upholding the goodness of marriage. I hope you are enlightened as well.

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Mandi: While I have already shared how mandated celibacy does not align with biblical celibacy, the impact this mandate from non-affirming Christians has on the LGBTQIA* community extends much further than the difficulty of practicing abstinence. Many gay Christians find themselves at intense odds, even hatred, of their bodies because of their body's desire for sex. This mandate requires gay Christians to view their desires as inherently sinful. The bible relieves us of this notion that forbidding marriage, and therefore sex within marriage, is acceptable. 1 Timothy 4:1-5 says that false teachers' "consciences have been seared with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth." Mandated celibacy creates a tension with one's body and sexuality, often pushing people away from God and misunderstanding the goodness of the body, which God created. 

When God made Adam, he said that his creation was very good. This included Adam's body and his sexuality. The hatred of one's temporary spiritual temple does not align with God's ideal vision for us. God is clear about the goodness of the creation and the body, including sexuality, when he ends Genesis 1 stating, "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." However, many early Christians denounced marriage and believed that asceticism was the only way to be faithful to Christ. Despite the fact that this goes against the doctrine that Creation is good, it also devalues marriage. If you care to study this, you will see that by the second century, writers like Irenaeus condemned preachers against marriage and by the fourth century, it was accepted as Christian orthodoxy that the call to marriage was good and that being gifted with celibacy was an even greater calling. Celibacy is rooted in the goodness of Creation.

Celibacy is also rooted in the fact of the Incarnation. John 1:14 reads, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of truth and grace." The fact that God himself was born into a physical body further demonstrates the goodness of his creation of flesh. According to the Christian faith, when we die, our souls are separated from our bodies and we go to a temporary Heaven where our spirit waits for Jesus to return and create the New Earth, which is the ultimate Heaven. This is an extremely simplified version of this belief, but it is enough of a paraphrase for our purposes. The bible tells us that death is an enemy and it is the last enemy that will be defeated. This separation of spirit from soul is not a good thing and the bible tells us we will be given new bodies, just as Jesus was resurrected in a transformed physical body.

This leads to the third doctrine celibacy is rooted in, the hope of the resurrection. The bible says "death has lost its sting." Our ultimate home, as Christians, is the New Earth with eternal physical bodies, just as Jesus has. Romans 8 tells us that God will redeem all of creation and he will renew our bodies. Our hope is in Jesus who we already know has been resurrected and given an eternal physical form. 

Understanding these roots, I can now share the revelations that transformed my understanding of biblical celibacy.  The most important thing we learn about biblical marriage is that the union is a representation of Christ's relationship to the church. It is a temporary representation though, as the bible tells us that there will be no marriage in Heaven. You can find this in Matthew 22:22-23. Marriage is a temporary image of Christ's relationship with the church and here's the huge gamechanger, biblical celibacy, when done correctly, as a choice, is a representation of the fulfillment of marriage and sexuality. Author Matthew Vines says that according to John Paul II celibate Christians "should not reject his sexuality as something shameful. He should choose to orient it more directly toward his ultimate marriage to Christ." 

Biblical celibacy points to the fulfillment of Christ's union with the church. This purpose can only be achieved by accepting that celibacy is a gift from God that not everyone has. Biblical celibacy affirms the goodness of creation, including our bodies and sexuality. It affirms the goodness of marriage as part of God's creation. The non-affirming Christians' forced rule of celibacy on people with same-sex orientations undermines biblical celibacy by causing many gay Christians to hate their bodies, abstain from marriage, and view their sexual desires as inherently sinful. 

I have yet to discuss whether or not same-sex marriage can fulfill the meaning of Christian marriage, but I hope these last few episodes have at least opened your heart and mind to exploring Scripture further with me. 

    

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Mandi: If you listened all the way through, thank you! Whether you're listening to prove me wrong, or because you are seeking how you can reconcile your faith with affirmation of the LGBTQIA* community, I'm grateful for your time. 

If you find value in my podcast, please leave a review on my on my website at mandiboxbeauty.com. You can also connect with me on Instagram and Facebook at MandiBox Beauty. 

[Mandi voiceover to 'Compton' music]:  In next week's episode, I'll tell you the Truth of 2 Cities! ‘Til next time Beauties.