Everyone knows that God created us as sexual beings. We also
know that young people face tremendous pressures regarding sex. But
who explains how and when a young person can best awaken his or her
sexuality?
by David Treybig
Imagine that you and some of your friends have been invited to tour
a nuclear power plant. Shortly after you gather outside the plant's
entrance for your scheduled tour, an employee greets you and
explains that even though the official guide isn't available, all
of you are welcome to wander through the plant on your own. "Go
ahead and push any buttons you wish," says the employee. "After
all, experiential learning is fun and you'll be able to see
firsthand what happens as a result."
Without any protective gear or instruction, you and your friends
begin wandering around, pushing buttons and looking for fireworks.
Whoa! Stop this nightmare! No one in his or her right mind would
recommend this course of action. It's a recipe for disaster!
Ironically, this is the approach many have taken to sexual
education. Some mistakenly assume that young people should be free
to experiment with their sexuality whenever and however they would
like so they can develop their own ideas and perspective. Sadly,
it's like the imaginary nuclear power plant tour. Start pushing
buttons in a random fashion and it won't be long before you have a
nuclear disaster. Start experimenting with sex in a random fashion
without any instruction and you'll soon experience tragic
consequences that could include emotional pain, unwanted pregnancy
and even sterility or death from a sexually transmitted disease
(STD).
As young people, how we respond to our developing sexuality is one
of the most important decisions we will make. Choices made at this
time of life directly affect our future success, our health, our
marital happiness and even our relationships with God. Sex is thus
a critically important subject. And as we might expect, the Bible
is filled with instruction regarding this aspect of life.
As the Creator of sexuality in human beings, God is the One who has
all the answers. He knows how we were designed and how we can best
experience happiness in all areas of lifeincluding sex. Human
beings, by themselves and apart from God, don't have all these
facts.
God begins His instructions about sex in Genesis, the first book of
the Bible, and continues adding information all the way through the
concluding book of Revelation. Good and bad decisions in this area
are recorded in many of the other books, too.
So what are some of the important truths regarding sexuality? What
information do young people need to know so they can avoid
disasters and experience the happiness God intends for us to
enjoy?
