The Novelty of Nudity
When I became a parent, I determined I would not raise children who would be ashamed of their bodies. Modesty, privacy, and self-respect were qualities I wanted to pass on to [...]
sin
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Summary
In Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, he offers a lot of tough but encouraging words of instruction regarding how to live life. Within these few chapters, he [...]
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Effeminate (malakos)
The word malakos in 1 Corinthians 6:9 is one of the more difficult to translate on the list. The NASB and KJV use “effeminate” while the NIV offers “male [...]
Home Grown – The Christian Couple’s Sex Tape
Is it wrong for Christians to make a homemade sex tape? The short answer is no, but the long answer requires some vital considerations. First, why do you want to make it? And [...]
Is Cross-Dressing Sinful?
I was nervous. It was a first of many things. My first major project of my senior English class, my first time trying to teach anything on literature, my first serious tease [...]
5 Mandates for Marital Masturbation
While the Bible doesn’t seem to address the topic of masturbation clearly, the very nature of masturbation makes it dangerous territory for a married Christian. [...]
Procreation, Not Recreation – Is Sex for Procreation Only?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reads, “A child does not come from outside as something added on to the mutual love of the spouses, but springs from the [...]
Defense against Offense – Scripture on Offending Others
For years, I was taught offending other people is sinful, citing verses like Romans 14:21 and 2 Corinthians 6:3. I learned Christians are supposed to be each others' morality police; if the herd says we should or shouldn't do something because they like it or don't, we should obey so we do not sin by offending their sensibilities. [...]
Is Porn Sinful?
As I’ve indicated on many subjects, I’m fairly liberal in my stance on sex in marriage. There are some immovable lines that cannot be crossed such as adultery, [...]
Confronting Boundaries — Part 2
I take a systematic, methodical approach when confronting boundaries (or assessing any potential truth) because it produces reliable results. I've adapted John Wesley's quadrilateral to this task, since my personal boundaries are essentially doctrine or truth applied to me personally. [...]
Confronting Boundaries — Part 1
I recently wrote about my recognition that some boundaries aren’t as universally absolute as some Christians believe. Murder is wrong across the board, but can the same [...]
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Fornicators (pornos)
The first word Paul uses in his 1 Corinthians 6:9 list of kingdom-noninheritors is pornos, a word translated as “fornicators” in the NASB and KJV and as the [...]
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Homosexuals (arsenokoitēs)
We’ve covered pornos (fornicators), eidōlolatrēs (idolaters), moichos (adulterers), and the precise but hard-to-express malakos (effeminate). Paul’s [...]
S&M: Sinister & Malignant or Sexy & Mysterious – Part 2
We’re considering the viability of sadism and masochism (commonly referred to as S&M) in a Christian marriage. The prospect is daunting — after all, the whole [...]
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Idolaters (eidōlolatrēs)
Idolatry. The word just sounds rustic. Ancient. It brings to mind images of giant golden statues of animals surrounded by people in robes and other period attire. It [...]
Is it a Sin to Be Naked?
It always stuck with me how Adam and Eve strolled through the Garden of Eden stark naked in the presence of God. They had no shame and therefore nothing to be ashamed of. If [...]
To Drink or Not to Drink
We’ve covered all sorts of topics here, from the general site motif of sexuality to the entertainment value of foam weaponry. Christian life is far from boring, and [...]
Adultery with Your Wife
Prior to writing the Latin Vulgate, St. Jerome was so haunted by sexual fantasies of “bands of dancing girls” he was unable to quench his own “fires of [...]
On the Boundaries of Sin
The nonbeliever often perceives Christianity as being a set of arbitrary rules and regulations to follow in order to meet some equally arbitrary goal that permits some reward called "heaven" after one's death. The mature believer, apart from knowing no obedience to a set of rules (arbitrary or not) is sufficient for heavenly rewards, recognizes the Law of God to be not arbitrary at all. Rather, His rules are for our best interests. [...]
Rearing Familiarity
Last week, I posted about my prior soul (and Bible and lots of other) searching about strategically raising children who don’t enter adulthood weighed down by body [...]