Yes, folks: God made sex ...

And the more we try to separate our Creator from our God-given desires, the worse off we are. No, I am not an expert in religion. I graduated from a Church of Christ/Christian university in Nashville and am proud of my legacy at Lipscomb.  

I sat in an academic Bible class most every day of my college career. I have taught Bible classes now and again through the years and know a lot about the Bible. I am active in my current Sunday school class at Woodmont Hills Church.

But to say that I know everything about God's teaching on sex would be a stretch. But it's also not necessary to qualify me to publish this blog/magazine.

I practice daily in the Juvenile Court for Davidson County. So I regularly see the dark, sinister side of love relationships. 

When I was growing up, divorce was heavily frowned upon in my church. Shamed. Preached against as adultery. Is divorce good? Certainly not. But, as I know first hand, the legal process now protects both spouses from economic hardship. Back in the Bible times, there was no such protection. 

So divorce is certainly bad. But is all divorce adultery? I don't think so.

Is marriage used to control another person? I definitely think it is. And I believe God would want a spouse to exit a miserable marriage rather than to stay in just to avoid adultery.

Have I read what the New Testament teaches about sexual immorality? Many times over. Is getting married at an early age and staying true to your spouse the best way to go? You bet. Is everyone able to do this? I am a case in point: No. Not everyone is able to find a spouse at an early age. The reasons for this can be quite complex. Not everyone needs to find a spouse at an early age. Some people are not able to attract a good person at an early age. Again, this is complex and beyond the scope of this blog post.

The real problems with sex and society lie not in the lust of the heart but in the jealousy that emanates from our minds. If I notice that a married woman is beautiful, have I committed adultery in my heart? No. But if I selfishly wish that her marriage would end or that she would leave her husband for me, it is sinful. The two emotional states I have described are very different things.

The ultimate point of Cloud Nine Higher is not to force you to a conclusion. It is to make you think. As much as I have read and studied the Bible since childhood, I constantly am learning more and growing more in my spiritual life. It is the way God wants us to be.

Jesus said, "Whoever is not against us is for us." (Mark 9:40). We can be united in philosophy and spirit while disagreeing respectfully over some of the details. We are a diverse society, and God realizes this. God has ideals and standards, and may we forever strive to reach them.

But let us also realize that we are far from perfect and that no two of us are exactly the same.

James A. Rose

Publisher