love...and the woman

When God created Adam and Eve, scripture tells us that they were "naked and not ashamed". This speaks of total intimacy - transparency of heart, soul, and body. Perhaps another word to describe this intimacy would be love. From this basis of love, healthy sexuality results. It was the way God intended it to be - intimacy - spiritual, emotional, and physical love that led to life and fruitfulness.

The prostitute offers sexuality, a quick gratification of immediate desires. However, emotional and spiritual intimacy are missing from the equation. It is not love, rather it is a cheap substitute of God's plan. In my interaction with men who have ceased battling sexual temptations and given themselves over to the sin, I have noticed a common theme. To a man, they have become foolish, unable to discern wisely about the issues of life. They become consumed by the woman and what she can do for them.

And so it is with those who choose the bed of the woman spoken of in the book of Revelation. While there may be activities that would seem to indicate that love exists, the reality of the situation is that the genuine love for people is non-existant. Jesus said that because of lawlessness, the love of many would grow could. Lawlessness is simply anything that is done outside of God's parameters.

When we heed the subtle whispers of woman and choose her bed, we depart from the ways of God - lawlessness. As such, we become loveless. We adopt the characteristics of the woman instead of having the mind of Christ. Our "love" becomes cold toward those whom Christ loves; our focus becomes the woman and the gratification she offers.