Calculating Sex

Calculating Sex

by Dean Ohlman

James 1:13-16

¹³ And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong,^{a]" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 0.5em; ">[a]} and he never tempts anyone else. ¹⁴ Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. ¹⁵ These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.¹⁶ So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.

Many years ago I was watching TV and came across a movie that had the feel of Dead Poet's Society. It featured older teens in separate boys' and girls' upscale prep schools. Since the movie was on a family channel and appeared to be about teen decision-making in sexual behavior, I stuck wit it-until its message became clear.

The plot of the movie was that peer pressure was pushing two virgin couples to yield to their sexual desires. And the "profound" message was that when you can't resist the lure of sex, be sure to use a condom. The " responsible" couple carefully planned their encounter- and required deceiving both sets of parents and their prep school deans. The "irresponsible" couple ended up having to make a decision about abortion.

The "responsible" young man sat down on the bed, took a condom out of his pocket, and reached to place it on the nightstand. But the nightstand already had something on it: a Gideon Bible. The movie director made sure the next movement was calculated. The boy stared at the Bible for a moment, then quickly shoved it into the drawer.

I've never seen a more poignantly illustrated, determined path toward sinful behavior. Even those who don't agree to biblical moral standards appear to have within them the understanding that the Bible is right: Sex outside the bonds of marriage is wrong. The determination to indulge in sexual sin is ultimately as calculated as the determination to remain sexually pure.

How about you? Are you calculating sex by your peers' opinions or by God's standards?