Sex and its definition are powerful, literally bringing life to individuals, marriages, and families. Meanwhile, false definitions of sex abound and lead individuals and society into incredible confusion and pain. Let’s look at popular definitions today and compare them with a definition of sex founded on biblical principles and consider why the difference matters.

The world says SEX is (1) Synonymous with gender, a social construct; a person’s subjective sense of their sexual identity, without regard to biology or anatomy. (2) The ultimate source of personal identity and meaning. (3) Any form of recreational sexual activity done to give pleasure.

Biblical principles teach us that SEX is (1) The God-created male-female division. (2) Sexual intercourse between a man and a woman; a comprehensive one-flesh union of heart, mind, spirit, and body, often bringing the gift of children. Sexual intercourse is a gift from God exclusively for the uniting of husband and wife in marriage.

Words and definitions matter because they shape the way we think and feel. These, in turn, determine our choices and actions, which shape the cultures we live in, for better or worse. One of the primary desires of the Sexual Revolution of the 1950s and '60s was to radically redefine the word sex. The Sexual Revolution has accomplished its goal of turning the word sex on its head. But ideas have consequences, and as we have seen over the last 60-plus years, everything these new definitions of sex touch has eventually led to despair and destruction. Why has this happened? Because once again, whenever humans try to take a God-given word and twist it to mean anything besides its original definition, we're simultaneously twisting ourselves away from God's perfect design for us. 

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• Find out more about the book by Scott David Allen, 10 Words to Heal Our Broken World: Restoring the True Meaning of Our Most Important Words at 10wordsbook.org.