By: Allie Joy Hudson
3 min. read
Jesus and Sex
Jesus and His twelve disciples spent a whole lot of time walking together. As they moved across Israel preaching, teaching, and healing from city to city, I’m sure they all wore through some sandals. I love the image of Jesus walking, something so normal, so human, alongside a group of men and women that he cherished.
Jesus walked alongside of His disciples, and He lived His life with them. He shared joyous and painful moments with them. Jesus instructed, corrected, challenged, encouraged, and cared for these men. He made a group of twelve men into His first disciples. And while we might not be traversing Jerusalem on foot, He has called us to the same sort of relational way of life.
So, if we’re not walking around Jerusalem, what does that actually look like for us, and what does it have to do with our sex life?
What is Discipleship?
Oftentimes when we think of “making disciples,” our minds go to Jesus’ famous parting words to His followers in Matthew 28:19-20. He says, “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Growing up, when I heard these words, my mind always associated “making disciples” with evangelism – sharing the Gospel of Jesus with those who don’t believe in Him. This is crucial and is a major part of making disciples, but it isn’t the only part.
In fact, I think we miss out on something huge when we fail to see discipleship as more than evangelism. Discipleship looks like relationships that are ongoing, past the point of sharing Jesus with someone for the first time. It is a deep, continuous investment.
Jesus modeled discipleship for us with the twelve men He called. Discipleship is a call on our lives too, one that Jesus gives us the wisdom, grace, and fortitude to carry out.
Discipleship and Sex?
Making disciples has many different facets to it, things like accountability, encouragement, correction, and the like. It looks like going through life arm in arm with a fellow brother in Christ. And it most definitely applies to the arena of our sexual integrity.
You may ask, “What does discipleship have to do with helping me in my journey to honor God with my sex life?”. Everything. This is one of the most critical ways that we see victory. After a relationship with Jesus, we need each other to succeed. Community is key.
Throughout the course of this new series I’ll be working through, I’m going to unpack the connection between sexual integrity and discipleship in both practical and more abstract ways. I’m so excited to dive into this content with you, readers, and to grow alongside of you as we learn together.
Related: Does God Reject Me When I Fail at Lust?
Jesus’ Heart
Jesus commands us to make disciples. He says that it is not good for us to be alone. His desire is for us to obey Him and to see victory in our lives as we pursue sexual integrity.
These are good things that He wants for us. Let’s look to Him together as we seek after His heart for us.
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Allie Joy Hudson is first and foremost a daughter of the King. She has worked with Proven Men for two years and serves as the Content Manager. Allie graduated from Liberty University with a B.A. in English and minors in Spanish and Psychology. She completed her Senior Honors Thesis on the presentation of postmodern sexuality in short fiction. She enjoys reading, writing, playing the viola, running, singing, and photography. Allie is passionate about her ever-growing C.S. Lewis collection, cultivating relationships, and proclaiming truth in the twisted arena of postmodern sexuality. Allie lives in Pennsylvania and is overjoyed to be married to the love of her life.