Christian Womanhood

Divine Intimacy (Part Three)

by Dr. Jack Schaap

Pastor, First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana

In the May and June 2006 issues of Christian Womanhood, the first two points of divine intimacy were addressed. For every physical aspect of life, there is a corresponding spiritual truth that fits with what is or will be a part of our lives. Physical romance is a symbol of the union of intimacy between God and man.

1. Romantic love represents an intimate union between God and man.

2. Because physical romance is a symbol of intimacy between God and man, it is allowed only within the bonds of marriage.

3. There is a symbolic intimacy that a Christian should have with God’s Word. Several reasons exist for this intimacy. Real marital intimacy is based upon the integrity of the Christian’s words—the truthfulness of his words—and the couple’s ability to communicate together. A couple will have good intimacy to the degree that they can talk. Couples who communicate well with words usually enjoy wonderful intimate lives.

In the world, sex becomes the only language people know. Couples have a first date, and even though they barely know each other’s names, in that same evening they go to bed together. Physical romance is like binge eating—there’s no flavor or tasting—just indulging. Society has gotten to the point where the intimate marital relationship is so misrepresented that when a person gets angry at another person, he uses a hand gesture which says, “I would like to have the most intimate, sacred union possible with you.” Go figure out that one!

Because Satan does not want people to have intimacy with God, he has found a way to take the most sacred and intimate of all unions and make it into the dirtiest of words. Dirty words with sexual connotations are blasphemous because they defy the intimacy the Christian has through the Lord Jesus Christ. That is also why the word “sex” is so sacred and why it should not bear the brunt of crude jokes.

The decline of the true Word of God can be paralleled with the introduction of multiple versions of the Word of God just as society has allowed sexuality to wane into wantonness and perversion. As the world perverts the intimate marital relationship, it also perverts the Word of God. Sexuality and integrity of words cannot be separated.

Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.…” The loins are the moral portion of the body—the sexual, reproductive area. God said the way to guard that area is with truth. The Bible says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) A person will have a more enjoyable intimate life to the degree that he has a better relationship with the Word of God. The aforementioned statement would be unpopular with the world, but one that is certainly accurate and very endorsed by God.

A Christian who is having trouble with his romantic love life must get in the Word of God and love the Word of God. As a person loves the Bible, he understands more fully what it means to give trust and the expression of trust to the one he loves the most. The Author of the Bible is the most intimate person in my life. On a physical realm, my wife is the most intimate partner I have. I cannot separate the two.

4. Physical love is the fullest expression of Spirit fullness. Galatians 5:17, 18 says, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Paul continues in verses 19-21 to list the works of the flesh. The first four works of the flesh are all sexual: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness.

Adultery is sexual perversion with another partner outside the bonds of marriage. Fornication is any sexual perversion. Pornography, homosexuality, and lesbianism are all fornication. It is a broad term for any sexual sins. Lasciviousness is sexual perversion in the mind—fantasies, trying to be intimate without obedience.

Anything that attacks Christ and Calvary is a blasphemous attack against the very intimacy of God. The sin that people commit that symbolizes their blasphemous attack of Christ more than any sin is sexual perversion. Sex is intended to symbolize the union between man and the Saviour.

Galatians 5:22 says that the first fruit of the Spirit is “love.” The first four works of the flesh attack the first fruit of the Spirit—love. Any time a person commits sexual deviancy, he is saying, “I want a replacement for the fullness of the Holy Spirit.” I can either have the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the power He gives me along with the fruit of the Spirit, or I am saying, “I don’t need the Spirit of God to give me those things. I can do them myself.”

Laws exist against some sexual sins, but there are no laws about loving too much. There is no law that says that a husband and wife can love too much. How often is normal for a couple to have romantic love? As often as the two of them want! Afterward, there is no guilt or remorse or regrets—only a beautiful, shared intimacy. Therefore, just as a husband and his wife desire to express their love and reveal their innermost feelings in a tangible, physical way, so the Christian should employ diligence to make God feel loved in tangible ways. So few Christians work at expressing their love to God that He certainly must be thrilled when a Christian labors to express his love to his God. How much can a Christian love God? As much as He wants!

Additional Resources: Marriage: the Divine Intimacy by Dr. Jack Schaap


		Divine Intimacy (Part Three) by Dr. Jack Schaap Pastor, First Baptist Church, Hammond, Indiana In the May and June 2006 issues of Christian Womanhood, the first two points of divine intimacy were addressed. For every physical aspect of life, there is a corresponding spiritual truth that fits with what is or will be a part of our lives. Physical romance is a symbol of the union of intimacy between God and man. 1. Romantic love represents an intimate union between God and man. 2. Because physical romance is a symbol of intimacy between God and man, it is allowed only within the bonds of marriage. 3. There is a symbolic intimacy that a Christian should have with God’s Word. Several reasons exist for this intimacy. Real marital intimacy is based upon the integrity of the Christian’s words—the truthfulness of his words—and the couple’s ability to communicate together. A couple will have good intimacy to the degree that they can talk. Couples who communicate well with words usually enjoy wonderful intimate lives. In the world, sex becomes the only language people know. Couples have a first date, and even though they barely know each other’s names, in that same evening they go to bed together. Physical romance is like binge eating—there’s no flavor or tasting—just indulging. Society has gotten to the point where the intimate marital relationship is so misrepresented that when a person gets angry at another person, he uses a hand gesture which says, “I would like to have the most intimate, sacred union possible with you.” Go figure out that one! Because Satan does not want people to have intimacy with God, he has found a way to take the most sacred and intimate of all unions and make it into the dirtiest of words. Dirty words with sexual connotations are blasphemous because they defy the intimacy the Christian has through the Lord Jesus Christ. That is also why the word “sex” is so sacred and why it should not bear the brunt of crude jokes. The decline of the true Word of God can be paralleled with the introduction of multiple versions of the Word of God just as society has allowed sexuality to wane into wantonness and perversion. As the world perverts the intimate marital relationship, it also perverts the Word of God. Sexuality and integrity of words cannot be separated. Ephesians 6:14 says, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.…” The loins are the moral portion of the body—the sexual, reproductive area. God said the way to guard that area is with truth. The Bible says, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) A person will have a more enjoyable intimate life to the degree that he has a better relationship with the Word of God. The aforementioned statement would be unpopular with the world, but one that is certainly accurate and very endorsed by God. A Christian who is having trouble with his romantic love life must get in the Word of God and love the Word of God. As a person loves the Bible, he understands more fully what it means to give trust and the expression of trust to the one he loves the most. The Author of the Bible is the most intimate person in my life. On a physical realm, my wife is the most intimate partner I have. I cannot separate the two. 4. Physical love is the fullest expression of Spirit fullness. Galatians 5:17, 18 says, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Paul continues in verses 19-21 to list the works of the flesh. The first four works of the flesh are all sexual: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. Adultery is sexual perversion with another partner outside the bonds of marriage. Fornication is any sexual perversion. Pornography, homosexuality, and lesbianism are all fornication. It is a broad term for any sexual sins. Lasciviousness is sexual perversion in the mind—fantasies, trying to be intimate without obedience. Anything that attacks Christ and Calvary is a blasphemous attack against the very intimacy of God. The sin that people commit that symbolizes their blasphemous attack of Christ more than any sin is sexual perversion. Sex is intended to symbolize the union between man and the Saviour. Galatians 5:22 says that the first fruit of the Spirit is “love.” The first four works of the flesh attack the first fruit of the Spirit—love. Any time a person commits sexual deviancy, he is saying, “I want a replacement for the fullness of the Holy Spirit.” I can either have the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the power He gives me along with the fruit of the Spirit, or I am saying, “I don’t need the Spirit of God to give me those things. I can do them myself.” Laws exist against some sexual sins, but there are no laws about loving too much. There is no law that says that a husband and wife can love too much. How often is normal for a couple to have romantic love? As often as the two of them want! Afterward, there is no guilt or remorse or regrets—only a beautiful, shared intimacy. Therefore, just as a husband and his wife desire to express their love and reveal their innermost feelings in a tangible, physical way, so the Christian should employ diligence to make God feel loved in tangible ways. So few Christians work at expressing their love to God that He certainly must be thrilled when a Christian labors to express his love to his God. How much can a Christian love God? As much as He wants! Additional Resources: Marriage: the Divine Intimacy by Dr. Jack Schaap