Theology of Sex | Q & A Part 1

During the Q & A session at our Downtown church this past Sunday, we answered the following question:

“When Jesus came he kinda did away with our ties to legalism and the old law. How did that not include homosexuality? I'm not bound by the Old Testament dietary restrictions- how is homosexuality different?”

One of our pastors, Allen Tipping, did a great job quickly answering the question by discussing the different types of the law and how Christians interact with each of those types of the law in light of the gospel. The ceremonial or clean laws as well as the sacrificial laws have been so absolutely fulfilled in the sacrificial atonement that Jesus offers us as a free gift in the cross, that we don’t abide by these parts of the law anymore. We honor their essence by symbolically remembering Jesus’ sacrifice and expiation (washing that he gives to us) by taking communion.

The moral law is different in that, while it also has been fulfilled completely by Jesus, the moral law has other purposes than just foreshadowing how Jesus would die to cleanse us. It also helps to restrain sin, expose our sin, and leads us to our need for Jesus. And even when we know Jesus, the moral law continues to guide us in the paths of righteousness. When we know we are saved by grace, the moral law becomes a joy and a delight that leads us into the fullness of how God designed humans to live in order to maximize human flourishing.

We also told you that we wanted to make two sermons we’ve done in the past easily available. We think these sermons will help you think more deeply on these issues.

Curses and the Cross (from the Galatians: Religion Ruins Everything series). The specifically helpful portion of this sermon for this question starts around 34 minutes, but if you have time to listen to the whole thing it will give you more context.

Gospel and Homosexuality (Standalone sermon)

Bonus sermon if you’re extra motivated.

The Purpose of the Law (from the Galatians: Religion Ruins Everything series.)

You can view or listen to the entire Q & A session below. You can text any questions you may have about the series, sex, or gender to 91011 with the keyword DOWNTOWN. 


Theology of Sex

There’s no shortage of oversimplified narratives about gender, sexuality, and marriage. These days it seems that everyone’s opinion is the right one and if you don’t share that opinion, you’re the enemy. But what is actually true? What do we do when confronted with difficult questions and even more difficult situations? How do we love our neighbor without compromising what is true? For something as complex as gender and sexuality, we need something far bigger. Far richer. Far more nuanced. We need a theology of sex. 

This series spends seven weeks unpacking God’s design for gender and sexuality in an effort to understand ourselves, love our neighbor, and live out our mission.

Week-by-Week

Life, Liberty, & the Pursuit of Romance
January 17
As Americans we are convinced that the point of life is happiness. Through movies, advertising, and music our culture has told us that the primary avenue to happiness is romance. But what if happiness is too small of a goal? What do we do when both happiness and romance fail us? 

Gender, Bigfoot, & Leprechauns
January 24
The idea that gender is a made-up social construct is gaining widespread acceptance. But is that the most helpful conclusion? Does the idea of gender need be thrown out and left behind, or just seen with new lenses?

Do You Even Know How to Sports, Bro?
January 31
We all know the stereotype: the sports-loving, beer-drinking, thick-skinned man. But what about the rest of us? In a world where men are judged on whether or not they can throw a perfect spiral, what is masculinity actually about? What if being a man has little to do with how often you go hunting?

Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice?
February 7
Our culture puts an immense amount of pressure on women. So many women are crushed by the weight of having a perfect body, perfect kids, and perfect relationships. But is that really what it means to be a woman? What if femininity has nothing to do with wearing a dress?

American Marriage v. Covenant Marriage
February 14
Most people would say marriage is “an expression of love.” And for some people, it is. But it sure does feel like more than that. The emotional weight, the complexity, the permanence–is that proof that it stands for something more? 

Consumeristic Sexual Individualism
February 21
What is the purpose of sex? Should it be casual and convenient? Apocalyptic and ultimate? Or something different altogether? Is sex an appetite we satisfy, or a gift we enjoy?

Hate-Filled Bigots & Hospitality
February 28
The Church has gained a reputation over the years as being intolerant, closed-minded, and bigoted. And to be honest, some of it is probably deserved. But what if there was a way to believe faithfully while still loving extravagantly? What if Christians were better known for the openness of their homes than the slogans of their picket signs?

Join us on Sundays

Join us for this series at one of our Sunday Gatherings. Find out more:

Listen to Sermons

Listen to sermons from the series.                             

Text in Your Questions

If you have any questions you'd like answered during the series, we'd love for you to text them in. We'll do live Q&A a couple times during the series using questions you submitted.

how to do it:

Just text our church's name (Downtown), followed by your question to 91011.

Study Guide

To accompany this series, we've offered a weekly study guide to help facilitate discussion in your LifeGroup. 

1800 Blanding Street

Columbia, SC