The Love Study: Eros
“Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine; your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers.”
Song of Solomon 1:2-4
That passage is spicy, ain’t it? Just read the rest of the book!
Eros is a Greek term referring to the romantic or sexual corner of love. The specific Hebrew translation for love in these verses that I have discovered is Aheb, which is a romantic love. (I am under the impression that these terms are synonymous but, truthfully, there is more to uncover in the word Aheb for me and I will continue studying that specific word.)
God gave us a wonderful gift within the covenant of marriage!
“And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28
Not only did the Lord invite us in to the process of creating with Him by reproducing children, but even more, He allows for a husband and wife to enjoy that process which binds the couple closer to each other and Himself more and more through sexual intimacy.
It’s worth noting that even with such a blessing that there must be an element of effort. There is an initiative, the leap of faith or risk, submission, serving, compromise, communication, vulnerability, trust and commitment. Particularly as a newlywed couple, this requires training. I’d venture to argue that this would even require retraining as a couple grows, matures and change overtime.
What a reflection of constant surrender and devotion to someone! It’s no wonder that God would share such a thing that so closely reflects the intimate relationship between Himself and His beloved (that’s us, Christians!).
Sadly, this beautiful gift of God is often twisted and perverted into something that it was never intended to be because of sin. This gift came with very specific boundaries and guidelines.
“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18
“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Hebrews 13:4
“..if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.” Titus 1:6
“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” Genesis 2:18
(Please note the singular use of the word helper…. God made one wife for the one man and THAT was what the Lord deemed “suitable”.)
When sexuality is taken outside of these boundaries, there are brutal consequences. Sexual immorality causes traumatic ripples effects. Illness, heartache, apathy, rape, trafficking, homosexuality, promiscuity, gender confusion, unwanted pregnancies that yield abortions, broken families, orphaned children. All of this and more are a result of our fallen world and our disregard for the terms that the Lord has set in place for us.
In the Old Testament, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for their sexual immorality.
“Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.” Genesis 19:23-25
The devil himself awaits such a fate…
“and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10
This is no small matter. The gift of sexual intimacy and romantic love is a wondrous gift that receives beautiful attention in scripture! It is for the married husband and wife to enjoy to the fullest. Also, God is very clear that violating His boundaries and taking His gifts that are not for you will meet a terrible consequence. His wrath and judgement are righteous. Thankfully, His grace and abundant love are just as overwhelming and if you have let your guard down in regards to sexual purity in any way from thoughts to actions, please know that because of the blood of Jesus spilled on the cross, forgiveness is available to you! Restoration and deliverance can be yours if you will only reach out to the Savior of the world!
Fight for purity in your singleness. Fight for purity within the intimacy of your marriage, your faithfulness to each other and to God. Fight to uphold the word of the Lord. Live it and share it for He is worthy!