What Does the Bible Say about Sexual Brokenness?

Understanding Sexual Brokenness

Sexual brokenness is a deeply personal and often painful experience that affects many people. It encompasses a range of issues, including sexual addiction, infidelity, abuse, and struggles with identity and orientation.

For those grappling with these challenges, the Bible offers profound wisdom, hope, and guidance. Understanding what the Bible says about sexual brokenness can provide a path toward healing and wholeness.

Biblical Foundation: Creation and the Original Design

The Bible begins with the creation story, where God establishes the foundation for human relationships and sexuality. In Genesis 1:27-28, we read:

“God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 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.'”

In the very first chapter of the Bible, we see that God designed humans to reflect His own image. He created them male and female, with the capacity for intimate, life-giving relationships. This original design includes the gift of sexuality, intended for the purpose of unity and procreation within the bounds of marriage.

The Fall and Its Consequences

Unfortunately, the harmony of God’s creation was disrupted by the fall of humanity.

Genesis 3 describes how Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought sin into the world, affecting all aspects of life, including sexuality.

This disruption introduced brokenness, shame, and distortion into human relationships. If we fast forward to Romans 1:24-27, the Apostle Paul elaborates on how turning away from God leads to various forms of sexual immorality:

“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator… For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another.”

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Scriptures on Sexual Brokenness

Old Testament Insights

Starting with the Old Testament we see numerous references to sexual behavior and its consequences.

Leviticus 18 provides detailed instructions about sexual conduct, prohibiting incest, adultery, and other forms of immorality. These laws were originally intended to set the Israelites apart and help them maintain the sanctity of their community.

Proverbs 5:3-5 warns against the allure of adultery:

“For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol.”

New Testament Teachings

The New Testament continues to address issues of sexual morality, emphasizing purity and honoring God with our bodies. In 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Paul writes:

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Jesus also speaks about sexual immorality in Matthew 5:27-28, extending the concept of adultery to include lustful thoughts:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing by Jay Stringer
A ground-breaking resource that explores the “why” behind self-destructive sexual choices. The book is based on research from over 3,800 men and women seeking freedom from unwanted sexual behavior – be it the use of pornography, an affair, or buying sex.

Healing and Redemption

God’s Plan for Restoration

Despite the rampant prevalence of sin, including sexual sin, the Bible offers a message of hope and redemption. God’s plan for restoration is evident throughout Scripture. Joel 2:25 promises:

“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten.”

This promise assures us that God can heal and restore what has been broken.

Stories of Redemption

The Bible is filled with stories of people who experienced God’s redemptive power. One such story is that of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:1-11. Jesus does not condemn her but offers her a chance for a new beginning.

The Pharisees (Bible scholars) brought this woman to Jesus for her to be stoned. Jesus asked them, ““Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” All of them left, starting with the oldest first. Then Jesus said:

“Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Similarly, the story of Rahab in Joshua 2 and Hebrews 11:31 shows how God can use those with a past marked by sexual immorality for His purposes when they turn to Him in faith.

Practical Steps for Overcoming Sexual Brokenness

Seeking God’s Forgiveness

The first step in overcoming sexual brokenness is seeking God’s forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 assures us of His willingness to forgive:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Community and Support

Healing often requires the support of a faith community. James 5:16 highlights the importance of confessing sins to one another and praying for each other:

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”

Joining a support group or seeking counseling within the church can provide accountability and encouragement.

Maintaining Purity

Finally, maintaining purity involves setting boundaries and renewing the mind with God’s Word. Psalm 119:9 asks, “How can a young man keep his way pure?” and answers, “By guarding it according to your word.” Philippians 4:8 encourages us to focus on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

The Medical Institute for Sexual Health
This organization provides guidance for establishing healthy sexuality through medically accurate, research-based materials and policy recommendations.

Final Thoughts

Hope and Encouragement

Sexual brokenness is a profound challenge, but the Bible provides a roadmap for healing and wholeness. God’s grace is sufficient, and His power to restore is limitless.

As we seek His forgiveness, embrace community support, and commit to a life of purity, we can experience the freedom and redemption that He promises. Let us hold on to the hope found in 2 Corinthians 5:17:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

In other words, without Christ we are all broken. Whether we are sexually broken or broken in other sins, we remain broken without the only one who can make us whole and new. We have hope if we call out to God, surrender our brokenness, and believe in Jesus, who came, died, and arose to defeat sin and death once and for all.