God, You, & Sex

A Profound Mystery

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Pub Date 30 Sep 2019 | Archive Date 16 Dec 2019

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Description

In this important and engaging biblical teaching on sexuality, David White helps readers develop a Scripture-based perspective on human sexuality that goes beyond “just wait until you’re married.” God, You, & Sex doesn’t sidestep the sexual revolution that has finally come to bitter fruition in teen and young adult “hookup” culture. In the face of these messages and the pervasiveness of sexual temptation, White helps men and women find compelling reasons to obey God with their sexuality. This book addresses how the church has made sex more important than God ever intended. By establishing a positive theology of sex from Scripture, White ultimately points to Christ as the Bridegroom and sheds light on broken sexuality, pornography, same-sex marriage, sex outside of marriage, and other relevant topics.


AUTHOR

David White, MDiv, is the author of Sexual Sanity for Men: Re-Creating Your Mind in a Crazy Culture and God, You, & Sex: A Profound Mystery.  He served at Harvest USA for nineteen years, helping hundreds overcome sexual sin, developing curricula, supervising staff, and teaching in churches nationally on sexual issues. He is a graduate of Temple University and Westminster Theological Seminary and is a pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America. David is married to Jennifer, and they are blessed with four children.

Harvest USA is a non-profit that has been ministering to individuals and families affected by sexual struggles since 1983. With over 100 years of combined direct ministry experience, Harvest USA staff also seek to equip the Church with their writing and teaching on biblical sexuality and how to help those who struggle sexually.

In this important and engaging biblical teaching on sexuality, David White helps readers develop a Scripture-based perspective on human sexuality that goes beyond “just wait until you’re married.”...


Advance Praise

“The church is not only reticent to talk about sex, but it has lacked a positive view of sexuality. In a book rich with Biblical insight and personal testimony David White not only talks openly about sex but gives us a rich, positive vision of sexual intimacy. Neither is David shy about tackling tough issues head on. I especially hope that pastors and Christian leaders take this book to heart.”

- Paul E. Miller, Executive Director, seeJesus; best-selling author of several books, including J-Curve: Dying and Rising with Jesus in Everyday Life.


“In our sex-saturated world, we need more books articulating God’s beautiful purpose and intent for sex. David White has produced such a book. From his time at Harvest USA, he has seen firsthand the tragic fallout of sexual sin in the lives of men and women. But God’s intent for sex is good and beautiful, enjoyed in the context of marriage between a man and a woman. White invites you to know God deeper and points us to the ultimate wedding with Jesus as the church’s Savior Bridegroom.”

- Christopher Yuan, Speaker; author of Holy Sexuality and the Gospel: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story and Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God, A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope


“For a Christian to proclaim that ‘Sex is good’ without shame or embarrassment seems counterintuitive for many people. However, David White proclaims just that in this excellent resource providing a theology of the purity and goodness of sex in the life of the Christian. His work serves as a reminder that the good gifts of God are to be enjoyed in light of their ultimate end: deeper unity with our Creator.”

- Andrew T. Walker, Senior Fellow in Christian Ethics with The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission; assistant professor of Christian Ethics and Apologetics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary


“Most of us are interested in sex; our reasons vary. Somehow, David has written a book that speaks to us all. I guess it helps that he is so open with his own life, has had so many conversations about every sexual question imaginable, has helped so many, and understands the difficult texts in Scripture. He writes as a guide, pastor, and friend.”

- Ed Welch, Faculty and counselor, CCEF; author of A Small Book for the Anxious Heart


“In the crowded genre of Christian books on sexuality, God, Sex, & You is a standout. It is a refreshing correction to the error of moralistic approaches to sexuality and is firmly gospel-centered. It is more than a book refuting sexual brokenness in its many forms, this is a positive and robust biblical view of God’s goodness in biblical sexuality that is all about the Christian’s union with Christ.”

- Melanie Cogdill, Managing Editor, Christian Research Journal


“A model of speaking the truth in love, God, You, & Sex: A Profound Mystery puts sexuality in its rewarding biblical, theological, and covenantal context. When David White exposes ‘image-bearing sexuality,’ he puts to bed stubborn distortions—from prudishness to perversions to promiscuity. A student of Scripture and seasoned counselor, he doesn’t just tell us that sexuality is a divine gift, he shows us vividly and compellingly how that is so and why it matters. God created sexuality for his glory and our good, and we must think his thoughts after him about it. With clarity, conviction, and compassion, White masterfully guides us to do just that.”

- David B. Garner, Dean of Faculty and Vice President of Global Ministries, Westminster Theological Seminary

“The church is not only reticent to talk about sex, but it has lacked a positive view of sexuality. In a book rich with Biblical insight and personal testimony David White not only talks openly about...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9781948130752
PRICE $17.99 (USD)

Average rating from 6 members


Featured Reviews

I requested this book not knowing what to expect. I'd never read a Christian book on sex before - except for the chapter or two dealing with sex in all the marriage books I read-. The first chapter I read was chapter 11, "parenting challenges and opportunities" because I have two teenage boys and a preteen daughter. Conversations about sex, as David White says, are awkward, but they are necessary. I found that chapter to be very good, and although we may not agree on every point, we definitely agree that our teenagers need to understand why it's so important to protect their sexuality.

I like White's straightforward yet very kind and gentle tone. He is a man who has experienced pain, so he calls his readers to treat others with compassion; the way Jesus treated people.
This book is about much more than sex, though. Chapter 12, Biblical sexuality in public, is a call to not be afraid to explain our understanding of sex as God created it, but also, to love people we disagree with and not to judge their sexual brokenness. We're all sinners. I appreciated that chapter!
In the final chapter, after reminding the reader that sex is a temporary thing that is confined to our experience of life on this earth, he does a wonderful job in his writing about the new earth as something so much more real and more true.
I will look out for a copy of this book to have on hand. I recommend it to pastors, youth pastors and parents alike.

With thanks to New Growth Press and Netgalley for the digital reviewer copy.

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David White explores sex from a Biblical perspective, addressing it theologically, relationally, socially, and so on. This is not a how-to book, but an exploration of the deeper meaning of sex as God intended it, specifically as it relates to Christ and the church.

I do not consider myself that old, but as a never-married woman in my upper 30s who remains committed to abstinence before marriage, I do not have many peers. I was drawn to this book because I have been increasingly aware of my own sexual brokenness in recent years—single sexuality a very difficult thing, especially as hormones change and the biological clock starts ticking. I want to honor God in this, and while I have zero desire to change my beliefs, I have every desire for a marriage that includes intimacy in every form.

When I took a look at the Introduction through Amazon's Look Inside feature and saw that the author has a heart for singles, and is "most eager for you to read this and be encouraged by God's heart for you," I was all in. I can only address this book from my own perspective, but I found the author compassionate, sensitive, and vulnerable in sharing from his experience, both from his personal life as well as his career as a pastor and counselor.

I appreciated the care he took in presenting such an important issue from a Biblical worldview. Not everything will be what people want to hear, but he speaks with grace and love. While I am not sure I agreed with his every theological point when it comes to sex, overall this is a book I would not hesitate to recommend for someone interested in learning more about these issues, or even just how to speak about them to a world with such different sexual ethics. I found I got more out of the book the further into it I delved, with the last chapter being especially encouraging.

Thank you to Read With Audra and New Growth Press for my copy of the book. All opinions in this review are my own.

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So, what is at heart of the marriage union? The single image of God separated into the two sexes is reunited in the physical union powerful enough to create life. "It is the union of two persons who originally were one, were then separated from each other, and now in the sexual encounter of marriage come together again". And it is because God has reunited what was once separated that Jesus commands us to honor marriage: "What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder.

Sex is about God- I think that line is the thread of this text and because of that, it becomes about worship. We are made in the image of God, made for His glory and ultimately for our good. Even in Christian circles, sex is misunderstood and thus used as a weapon. We are sexual beings, however, any good thing can be used to destroy the very thing that it was created for. Each 13 chapters gives you deeper understanding of not only sex but about worship.

1) Sex and God
2) God as our Lover
3) The Profound Mystery of Sex
4) Sexual Pleasure reveals a God of Delight
5) Sex in Relationship
6) Sex is about Serving Each Other
7) Guarding the Gift
8) Single Sexuality
9)Sex in a Broken World
10) Sex against God's Design
11) Parenting Challenges and Opportunities
12) Biblical Sexuality in Public
13) Sex and Eternal Hope

Sex is a beautiful gift to us from the creator but it is a gift that has given the world so much misunderstanding. Sex is more than pleasure, there is a deeper level that brings life to the soul. Highly recommend for anyone who wants more for their marriage, more for their single life, and more for the Gospel of Christ.

A Special Thank You to New Growth Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

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In our current age, this Title is a welcome one.

When it comes to sexual intimacy and relationships the Bible is not prudish. However the Bible does have a high bar and ethic when it comes to such matters.

David White has given not only the church, but I believe society at large should they wish to pick this book up, a great resource.

His arguments are scripturally grounded, with the addition of personal anecdote. The book is not prescriptive or formulaic to the point of crassness as some books are, but addresses the subject maturely, scripturally, and sensitively.

Being well grounded, White also wants readers to see the deeper meaning behind our sexuality.

This was a good book to read on the subject and one that folk should have the openness to engage with.

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