{"id":303161,"date":"2014-08-18T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-08-18T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/%series%\/gods-purpose-for-sexuality\/"},"modified":"2014-08-18T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2014-08-18T15:00:00","slug":"gods-purpose-for-sexuality","status":"publish","type":"podcast","link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/gods-purpose-for-sexuality\/","title":{"rendered":"God&#8217;s Purpose for Sexuality"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is God&#8217;s purpose for sexuality? Denny Burk unpacks Genesis Chapter 1 to discover God&#8217;s purpose in designing males and females in His image.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":294104,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/web.familylifetoday.com\/fl2014-08-18.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:","filesize":"25.55M","filesize_raw":"26795333","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"categories":[2088,2815],"tags":[5397,5396,5398,5399],"podcast_series":[8032],"cwp_profile":[9352],"series":[2101],"class_list":["post-303161","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-romance-and-sex","category-sexual-wholeness","tag-biblical-purpose","tag-purpose-of-sex","tag-reflection-of-god","tag-theology","podcast_series-what-is-the-meaning-of-sex","cwp_profile-denny-burk","series-familylife-today"],"acf":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg?w=508","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2023\/02\/image-scaled.jpg","download_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-download\/303161\/gods-purpose-for-sexuality","player_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast-player\/303161\/gods-purpose-for-sexuality","audio_player":null,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"light","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/familylife-today\/id212174303?mt=2&app=podcast","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0j5UaKdQOHQCuo1bt0ebEm","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/feed\/podcast\/familylife-today","embedCode":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"cWueeN5VCR\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/gods-purpose-for-sexuality\/\">God&#8217;s Purpose for Sexuality<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/podcast\/familylife-today\/gods-purpose-for-sexuality\/embed\/#?secret=cWueeN5VCR\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" title=\"&#8220;God&#8217;s Purpose for Sexuality&#8221; &#8212; FamilyLife\u00ae - A Cru Ministry\" data-secret=\"cWueeN5VCR\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1001\/2024\/09\/FLT-Podcast-Cover-2-508x508-3.jpg",508,508,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"kfairris@familylife.com","author_link":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/author\/kfairrisfamilylife-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"What is God's purpose for sexuality? Denny Burk unpacks Genesis Chapter 1 to discover God's purpose in designing males and females in His image.","meta_box":{"show_notes":"","transcript_url":"https:\/\/transcript.familylifetoday.com\/fl2014-08-18.pdf","transcript_content":"<strong>Bob: <\/strong>In spite of what the culture is telling us, understanding that God created us male and female, with a purpose in mind, really does matter. Author, Denny Burk, says we need to embrace God\u2019s design for gender.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> How is this working out for us\u2014to have a generation of young men who view women as sexual objects? Who view their role more as a taker than as a giver? This has a profound effect on who we are, as not just individuals, but as a society. I think that it actually benefits us to have strong families\u2014to have men who know how to be men\u2014who know how to be self-sacrificial because they\u2019ve learned that, growing up.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> This is <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> for Monday, August 18<sup>th<\/sup>. Our host is the President of FamilyLife<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>, Dennis Rainey, and I\u2019m Bob Lepine. We are wading into some counter-cultural currents today as we talk about human sexuality and about gender with Denny Burk. Stay tuned.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>1:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tAnd welcome to <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. Thanks for joining us. You can\u2019t see it, but I am wearing protective body armor today, just expecting that maybe\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> The topic! You think the topic is going to invite arrows. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> There could be some shots taken on this topic; don\u2019t you think?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Slightly. I think this is a dangerous topic to discuss here, on national radio, but I also think it\u2019s time. I think we\u2019ve got to talk about it, and I think we have to talk about it wisely. We have a gentleman with us, Denny Burk, who\u2019s going to help us do that. Denny\u2014welcome to the broadcast. What a great first name you have.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> You have a great first name, too, Dennis. [Laughter] I think you might even want to try out Denny. That one works really well.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> You know, there was Dennis the Menace when I was growing up. He\u2019s still around\u2014the kid\u2019s never aged. I was compared to him quite frequently. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>2:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI think that\u2019s why they refused to call me Denny. It just kind of flowed\u2014Dennis the Menace.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Yes, I got that one too\u2014I got that one too.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Denny is married to Susan since 2000. They have four children. He is the Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at Boyce College. He has written a book\u2014are you ready for this?\u2014<em>What Is the Meaning of Sex<\/em>? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, I know our listeners woke up this morning, asking that question. [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tActually not; but I do know that every listener, who is hearing this broadcast, needs to pay attention because we\u2019re going to spend some time this week unpacking what\u2019s behind \u201c\u2026male and female created He them,\u201d in Genesis, Chapter 1, verses 26 and 27.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tTo do that, Denny, I want you to go all the way back to when you found out about the birds and the bees with your dad. Weren\u2019t you like nine or ten years old?\u2014something like that? \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>3:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Yes, I was. I really am so grateful because I was raised in a Christian home. My parents loved the Lord\u2014they brought us up in church. My first orientation to all things, sexually, came from my dad. I was nine years old; and my dad took me aside and said, \u201cSon, this is what it is.\u201d He explained it to me. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for that and how much I want that to be my own son\u2019s experience. For me, growing up, my dad ended up being my resource. For me, if I had a question, I always knew I could go to him. He was just open for that. So I\u2019m hoping to achieve that with my own children.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Well, you know\u2014your experience puts you in the minority because most people did first learn about sex from a peer\u2014where they learned\u2014and you don\u2019t get great information from your peers\u2014you know, when you\u2019re 12 years old\u2014they don\u2019t have all the answers. Or they learned about it at school. [Laughter] To learn about it from your mom or your dad\u2014that is a privilege. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>4:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIn fact, we\u2019ve put together a resource called <em>Passport2Purity<\/em><sup>\u00ae<\/sup> that is designed to give moms and dads that first opportunity and to establish that dialog between a parent and a child.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And I was just with a group of parents, earlier this week, where I was equipping them to take about 130 6<sup>th<\/sup> graders through it. These parents\u2014their palms were sweating. [Laughter] You could tell they were really listening. They were saying: \u201cThis is a threatening subject! What if my daughter curls up in the fetal position and completely wigs out on me? What do I do?\u201d I said, \u201cYou just kind of laugh, and you have fun with her about it, and maybe curl up with her a little bit.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat happened to you when your dad told you, Denny?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Did you curl up in the fetal position?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> I didn\u2019t do that. As a matter of fact, it was quite the opposite. I was a little bit perplexed, I guess. I was surprised by the news. [Laughter] Everything took on a whole new light; you know? It was sort of shocking at first.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>5:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tBut I was so grateful because he was open with me. The truth of the matter is that, when you talk to your kids about this\u2014\u201cthe talk\u201d is the beginning of many conversations.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> <em>Absolutely!<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> It\u2019s not one thing you do and you never come back to\u2014it\u2019s the beginning of a long conversation that you come back to over and over again. That openness that I had with my dad on these things\u2014I remember thinking at the time, \u201cAll of the adults in my life must be just like my dad.\u201d I remember, one time, asking my grandmother a question, as a young boy\u2014thinking that was appropriate. She just turned white! [Laughter] She just turned white. I realized: \u201cOh, wait a minute! This is just me and dad here\u2014okay.\u201d [Laughter]\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes, you\u2019re actually blushing, right now, as you tell the story.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> That\u2019s exactly right. Yes, that\u2019s right; but, sincerely, it\u2019s just the beginning of many conversations. I\u2019m so grateful to have had that with my dad. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes, and that\u2019s what I\u2019d want our listeners to hear. Moms and dads are to begin making the handoff about human sexuality as they are handed the child in the delivery room.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>6:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI mean, how you relate to that child\u2014all the way through the preschool years, elementary, junior high, high school, and on into adulthood. It\u2019s meant to be an ongoing journey of honest questions, back and forth, because\u2014I\u2019m going to tell you, as a listener, you don\u2019t know what\u2019s around the corner in terms of what this culture is going to throw at your child and some of the questions you\u2019re going to have to address. I mean, these are interesting days to be raising children today.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And I think the dialog between a parent and a child has often revolved around kind of the mechanics of sexuality. We really need to have a broader discussion with our kids about the purpose of sexuality\u2014the meaning of sex\u2014which is what you\u2019ve written your book about. I think there are a lot of adults who go: \u201cYou know, I\u2019ve never even thought about that. All I\u2019ve ever thought about is the mechanics of it.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Yes, that\u2019s right. The whole point of the book\u2014the title is: <em>What is the Meaning of Sex?<\/em>\u2014all I mean by that is\u2014what\u2019s the purpose of it?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>7:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tIt\u2019s not our purpose \/ it\u2019s not the world\u2019s purpose. The question we\u2019re asking is: \u201cWhat is God\u2019s purpose for sexuality?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> A lot of people kind of have a secularized view of sexuality. They\u2019ve got their church over here, their family life over here, and the God-thing is over here\u2014when, really, God means to be a part of every facet of our being. This most intimate part of our being\u2014our sexual lives\u2014God has a purpose for that. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tActually, from the first pages of Scripture, God makes that known. That\u2019s why I wrote this book\u2014is to answer that question.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes, let\u2019s talk about that for a moment. Let\u2019s go back to the beginning\u2014the book of beginnings\u2014Genesis, Chapter 1. God makes it very clear. It says, \u201c\u2026male and female created He them,\u201d \u201c\u2026in the image of God, He created them.\u201d So we\u2019re image-bearers, as male and female. There were two sexes created\u2014not five, not fifty, not a bunch of gender identities\u2014as we are today exposed to on Facebook<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Well, and not <em>one.<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>8:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI mean, I think it\u2019s important to say, \u201cIt\u2019s not fifty but it\u2019s also not one.\u201d God could have said: \u201cWe have humans. They\u2019re all the same.\u201d And yet He didn\u2019t\u2014did He?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> So, unpack that. Go back to Genesis 1:26-27, Denny, and unpack what you believe is at the essence of gender identity there, as God made us as image-bearers.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Yes, when we talk about: \u201cWhat is the meaning of sex?\u201d we\u2019re not just talking about a behavior. We\u2019re talking about our being\u2014what God created us\u2014as male and female. In the very beginning, the Bible is very clear. It says: \u201c\u2019Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky\u2026\u2019\u201d\u2014and so forth\u2014and then, \u201cGod created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And He blessed them\u201d; and He commissioned them to \u201cbe fruitful and multiply.\u201d He differentiates humankind, in His own image, into two sexes\u2014there aren\u2019t three, there aren\u2019t four, there\u2019s not one\u2014there are just two\u2014male and female. He has encoded that difference into our very biology. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>9:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, what you\u2019re going to hear today, from a lot of folks, is that the difference between male and female is just all social construct and that everything that you know about gender identity, and those kind of things, are just things that you\u2019ve learned from the culture that you need to \u201cunlearn\u201d so that we can have complete equality between the sexes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThat\u2019s just not the way the Bible speaks about it. The way the Bible speaks about it is that God created us to be male and female, which comes with a certain set of roles and responsibilities appropriate to our sex. So, to miss that, is to<em> miss<\/em> our humanity in so many ways. To miss that also leads to a lot of sexual confusion.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Okay, so the listener who hears this and goes: \u201cI understand that there is a difference between male and female; but, Denny, the culture has imported a lot of meaning into maleness and femaleness that\u2019s just\u2014that is cultural. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>10:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cFor example, the boy\u2014who grows up\u2014and he hears: \u2018I\u2019m supposed to like football. I don\u2019t like football. I want to be a dancer.\u2019\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes, or \u201c\u2019\u2026an artist.\u2019\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes. The culture is saying to him: \u201cWell, boys aren\u2019t artists and dancers. You should like football and basketball.\u201d I think this is where some people push back against this gender definition because we do bring culturally-loaded ideas into how we define gender.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Absolutely. I don\u2019t want to pretend that there aren\u2019t things that we learn from culture that are quite unhelpful about gender. Those things are there and some of them stand against, actually, the biblical ideal. So, when I talk about biblical masculinity or biblical femininity\u2014for men, I\u2019m not talking about machismo and, you know, \u201cI like to drive trucks and watch football.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat I\u2019m talking about is the biblical ideal that, from the very beginning, God created men to be leaders, to be protectors, and to be providers. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>11:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo that means that\u2014for my son, I have a certain discipline and direction that I\u2019m taking him, in terms of what I\u2019m teaching him to do and what it means for him to be a man\u2014that his orientation toward women is not to use them and abuse them\u2014but to protect them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Right.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> His orientation toward his family is not to be a leech, but to be a provider. It\u2019s my responsibility, under God, biblically, to understand that, as a man. That\u2019s what I\u2019m teaching him to do. I don\u2019t want us to get hung up on these culturally-defined errors about gender. What I\u2019m pushing for is what the Scripture says about it.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And you know, Denny, that there\u2019s a segment, even within the church today, that wants to homogenize the sexes, and erase the distinctives, and say, \u201cNo, they\u2019re both supposed to lead\u2014both male and female.\u201d\u00a0 Take us back to the Scripture and point us to the truth of God\u2019s Word about how, from the very beginning, God made Adam\u2014He made man to be the leader.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>12:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Well, I think it\u2019s actually all the way back in Genesis, Chapters 1 and 2\u2014especially in Chapter 2, where the man is created first and then Eve is created second. The Apostle Paul says, in 1Timothy, Chapter 2, that the order of the creation is significant. It says in 1 Timothy, Chapter 2, \u201cFor God created Adam first and then He formed Eve from Adam,\u201d\u2014the same thing in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 11. Paul says it\u2019s significant that the man came first. There\u2019s a law of what we call \u201cprimogenitor\u201d in the Ancient World, where the leadership function falls to the one who was born first\u2014or the one who was made first, in this case\u2014that, of course, is Adam. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe also see God coming and speaking to Adam first\u2014giving him the command. Adam is given the charge to guard and to protect the garden and then, ultimately, to guard and protect his family and to speak the Word of God to his family. He\u2019s the leader in this relationship. Then Eve comes along; and she\u2019s created as the \u201chelper suitable to him.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>13:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tNow, the significant thing about this is that all of this happens before there\u2019s any sin in the world. Some people will say: \u201cWell, the roles that you\u2019re explaining there\u2014the man\u2019s leadership\u2014that\u2019s a function of the fall. After sin comes into the world, then you have inequalities and these things that we regard as evil.\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThat\u2019s not the case. These specific roles, given to the man\u2014leader, protector, provider\u2014these are all there in Genesis 2 before there\u2019s any sin in the world\u2014when everything was perfect. Before anything was corrupted, it was all there. What that means is that it defines for us a paradigm\u2014an ideal\u2014of what we\u2019re supposed to be looking for in our own marriages.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> I read a blog post just recently that was responding to what you\u2019ve just laid out. This blogger said: \u201cYou know, there\u2019s just no way of getting around it, Denny. What you\u2019re arguing for is male superiority. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>14:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\u201cYou can say that men and women have equal value and equal worth; but as soon as you say that the man is the head over the woman, you have made him superior. Even if you then say, \u2018No, no, no\u2014he\u2019s equal,\u2019 he\u2019s not.\u201d How do you respond to that?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Well, I would respond to it, scripturally. If you look at Genesis 1, what does it say? It says that God created them <em>both <\/em>in His image. We\u2019re all equally created in the image of God and, because of that, male and female have equal worth and dignity before God.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> I would even take it further than that. If you read in the New Testament, when it talks about redemption and the way that the benefits of salvation are applied to men and women, they\u2019re applied equally.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> \u201cThere\u2019s neither male nor female in Christ,\u201d Galatians 3:28 says. And Peter\u2014right after Peter says to the women that they need to submit to their husbands\u20141 Peter, Chapter 3\u2014he says in verse 7\u2014 he says, \u201cHusbands, grant honor to your wives as fellow heirs of the grace of life.\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>15:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, we\u2019re created in God\u2019s image. We have an equality of value and being because of that; but then, we\u2019re also co-heirs before Christ. We share equally in the benefits of salvation.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> And in the same verse, where he says, \u201cfellow heirs,\u201d he says she\u2019s the \u201cweaker vessel.\u201d So there\u2019s equality but differentiation. I keep coming back to the fact that little boys have testosterone \/ little girls have estrogen. That does different things to your body. Why did God design boys to have testosterone and girls to have more estrogen? There\u2019s something, even in the general revelation, that we find that speaks to the idea that you\u2019ve got testosterone to make you stronger and to make you a protector; right?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Exactly. I think most people sense this to be true. This is sort of encoded in who we are.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Most people know this; but what\u2019s happening, right now, is a wider culture trying to get people to un-know this so that point of view\u2014on leadership and on roles within marriage\u2014is <em>so <\/em>counter-cultural today. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>16:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>So<\/em> counter-cultural that it\u2019s going to be hard enough just to live\u2014but it will even be harder to stand for and to promote in the public square because people just think that it\u2019s something that\u2019s against human flourishing.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> So the person who says: \u201cDoes this really matter? I mean, at the end of the day, if you and your wife want to have one of these marriages\u2014where you\u2019re in charge and she follows you and submits to you\u2014that is fine. If my wife and I want to have a marriage\u2014where I let her take charge of certain things and I take charge of other things\u2014isn\u2019t that okay\u2014for us to just decide how we want to do it and do whatever works best for us?\u201d\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> Well, I would ask another question. I would say: \u201cHow is this working out for us? Is it working out for us to have a generation of young men who view women as sexual objects?\u2014who view their role more as a taker than as a giver?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>17:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThis has a profound effect on who we are, not just as individuals, but as a society\u2014and whether or not there will be human flourishing in our society. I think that it actually benefits us to have strong families\u2014to have men who know how to be men\u2014who know how to be self-sacrificial in the way that they relate to their families, and their churches, and their community\u2014because they\u2019ve learned that, growing up, from their own fathers because that\u2019s the way they\u2019ve lived and that\u2019s the way that they\u2019ve given to their family and to their community.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat we\u2019re raising now, as a kind of egalitarian \/ genderless ideal is not going to produce that kind of a society. It\u2019s not going to produce those kinds of families. So, I do think that this has a practical effect. I think we\u2019re\u2014actually, we\u2019ve sown to the wind on this; and, right now, we\u2019re reaping the whirlwind in the wider culture.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> There are those who would be afraid of stepping up and saying, \u201cYou know, here\u2019s what the Scriptures clearly teach,\u201d for fear of offending a culture that has, frankly, drunk the poison. You know, they\u2019ve swallowed the lie\u2014hook, line, and sinker. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>18:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhat would you say to that mom and dad\u2014who are raising a son or daughter and know that, as they raise them to live this way\u2014that\u2019s going to be counter-cultural \/ that\u2019s <em>not <\/em>going to be embraced by the world?\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny:<\/strong> I think this is a moment of real opportunity for us. Yes, we\u2019re in a minority; but we\u2019re a prophetic minority. We have a real opportunity here to bear witness to Jesus. As fathers are laying down their lives for their wives and for their children, that\u2019s an opportunity to stand out\u2014 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Yes.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Denny: <\/strong>\u2014in a world that is going in a completely different direction because, when people see that, they go: \u201cWhat causes that?! What motivates that?\u201d What it does\u2014actually, what the Bible says\u2014is that \u201chusbands are to love your wives as Christ loved the church.\u201d Husbands are reenacting the gospel in their marriages. It provokes people to ask questions, I think, about the gospel and about \u201cWhere does this come from?\u201d \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>19:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tSo, this is a moment of opportunity for us to bear witness to a culture that\u2019s going in a totally different direction.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> I couldn\u2019t agree more. The topic that we\u2019re talking about here: \u201cWhat is the meaning of sex?\u201d really does begin in the book of beginnings, Genesis, Chapter 1: 26-27. Parents, today, need to understand that helping your son \/ helping your daughter embrace the God-given identity that He has imprinted in their DNA\u2014that is there from birth\u2014is a part of our assignment, as parents. We need to teach them, from the Scriptures, what it means to be a godly man, and a godly woman, and know how to live counter-culturally because I\u2019m going to tell you something\u2014it\u2019s going to get murkier and muddier than ever before as this culture kind of wallows around in this gender neutrality or multiple-choice gender identity.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>20:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Well, I think, as you understand God\u2019s design for gender and sexuality better, you experience all that that means. You experience the <em>benefits <\/em>of God\u2019s design more fully.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Dennis:<\/strong> And here\u2019s the thing\u2014don\u2019t you want your boy to grow up knowing: \u201cWhat a man is and what a man does,\u201d\u2014as God designed it? The same would be for your daughter. Don\u2019t you want her to know: \u201cWhat a woman is,\u201d \/ \u201cWhat is the essence of femininity, as God designed it?\u201d and, \u201cWhat a woman does\u201d? That\u2019s when you can have a generation of young people who can become the salt and the light to a culture that\u2019s desperately going to need to see Jesus Christ in them.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>Bob:<\/strong> Well, and of course, obviously, this is something that we\u2019re going to have to\u2014continue to point people to, to continue to address, to continue to open our Bibles and look at what the Bible says about these matters. A good place to start is with the book that Denny\u2019s written, which is called: <em>What is the Meaning of Sex? <\/em>because it gets into issues related to, not just sexuality, but gender as well. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>\u00a0<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>21:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe\u2019ve got copies of the book in our <em>FamilyLife Today <\/em>Resource Center. You can go, online, at FamilyLifeToday.com for more information. Click in the upper left-hand corner of the home page, where it says, \u201cGO DEEPER.\u201d You can order Denny\u2019s book from us, online. Or you can call 1-800-FL-TODAY and order over the phone. Again, the website is FamilyLifeToday.com; or call 1-800-\u201cF\u201d as in family, \u201cL\u201d as in life\u201d and then the word, \u201cTODAY,\u201d and get a copy of Denny\u2019s book sent to you.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI should also mention that all three of us are going to be in Nashville, at the end of October, for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission\u2019s National Conference, which is dealing with the gospel, homosexuality, and the future of marriage. It\u2019s October 27<sup>th<\/sup>-29<sup>th<\/sup>. It is at the Opryland Hotel. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>22:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tRegistration is open. So, if folks would like more information about this event and would like to join us\u2014along with a great line-up of speakers\u2014Rosario Butterfield is going to speaking, J.D. Greear, Al Mohler is going to be speaking, Russell Moore, David Platt. Again, you can get the information, online, at FamilyLifeToday.com. Click the link that says, \u201cGO DEEPER.\u201d You can find out about the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission\u2019s upcoming conference in Nashville.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tOf course, speaking of Al Mohler, this weekend, we are headed to Portland for the <em>I Still Do<\/em><sup>\u2122<\/sup> event. Dr. Mohler\u2019s going to be speaking there, along with Dennis and Barbara Rainey, and Crawford and Karen Loritts, and David Nasser, and Ron Deal, and Shaunti Feldhahn. We hope our friends in Portland will come out and join us for the event this weekend at the Moda Center. We still have tickets available. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tThere are still tickets available for the October 4<sup>th<\/sup><em>I Still Do<\/em> event in Washington, DC. Information about <em>I Still Do<\/em> can be found at IStillDo.com.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>23:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tFinally\u2014a quick \u201cThank you,\u201d to those of you who make <em>FamilyLife Today <\/em>possible\u2014we\u2019re listener-supported. In fact, more than 60 percent of the revenue that we need to operate this ministry comes from folks\u2014who call, or who write, or who go online and make donations to help <em>FamilyLife Today <\/em>exist. Some of you are Legacy Partners, making monthly donations. Some of you give from time to time.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tRight now, would be a good time to give. We are about to close the books on our fiscal year. We end our fiscal year in August and start a new year in September. Of course, you always like to close the books on budget. We\u2019re hoping to be able to do that. So, if you can help with a donation, go to FamilyLifeToday.com. Click the link, in the upper right-hand corner, that says, \u201cI Care.\u201d You can make an online donation. Or you can call 1-800-FL-TODAY and make a donation over the phone. Or you can mail your donation to <em>FamilyLife Today <\/em>at P O Box 7111, Little Rock, AR. Our zip code is 72223. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>24:00<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWhen you make a donation, right now, we\u2019d like to say, \u201cThank you,\u201d by making available a series of seven activity cards to help you develop your child\u2019s faith. These are activities you can do, as a family, to help teach spiritual lessons. It\u2019s our way of saying, \u201cThank you for your support.\u201d We really do appreciate your partnership with us, here at <em>FamilyLife Today.<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe hope you\u2019ll join us back tomorrow. Denny Burk is going to be here again. We\u2019re going to talk about what God had in mind when He invented human sexuality in the first place. I hope you can join us back for that.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tI want to thank our engineer today, Keith Lynch, and our entire broadcast production team. On behalf of our host, Dennis Rainey, I'm Bob Lepine. We will see you back tomorrow for another edition of <em>FamilyLife Today<\/em>. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<em>FamilyLife Today<\/em> is a production of FamilyLife of Little Rock, Arkansas. \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tHelp for today. Hope for tomorrow.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tWe are so happy to provide these transcripts to you. However, there is a cost to produce them for our website. If you\u2019ve benefited from the broadcast transcripts, would you consider <a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/donate\">donating today<\/a> to help defray the costs?\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\tCopyright <sup>\u00a9<\/sup> 2014 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"http:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/\">www.FamilyLife.com<\/a>\u00a0 \n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t1\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>","theme_header_position":"","post_header_is_sticky":"","is_header_overlay":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast\/303161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcast"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/91"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=303161"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=303161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=303161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=303161"},{"taxonomy":"podcast_series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast_series?post=303161"},{"taxonomy":"cwp_profile","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cwp_profile?post=303161"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp-stage.familylife.com\/www\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=303161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}