The Vulnerable in the “Wild, Wild West”

Transcript:

Hello, this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective.

In our globalized Western world, we are increasingly becoming a dog-eat-dog world, sexually speaking. Our push towards a future where sexual desire has no limits gradually trains our minds to see one another as sexual commodities to be used for selfish ends.

As always in such societies, it is the vulnerable that are most susceptible to being commodified. Those with lesser power, privilege, and money are most likely to be the products that are bought and sold in the market of desire. If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re probably on the menu.

We see this in our present moment. Many are shocked to learn that there are more persons enslaved today than ever before in the history of the world. And many if not most of these are women and children, being sexually trafficked.

Children and young people are always the most at risk. Studies show that many youth are being sexualized at younger and younger ages, by abundant and easily-accessible pornography.

Ironically, this push towards a hyper-sexualized future is often framed as “freedom”, sexual “liberation”. The idea is that my freedom is significantly defined by my most base sensual desires, and so, those desires need to be released, they need to be nurtured, for me to find self-actualization and fulfillment

But in this “self-actualized” dog-eat-dog world, only the big dogs survive. The rest are consumed for their pleasure.

And that’s something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

‘Awake, O sleeper,

 and arise from the dead,

 and Christ will shine on you.’”

~ Ephesians 5:1-14 (ESV)