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Will, at the Sojourns with Jesus blog, continues his reflections on Jennifer Knapp and sexuality in the Church.
Jesus in divine obstructiveness has refused for whatever reason to leave me alone especially in my sexuality. I have loved Jesus since early childhood and believed in Jesus even when I did not believe in God. I walked away from him but he never walked away from me. Jesus invaded my life including my imagination, desires, and struggles at seventeen. My only problem with Jesus has always been that he wants to be in charge of all my life including my sex life. He is thoroughly un-modern in his insistence that he is the Lord of my heart and I am not {suppose to be}.
There’s a place in the darkness that I used to cling to. It presses harsh hope against time. In the absence of martyrs there’s a presence of thieves. Who only want to rob you blind. They steal away any sense of peace. Though I’m a king I’m a king on my knees. And I know they are wrong when they say I am strong as the darkness covers me.
– “Martyrs and Thieves” by Jennifer Knapp circa 2003.
Our hearts are constantly pumping blood with either testosterone or estrogen throughout our bodies. Those chemicals affect our thinking. It effects what we call our heart that is our passions. Testosterone which affects our brain chemistry causes humans to crave sexual expression. This was part of God’s design. The problem is the design of the heart and brain has become incredibly flawed by sin.
Click here to read the rest of this article. It’s a worthy read.
Gay and Evangelical 
So I’m skipping the rest of Will’s article in favor of digesting this snippet first. Thanks for posting it! You know, it’s great to talk about Jesus being “in charge of all my life, including my sex life.” That’s fine, and honestly, most of the gay evangelicals I know wouldn’t quibble with that one bit. I don’t anticipate any strong arguments even from among the broader category of gay Christians.
But you can’t stay there. Will’s acknowledgement of the in-charge-ness of Jesus doesn’t go far enough. That statement/assertion/belief doesn’t solve ANYTHING unless it’s part of a longer process. It opens more doors and prompts more questions: “What does that look like? How is that possible? What implications does that have here, here, here, and over here?” At the very least, it implies something that most gay evangelicals are actually quite uncomfortable with: that Jesus wants his people to be sexually engaged. I can’t imagine Christ wanting Lordship over weak, paltry kingdoms without also envisioning him creating and re-creating new life, strength, and vigorous hope within those kingdoms.
If Christ wants to be in charge of my weaknesses in the categories of gossip or people-pleasing, for example, it is because he intends to shine forth in glory in precisely those categories. Notice Paul’s insistent connection of God’s glory with the weaknesses of believers. Notice also Paul’s particular emphasis on covetousness. Should it be any different in terms of sexuality? This is, to me, more encouraging than it is anxiety-inducing, although many gay evangelicals feel otherwise. It seems to suggest that the triune God is happily at work in my sexual longings and sexual identity, calling me to join him in the work there — not only a work of denial and grief, but a work of new life and testimony as well.
Just some thoughts from your favorite blathering optimist.
Well, Bob, I’d say you should read the rest of the article since this was a snippet, not even a proper summary. 😀
Second, God DOES purpose to shine forth in glory in every area of life. However, he does so within the law that He has set forth in Scripture. The Gospel, of course, does not invalidate the law in the life of the redeemed; instead, it proclaims the good news that the law’s curse no longer has sway over us.
“It seems to suggest that the triune God is happily at work in my sexual longings and sexual identity, calling me to join him in the work there — not only a work of denial and grief, but a work of new life and testimony as well.”
Hmm…happily at work…if he’s calling you to repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name, then yes. That’s the biblically defined way that the Spirit testifies of the Gospel in the life of one who trusts Christ. But if this isn’t what you mean, I’d be curious to see how you’d define this.
And yes, Bob…you ARE my favorite blathering optimist. 🙂