Kay Arthur - The Truth About Sex: What the World Wont Tell You and God Wants You to Know

THE T RUTH ABOUT SEX
P UBLISHED BY W ATER B ROOK P RESS
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A division of Random House, Inc.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) , Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission (www.Lockman.org). Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version.

Italics in Scripture quotations reflect the authors added emphasis.

Copyright 2002, 2005 by Kay Arthur

Previously published under the title Sex According to God, copyright 2002 by Kay Arthur.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

W ATER B ROOK and its deer design logo are registered trademarks of WaterBrook Press, a division of Random House, Inc.

The Library of Congress has cataloged the original hardcover edition as follows:
Arthur, Kay, 1933
Sexaccording to God : the Creators plan for his beloved / by Kay Arthur.1st ed.
p. cm.
eISBN: 978-0-307-55156-6
1. SexReligious aspectsChristianity. I. Title.
BT708 A78 2002
241.66dc21

2002006401

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S ex is a mysterious thing.

For some its a fantasy theyve been dreaming of all their life. For others its a dreadful event they arent eager to experience.

As spiritual beings, we cant help but sense that there is something sacred about the act, that its intended to be set aside for a special time and relationship. But what we see around us confuses matters. In the media, sex often is portrayed as a plaything, an ordinary experience that stands in direct opposition to our sneaking hunch that sex should be something more sacred than a spring-break fling or a one-night stand.

Those of us who choose to dive in completely to explore our sexual rights are often left feeling empty and used. And when marriage finally arrives, we sense that, somehow, the magic is gone; the newness has worn off, and sordid memories of our previous lovers resurface to sully our minds.

Others of us choose the extreme opposite: We treat sexuality with such awe and fear that it almost becomes taboo. Young women often tell me that theyve considered premarital sex nasty and perverted for so long that once they are married, they cant get the nasty factor out of their minds. They find it too challenging to make the mental switch to viewing sex as acceptable and beautiful, and so their marriage bed suffers.

In The Truth About Sex, Kay Arthur offers us a better alternative, one that neither cheapens the sexual act nor reserves it for the lascivious or perverted sex fiend. The Truth About Sex is that it can be amazing for both our bodies and our spirits if we look at it from the right perspective. When we understand the origins of sex and the reason for its existence, then we can begin to comprehend the beauty of its very nature and break free from the guilt so often associated with it.

Growing up, I was one of those who considered sex a rather perverted event, one reserved for my loose girlfriends who somehow found pleasure in their own bodies. I saved myself a lot of heartache by avoiding sexual experiences early in my life. But when I got married, I found that making the leap from sex is for bad girls to sex is for good girls was a difficult feat. My husband, on the other hand, had been around the block. And so we faced a major challenge in reconciling our preconceived notions, as well as our totally different life experiences. I believe that if we had both had a book like this (and applied it), we would have made different decisions about our sexuality as singles and discovered together the wonderful experience that God created sex to be. Thankfully, the precepts in this book are just as applicable for married couples, and we are enjoying our marriage to its fullest.

Kay Arthur has been for meand I believe she will be for youa trusted guide in the journey of understanding God and His Word. I know that as you read these pages, you are in safe hands. The truths she shares are beyond reproach and good for teaching and instruction in the life of anyone who wants to know The Truth About Sex.

H AYLEY D I M ARCO
author of Dateable and Mean Girls

W ithin our society todayeven within the churchmany are confused about sex and sexual morality. We see a growing movement toward accepting behaviors that were almost universally considered immoral just a few decades ago. Of course, sexual sin goes back almost to the beginning of history, but in times past it was viewed as something shameful, something to be hidden away.

These days, sexual innuendo and even sexual acts are flaunted on prime-time television and in advertising for seemingly every product imaginable. And the problem lies not only with the media. This attitude that sex is a form of entertainment, a harmless, nearly meaningless interaction between two consenting people, has seeped into every aspect of our culture.

Consider the following questions, based on a survey by The Barna Group, which highlight just a handful of decisions regarding sexual behavior that each of us face on a regular basis. How would you respond?

1. Is it morally acceptable to live with someone of the opposite sex without being married? Sixty percent of adult Americans say yes. Forty-nine percent of those who identify themselves as born-again Christians agree, as do 12 percent of those who call themselves evangelicals.

The 2000 U.S. census found 5.5 million couples who were living together without being married, up from 3.2 million in the 1990 census. If you dont know the truth about sex, this may seem to be a reasonable choiceyou may as well find out if youre compatible before you tie the knot, right?but a number of studies show that those who live together before marriage are more than twice as likely to divorce as those who did not live together before their wedding day.