In this sermon, the speaker discusses the topic of sex and its significance in the Bible. He emphasizes that sex was originally created by God as a good and beautiful thing, but due to the fallen nature of humanity, it has become distorted. The speaker acknowledges the prevalence of filthy language and sexual immorality in society. He highlights that God made man and woman in his image, and through sex, they are united and their love is fully communicated to one another. The speaker concludes by praying for understanding, obedience, and the removal of evil influences.

And we pray that your word may be accompanied by the power of your Holy Spirit. We pray you will give us a heart to understand. And we pray that you will give us a heart that obeys. And we plead the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for each one of us. We confess our many sins. We take your fatherly forgiveness with gratitude. And we trust you for the future. We pray that you will cast out every evil spiritual influence from among us now for Jesus' sake. We pray that you will cast out every evil spiritual influence from among us now for Jesus' sake. Amen. If there's one subject I didn't want Jonathan to ask me to give, it's this one. If there's one subject I didn't want Jonathan to ask me to give, it's this one. I feel very inadequate. I feel very inadequate. And I know that I'm really not worthy to be God's spokesman. And I know that I'm really not worthy to be God's spokesman. And it's with much humility that I bring this message to you. And it's with much humility that I bring this message to you. Would you look at Genesis chapter one. Would you look at Genesis chapter one. In verses twenty-six and twenty-seven. In verses twenty-six and twenty-seven. You read them in Italian and the others will follow in their own Bibles. Then God said, Let us make man in our image and in our likeness, and let him have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the beast, and over all the earth, and over all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth. And God created man in his image, He created him in the image of God, He created him male and female. We could also add verse twenty-eight, the first part. We could also add verse twenty-eight, the first part. I was very much struck a few years ago in reading this passage. I was very much struck a few years ago in reading this passage. By the way the text is put together. By the way the text is put together. What God says here is that he made man male and female in his image. What God says here is that he made man male and female in his image. In other words it isn't just man who is in the image of God, but it's man and woman who are the image of God. In other words it isn't just man who is in the image of God, but man and woman are in the image of God. I found this quite astounding. I found this quite astounding. The Bible tells us that God is love. The Bible tells us that God is love. And of course before this universe existed, what could God possibly love? And before this universe existed, what could God possibly love? God created the universe in order to love it. And he created intelligent beings in this universe so that they could love him. To be able to reveal his love. But this universe exists in time and God exists out of time. Before this universe existed and after it exists, what can God possibly love? Before this universe exists and after it exists, what can God possibly love? If God is love, God never exists without loving. And so it is quite obvious that God contains within himself the object of his love. The Bible tells us that in the beginning was the Word. The Bible tells us that in the beginning was the Word. And that the Word was before God, in presence with God, and that it was God. And the Bible tells us that this Word became flesh and we call him Jesus Christ. The Bible also tells us that God created the whole universe through that Word. The Bible also tells us that God has magnified his Word above all his name. The Greek word Logos, which is translated Word, The Greek word Logos, which is translated Word, means two things. It means first the idea or the reason or the thought. And it also means the word or the expression of that idea. And it also means the word or the expression of that idea. So that Christ is the eternal thought of God. In all eternity God thinks. And what he thinks about obviously is himself. There is nothing else that is eternal and real that he can think about. And because this object is himself, he loves that with all his power. And because this object is himself, he loves that with all his power. It is as if God looked at himself objectively and he calls this his Word or his Son. And so what God calls his Son or his Word is the sum total of everything that God himself is. And so what God calls his Son or his Word is the sum total of everything that God himself is. In other words, it is the sum total of all intelligence, wisdom, beauty, power. In other words, it is the sum total of all intelligence, wisdom, power. We have a little idea of the extraordinary intelligence and beauty of that Word when we examine this universe and the nature around us. And the Bible calls that Christ. And God loves Christ, he loves his Son, with the whole of his being. God is utterly in love with his Word. In one sense, the Son is like a projection of God's personality. But unlike the projections of our thought, what God projects in thought is real, it is as real as himself, it is himself. But unlike the projections of our thought, what God projects in thought is real, it is as real as himself, it is himself. If only Jehovah's false witnesses understood this, they would burn all their books immediately. God cannot be love unless he has within himself the object of his love. God cannot be love unless he has within himself the object of his love. And yet the Bible tells us that God is one. Israel had no right to suppose that God was anything else than one. Israel had no right to suppose that God was anything else than one. The New Testament says the same thing. Paul says there is one God. But within the person of God there is a great complexity. The Trinity can be conceived in this way. We can understand the Trinity in this way. Christ is God who expresses himself. And the Spirit of God is God energizing and making audible that word. You wouldn't know what I was thinking about if I didn't speak. And if I didn't breathe out as I spoke, you wouldn't hear my word. So it is my word which communicates to you my thought. So it is my word which communicates to you my thought. And it is the breath that I exhale at that moment that makes comprehensible my word. And it is the Spirit of God that makes us hear Christ, see Christ. And when we see Christ, we see in the heart of God. Now God said that he made man in his image. Now God said that he made man in his image. He didn't make him a solitary being. Nor a self-contained unit. But he made him man and woman. So that in the unity of these two parts we can have that complexity that makes love possible. Now look in verse 28 that God said, Grow and multiply. This was before the fall. So that in the garden of Eden, God expected Adam and Eve to have a full sexual life. So that in the garden of Eden, God expected Adam and Eve to have a full sexual life. In other words, there is nothing rotten or disgraceful about sex. In other words, there is nothing rotten or disgraceful about sex. On the contrary, God says that this is in his image. Because it is through sex that man and woman are united. And their love is totally communicated to one another. I began to discover this through reading the Bible when I was a young man. And this completely transformed my whole attitude to sex and to life. And this completely transformed my whole attitude to sex and to life. I didn't understand all the deep philosophical implications that I've been telling you now. And by philosophy I mean the biblical philosophy. And by philosophy I mean the biblical philosophy. But I understood, already as a young man, reading the Bible, that God had made sex as something beautiful and good. But because man is a fallen creature, that thing which is most beautiful and noble about him, his sexual life, has become perhaps the most distorted of all. that thing which is most beautiful and noble about him, his sexual life, has become perhaps the most distorted of all. You don't have to be more than a few minutes in an army barracks or in any group of men or women You don't have to be more than a few minutes in an army barracks or in any group of men or women before you begin to hear people pouring out filthy language. before you begin to hear people pouring out filthy language. And this language is always an abominable mixture of blasphemy, of sex and of filth. And this language is always an abominable mixture of blasphemy, of sex and of filth. We see by that how appallingly degraded the human mind has become. And we are born into this world and we grow up in it with this atmosphere around us. Until we are born again, we also think this way. And our old nature still thinks this way. But it's only when we meet Christ and read the Bible that we can see how horrible it is. The Bible reveals to us a conception of marriage which is utterly beautiful. And when a man and a woman are born again, and are really living for God, are really crucified in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit, sex becomes for them what God really intended it to be originally. And we begin to discover something quite new about God. We are not allowed to think that God has any sexual nature in himself. That is blasphemy. All the ancient pagan religions taught that. And the result was that they produced immorality on every scale. But there is something in the nature of God which we could not understand if we were not sexual creatures. But there is something in the nature of God which we could not understand if we were not sexual creatures. God made us man and woman so that we could understand him. Now, if sex and marriage are in God's sight so utterly beautiful, so much that he says it is his image, just imagine how appalling is any kind of perversion of that image. The Bible condemns in the most terrible terms any kind of degradation of that image. Any kind of sexual behavior which does not correspond to the image of God is like spitting in God's face. And this is why the Bible pronounces such very severe statements about any kind of sexual perversion. And this is why the Bible pronounces such very severe statements about any kind of sexual perversion. One of the ten commandments of the Decalogue is that you shall not commit adultery. This is a false idea of God. If I get a wrong image of God, I end up with a wrong image of man as well. If I get a wrong image of God, I end up with a wrong image of man as well. If I do not know God and do not respect him, then I do not know my fellow man and do not respect him. I do not know myself or my own body and I do not even have respect for my own body. In Leviticus, chapters 18 and 19, we have a list of horrible sexual sins. Which I shall not read, but you can read yourselves. But notice that God said in chapter 18 that if Israel committed these sins, they would be thrown out of the Promised Land. And in verse 24, he said that the reason why he was sending Israel in to massacre those people out of existence was because they were all committing these very sins. And in verse 24, he says that the reason why he sent Israel to destroy these people was because these people committed these very sins. And in chapter 20, we read for example in verse 10, that if a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbor, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. Both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. Moses had one punishment for sexual perversion and that was death. Today our society is tormented with problems like abortion, should we have abortion or shouldn't we? The biblical answer is quite clear, we shouldn't get to that stage. If a man gets a girl pregnant and doesn't marry her, well the Bible says he's got to die. If a man gets a girl pregnant and doesn't marry her, well the Bible says he's got to die. And the girl as well, unless she was forced. Well, people always think that the Bible is very severe about these things. Well, people always think that the Bible is very severe about these things. But this is the only way that a nation can keep itself clean. And if Israel had kept herself clean, she wouldn't have been thrown out of her land. Now Christ takes the law of Moses much further. If you see what he says in the Sermon on the Mount, verses 27 to 30, of which chapter by the way? Of chapter 5. He says that, he quotes the law of Moses, you shall not commit adultery. But he says if you've looked at a woman lustfully, you've already committed adultery with her in your heart. And so Christ says, verse 29, if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off. God did not break the power of this sin in my life when I was a young man until I was ready to do that. God brought me to the point where I was convinced that I had to do this. And that was when God broke the power of the sin. Now there is a little more about this. In verse 31 to 32, Christ gives some teaching about divorce. He says in verse 32, everyone who divorces his wife except on the ground of ancestry makes her an adulteress and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Whoever divorces his wife, except for the reason of fornication, makes her an adulteress and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. One of the most agonizing things that I have to deal with in my work for God is dealing with cases of people who have become divorced and want to remarry. And all I can do is show them what Christ says. I would so much like to soften down the Bible and give easy answers. But I would be a false prophet if I did that. All I can do is faithfully transmit what Christ has taught me. I have examined every passage in the Bible, especially in the Gospels and in the original language on this question to see whether there isn't an easy way out. But there isn't an easy way out. It seems quite clear to me that Christ taught this, that if we are married and our partner is unfaithful, we can divorce her or him, if our spouse is unfaithful, we have the right to divorce. But if we do, then we remain single. I don't think that Christ teaches remarriage. Now, this means that we must face marriage with the utmost seriousness. In God's sight, marriage is something forever. In God's sight, marriage is something that lasts forever. Christ based all his teaching on marriage and divorce on the last verse of Genesis 2, at least the last but one, the fourth one. So a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife and they become one flesh. Incidentally, if these first chapters of Genesis are only mythology, then it means that Christ based a lot of his teaching on mythology, which is wrong. Christ said that not one jot or tittle of the law could vanish as long as this universe existed. Christ believed that these first two chapters were the word of God. And this is why I believe it. And thank God that science backs it up to the hilt. And thank God that science backs it up to the hilt. Now, in this verse we see two things. Marriage consists of two things. In the first place, leaving the father and the mother. In the second place, uniting with one's wife. A question that always seems to arise now among the young people is this. Five hundred young people in Strasbourg faced me with it three days ago. If you love a girl and you're betrothed to her, why shouldn't you have sexual relations before marriage begins? Well, there are some very serious reasons why not. In the Bible, when you sleep with a man or a woman, God reckons that that is marriage and it's irrevocable. In the Bible, you can't find any kind of marriage ceremony. Abraham took Sarah into his tent, Isaac took Rebekah into his tent, that was marriage. There may have been a ceremony, but the Bible doesn't tell us of one. In God's sight, sexual intercourse constitutes marriage. In God's sight, sexual intercourse constitutes marriage. So let's take the case of a pure girl, a pure young man, who loves and is betrothed to her, why shouldn't they have sexual relations before marriage begins? I find three important reasons why it's not a good thing. First of all, because perhaps before you get married, you'll find out that you're not suitable for each other and you'll leave each other. Secondly, let's imagine that the girl is pregnant. And thirdly, we are coming to what I... I'll have to explain it with the scripture first. In God's sight, marriage is not just sleeping with your girl. It is also leaving your father and mother. In other words, there's a public act by which you are no longer in your father's house, but now you are living in your own house with your wife. The whole world sees this. It's a public thing. Now, if you're sleeping with your girl and you haven't publicly let it be known that you're married, you are living a lie and God cannot bless this testimony. And this is disastrous for your soul. Not only that, but sexual relationships before marriage always have to be furtive and they can never be total. And this has a very bad psychological effect, perhaps especially on the girl, and yet can even follow you all through your married life and detract from normal sexual relations. Anyway, I think you must just sort all these things out with God, honestly, if you are engaged, and you must seek to do what most glorifies God. But now, although these teachings on marriage and sex and divorce seem to be so severe, yet remember that God is love. God said repeatedly in the book of Deuteronomy, I'm giving you all these laws so that you can be happy. God has repeatedly said in the book of Deuteronomy that He has given all these laws to make you happy. God wants us to be happy. If you put your hand in a flame, of course it gets burnt. You disobey the law of God. If you observe the laws of hygiene, your body will be healthy and you'll be happy. But if you disobey those laws, well, you will suffer. And God has given us moral and spiritual laws for all these things. And they are for our good and for our happiness. Now there are one or two other scriptures I want to see with you before I stop. In 1 Corinthians 5 and 6 where Paul is dealing with the case of immorality that arose in the church in Corinth He said in verse 9 that we are not even to associate with anyone who is immoral. He's not talking here about unbelievers but someone who calls himself a Christian. He says we're not even to eat with such a person. And in verse 13 he says drive out the wicked person from among you. And in verse 9 of chapter 6 he says don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Don't be deceived, neither the immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexuals of either kind nor thieves nor greedy nor drunkards nor revilers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. Don't be deceived, neither the immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexuals of either kind nor thieves nor greedy nor drunkards nor revilers nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. And then in the book of Revelation chapter 21 and verse 8 we read that as for the cowardly, that is those who haven't the courage to follow Christ the faithless, the polluted, murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death. And then in the book of Revelation chapter 21 and 8 as for the cowardly, that is those who haven't the courage to follow Christ the faithless, the polluted, murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters and all liars their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone which is the second death. So that is the way the Bible treats people who degrade the image of God. It is in this way that the Bible speaks of people who belittle the image of God. Now in verse 27 Paul says that he subdues his body lest after having preached to others he himself should lose his reward. lest after having preached to others he himself should lose his reward. He says in verse 25 that whoever is an athlete is tempered in everything and exercises self-control. And he says they do it just to receive an earthly, a perishable wreath but we are imperishable. And then in 2 Timothy chapter 2 we read in verses 4 to 7 that no soldier on service gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to satisfy the one who enlisted him. And an athlete isn't crowned unless he competes according to the rules. And it's the hard working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say for the Lord will grant you understanding in everything. Now in verse 28 Paul says that whoever is an athlete is tempered in everything and exercises self-control. And he says they do it just to receive an earthly, a perishable wreath but we are imperishable. There has got to be a real personal discipline of our body. The two strongest instincts that we have are self-preservation and sex. The two strongest instincts that we have are self-preservation and sex. Sex is such a terrifically strong thing that we can't control it once it's really sort of on the way. Sex is such a terrifically strong thing that we can't control it once it's really sort of on the way. This is why we must never get ourselves into any situation where we could be taken out of control. During the war I was separated from my young wife for three years. Durante la guerra ero separato da mia moglie giovane per tre anni. And I was at one time in the evil city of Baghdad. Una volta ero nella città malvagia e immorale di Baghdad. And I went to the laundry with some clothes. E sono andato alla lavanderia con alcuni vestiti. And I discovered that overnight the laundry had changed hands and it had become a brothel. E ho scoperto che soltanto da un giorno all'altro la lavanderia aveva cambiato direzione ed era diventata una casa di tolleranza. And I was met at the door by two very beautiful young girls with practically nothing in who tried to get me inside. E allora alla porta sono stato incontrato due ragazze bellissime e quasi nude che cercavano di incoraggiarmi ad entrare. Well that door was next door to the door where I lived. Quella porta era accanto alla porta della casa dove abitavo. And the only way I could get to the main street was by going past that door unless I went a terrific long way around about six or seven other streets. E l'unico modo che potevo uscire dalla strada mia per arrivare nella strada principale era passare davanti alla loro porta almeno che non prendesse l'altra parte e facesse un lungo giro. God said to me you will never go in front of that door again and I never did. E Dio mi disse tu non passerai mai più davanti a quella porta e non l'ho mai più fatto. If we don't know how to take decisions like this and stick to them we shall never be able to control our lives. Se noi non sappiamo prendere delle decisioni di questo tipo e mantenerle non sapremo mai mantenerci una vita pura. Now I just want to come to one final question. E un ultimo problema. And that is the question of self-abuse. E questo è il problema dell'abuso di se stessi. God knows that some of us find it much harder than others. Dio sa che alcuni fra noi trovano questo problema molto più difficile che non per altri. A few people have practically no trouble at all, especially girls. Alcune persone non hanno quasi nessun problema, particolarmente delle ragazze. But for us men this problem is almost universal. Ma per noi uomini questo problema è quasi universale. The sex instinct is so strong in the male E l'istinto sessuale è così forte nel maschio that it seems almost impossible to get to adulthood without somehow getting into this mess. Che sembra quasi impossibile arrivare alla maturità senza entrare in questo peccato. Now all the new philosophies and social ideas are saying that this is perfectly normal and it's quite good to let yourself do what you want. E allora quasi tutte le nuove filosofie dicono che questo è un atto pienamente normale ed è giusto fare quello che ti sente di fare. But I have never yet met a Christian man or boy who isn't utterly ashamed of the thing and who doesn't know that it's sin. Ma io non ho mai conosciuto un uomo credente o un giovane credente che non è vergognato di questa sua azione e che non sa che è un peccato. And I think when you come to marriage you girls need to understand what a terrific problem this is for the man and he does have a sexual need. E io penso che voi ragazze quando arrivate al matrimonio dovete comprendere qual è il problema dell'uomo e che ha questo grande istinto sessuale. I think most of the marriages that get broken get broken on the wedding night. Io penso che la maggior parte dei matrimoni che poi si rompono sono quelli che si distruggono nella notte del matrimonio. It's very often because neither side has learnt to control himself e spesso perché nessuno delle due persone ha imparato l'autocontrollo but also because the boy doesn't understand the girl and the girl doesn't understand the boy. Ma anche perché il ragazzo non comprende sua sposa e la ragazza non comprende il marito. We are made quite differently. Our metabolism, our sexual cycle, the way our whole sort of nervous system and mentality are constructed are different. Il modo in cui il nostro sistema nervoso e la nostra mentalità sono formati But this is what makes marriage so fascinating and so rich. Ma è questo che rende il matrimonio così bello, così ricco. But if we can approach marriage with real understanding of each other and of each other's problems Ma se noi possiamo avvicinarci al matrimonio con una vera comprensione l'uno dell'altro e dei problemi l'uno dell'altro then we can forgive at all times. Allora possiamo perdonare in ogni tempo. There will always be mistakes and misunderstandings. Vi saranno sempre degli sbagli e delle incomprensioni. But the only important thing is to be able to forgive and to confess that you've done something wrong. Ma la cosa importante è avere la capacità di perdonare e anche di confessare quando si è sbagliato. I'm quite sure that there is nothing more beautiful on this earth than a true marriage in Christ. Io sono pienamente convinto che non vi è nulla di più bello sulla terra che non un matrimonio in Cristo. I believe that next to the real man of God, a man like Paul, the thing that God uses most on this earth is a Christian home. Io credo che dopo la testimonianza di un uomo di Dio come Paolo, la testimonianza più efficace sulla terra è una famiglia cristiana. But those of us who have trouble with self-control, we must realize that we simply must get victory. Noi che abbiamo dei problemi da questo lato dell'autocontrollo dobbiamo comprendere che dobbiamo a tutti i costi realizzare la vittoria. When we have come into a really balanced marriage relationship, nearly always the problem is just solved. Quando siamo entrati in un matrimonio veramente equilibrato e felice, normalmente questi problemi più o meno si risolvano. But if we haven't learned to control ourselves to a large degree before we are married, we shall only mess up our marriage. Ma se noi non abbiamo imparato a controllarci prima del matrimonio, è molto probabile che rovineremo il nostro matrimonio. Now, I have searched all through the Bible many times to see whether the Bible actually speaks about masturbation, self-abuse. Io ho cercato tutta la Bibbia tante volte per vedere se la Bibbia parla di masturbazione, cioè dell'abuso di se stessi. I have found one word in 1 Corinthians 6 which may mean that. Ho trovato una parola in 1 Corinthians 6 che potrebbe significare questo. Among that list of sins which excludes us from the kingdom of God. Fra quei peccati che ci escurono da un regno di Dio. But it isn't certain and I haven't found anything else in the Bible which speaks of masturbation in the way as it does, for example, of adultery and fornication. Ma non è sicuro il vero significato di questa parola e non ho trovato nessun altro passo nella Bibbia che parla chiaramente della masturbazione come parla, per esempio, della fornicazione. I'm absolutely certain that it's sin. Io sono pienamente convinto che è peccato. Because it's such an utter degradation of the image of God. Perché è un tale abbassamento dalle immagini di Dio. But those of us who do have trouble, I think we can take courage. Ma coloro fra di noi che hanno un problema in questo lato, possano prendere, ricevere dal Signore fiducia. When we're beaten, confess the sin and then go on again with God. Quando siamo vinti da questo peccato, lo confessiamo e continuiamo nella via del Signore. I don't believe that because a young man has difficulty on this level, that God isn't going to use him. Io non credo che soltanto perché un giovane ha dei problemi su questo campo, che Dio non può servirsi di lui. He must confess his sin, he must recognize what it is and realize that it's put Jesus on the cross. Egli deve riconoscere il suo peccato, riconoscere la sua gravità, riconoscere che il peccato è ciò che ha inchiodato Gesù alla croce. But he can believe in God's instant fatherly forgiveness and then he can go on again in God's strength to do God's will again. Egli può credere nel perdono istante e paterno di Dio e può continuare obedientamente nel servizio del Signore. I don't think that this should on any account stop us from witnessing or doing all we can for the Lord. Io non credo che questo fatto dovrebbe fermarci dalla testimonianza o dal fare qualunque cosa che possiamo fare per il Signore. I believe that it's a much more serious sin not to witness, not to work for the Lord. Io credo che sia un peccato molto più grave non testimoniare e non servire il Signore. Well, I think that perhaps brings it to the end. Io penso che oramai ho concluso. I just want to say that I do believe that in Christ sex becomes as utterly beautiful as God meant it to be as far as is possible in this still unredeemed body. Io soltanto voglio ripetere che io credo che in Cristo il sesso diventa una cosa tanto bella quanto possa essere in questo mondo così caduto. There's nothing so wonderful as to be able to come to the boy or the girl that you love with a pure body and to be able to completely integrate it together in one life. Non vi è niente di così bello quanto avvicinarsi al ragazzo o al ragazzo che tu amerai e poter unire i vostri corpi in una perfetta unione del Signore. And when I was married, when I was first married with my young wife, we found that provided we were, as we were just living for God and witnessing for Him, God gave us a wonderful liberty together. Abbiamo scoperto che siccome noi servivamo il Signore e ci sottometevamo a Lui, che Egli ci ha dato una meravigliosa libertà insieme. And all this helped me to understand a little bit more about the marvellous love that exists within God Himself. E tutto ciò mi ha permesso di capire qualcosa di più di quell'amore meraviglioso che esiste nella personalità di Dio. And if we will accept the discipline that God puts upon us, then God can reveal Himself to us in this way. E se noi accetteremo la disciplina che Dio ci insegna, allora Dio potrà rivelarsi a noi in questo modo. But if we don't accept His discipline, we just blur that image over and we can never really understand the way God thinks. Ma se noi non accettiamo la sua disciplina, noi sprechiamo questa sua immagine e non potremo mai godere nel modo che Dio ha preparato. God is love, and He just wants to fill our life with an explosion of sheer love and sheer beauty. Father, I pray that this simple exposition may be a help to my brothers and sisters. Teach us to pray for one another, and to have a heart of compassion for one another, and to realise that we are all just poor sinners and we need your grace. E riconoscere che siamo tutti dei poveri peccatori che abbiamo bisogno della tua grazia. Noi ti ringraziamo del sangue prezioso di Gesù. E noi ti chiediamo nel suo nome che tu farai di ognuno di noi un vero uomo, una vera donna di Dio. In this realm of sex. So that we can even glorify you in this way. For Jesus' sake. Nel nome di Gesù. Amen. Ciò significa che una ragazza attraente istantaneamente attira l'attenzione di ogni ragazzo nel suo raggio. Non vuol dire che tutti si innamorano di lei. Ma sono attirati sessualmente da ciò che vedono. E di solito le ragazze non lo comprendono. So the way the girl behaves and what she wears has a tremendous influence on the boy. This is why the New Testament in O.M. asks the girls to be patient with us boys and to take a little more care than the world does. E anche O.M. chiede alle ragazze di avere pazienza di noi maschi e di curarsi più di quanto il mondo non faccia. And you girls must realize that you can just turn a fellow inside out and knock him backwards if you're not careful. E voi ragazze dovete comprendere che voi potete mettere un giovane sotto sopra e mandarlo indietro se non fate cura. And this incidentally is why Paul says that if a woman stands up and starts preaching or praying in public she should put a veil on her head so that you just see her face and Christ through her face and you don't get distracted with all the rest of her. Se c'è una bellissima ragazza che mi fa un'esortazione basata su Isaia and yet I can't keep my eyes off the shape of her hands and her legs and everything else I really need to turn around and listen backwards. Now there's something that we boys have got to understand. Generally speaking the girls aren't terribly impressed by our looks. That's quite a good thing because otherwise many of us would never get married. And I mean even if there's a boy here working stripped down to the waist digging away there I mean for a girl that's just like a cow or a tree is. Ma se noi maschi vedessimo una ragazza nuda fino alla cintura allora saremmo attratti. But what we boys have got to realize is that if you touch a girl this has a very great effect on her. I think this is why Paul starts his chapter on marriage by saying it's good for a man not to touch a woman. Io credo che questo è il motivo per cui Paolo dice nel suo capitolo sul matrimonio che è bene per un uomo di non toccare una donna. And so when you're saying goodnight to the girl that you think is rather nice and you know just sort of hang on a little bit. This turns the girl all inside out just as you were when you saw her walking up the street. And you know you boys supposing you think oh that little girl she looks a bit lonely and you just bring her a bunch of daisies. You're just being kind to her. But she thinks you want to marry her. So we've just got to be careful and patient one with each other. We must just understand this different makeup. Of course there are exceptions to this rule on both sides but that's the general rule. E' importante che lo teniamo presente.