‘What the world views as liberal sexuality, God calls bondage’

Harlotry. There’s an old-fashioned word for you. Describing a woman who has many casual sexual encounters or is a prostitute, harlotry is diametrically opposed to the concept of betrothal, where one is formally engaged to be married; affianced, pledged, bound or contracted. These days, the latter concept comes off as constricting; the woman welcoming sexual accessibility seems freer. Yet what the world views as liberal sexuality, God calls bondage. Christian women are called to value betrothal over harlotry.

If this idea seems harsh or old-fashioned, let me explain. I’m noticing an unhealthy obsession in our culture with harlotry. The last two years in a row, both best actress BAFTA and Oscar awards (Emma Stone in Poor Things and Mikey Madison in Anora) have been awarded to actresses portraying prostitutes. This year’s winner took time out of her acceptance speech to “honour the sex worker community”. Of course, this isn’t new a new thing. For women of a certain generation, Julia Roberts reigns supreme as everybody’s favourite prostitute in Pretty Woman. Elizabeth Taylor, Jodie Foster and Mira Sorvino all won Oscars portraying ‘women of the night’. What makes Emma Stone and Mikey Madison’s roles different is that both films contain full-on nudity with sex scenes so graphic they’ve been described as basically porn by viewers. The culture’s lasciviousness is being rewarded by society.

Porn influencing society at large

It could be said that say porn culture is defining the role of the sexually uninhibited, modern woman. With over 305 million fan accounts and 4.1 million content creators, the X-rated social media giant, OnlyFans, has been described as “the internet’s version of the world’s oldest profession”. Yet, type “OnlyFans regret” into your search engine and you’ll be met by a never-ending cycle of videos and articles highlighting some in the long line of women exiting the platform. In an article written by Robert M for Medium, he describes an ex-OnlyFans model as feeling that the platform cost her her dignity: “The endless barrage of explicit requests and crude comments had gradually chipped away at her self-worth. She went from feeling sexually liberated to utterly objectified – a living, breathing product for mass consumption.” Can we really argue as Christians this is God’s best and deliberate design for women?

We also see this worked out recently in fashion. The world feigned shock at this year’s Grammy awards, when Kanye West’s wife, Bianca Censori, wore what can only be described as an invisible mini dress. But there’s a wider trend. So many celebrities are literally baring all on the red carpet. Zoe Kravitz, Bella Hadid, Florence Pugh, Kendall Jenner and Olivia Wilde are just a handful of stars publicly baring their fully exposed nipples, on purpose. Many will remember when few A-listers would pose in Playboy magazine for millions of dollars. Porn culture is at such a height, the most successful, beautiful, highest paid women are baring all without charging a penny, allowing the masses to behold them in their fullness; in exchange for absolutely nothing.

Prostitution in the Bible

God’s word does not want for mention of prostitution. There’s Tamar (Genesis 38) and Rahab (Joshua 2), Samson patronised a prostitute (Judges 16:1), and there are the two mothers who disputed over a baby before Solomon (1 Kings 3:16-28). God led Hosea to marry Gomer, while the book of Proverbs warns repeatedly about prostitutes: “a prostitute is a dangerous trap; a promiscuous woman is as dangerous as falling into a narrow well (Proverbs 23:27, NLT). Many times, in the Old Testament, God calls out Israel for spiritual prostitution, condemning nations who habitually unite themselves with foreign gods. Even men are noted in the Bible as prostitutes (1 Kings 14:24). 

The New Testament is slightly less vocal on the subject; there is debate over the widely held teaching that Mary Magdalene was a sex worker, but the strong, graphic verbiage in Revelation unmistakenly names Babylon “the great prostitute” (Revelation 17:1). And yet Jesus warned the devout religious leaders that tax collectors and prostitutes were entering into the kingdom of God before them, due to their faith and repentance (Matthew 21:32). Jesus loves sinners but condemns sin. He welcomes the prostitute into his kingdom but never condones or holds prostitution up as good practice. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:15 (NLT): “Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never!”

Covered and cared for 

Personally, I find it hard to reconcile as a believer that I am part of Christ’s body. I found myself pondering just the other day: “Am I a knuckle or a toenail? One of the wrinkles under his thumb or a leg hair?” I have no problem accepting my undoubted insignificance; it’s the weight of receiving that I am part of Christ’s body at all that I find overwhelming. One step further into my ponderings, I had a realisation. If we are truly part of Jesus’ body, we can be blessedly sure of his complete loving care for us. As scripture says: “no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church – for we are members of his body” (Ephesians 5:29-30). Remembering that as believers we are part of Jesus’ very body carries with it an awesome sense of value and security. We can know we will be cared for today, because we’re part of his body. We can know our needs are provided for because as holy and precious as the body of the risen saviour is, we are one with him! We have value, in fact we are invaluable, by very merit of being one with Christ. 

How does one treat the body he so loves and cares for? He clothes it. When Adam and Eve realised their nakedness was exposed in the Garden, God clothed them in leather as a blessing, covering their shame, despite their sin. As Christian women, let us remember the immeasurable cost Christ paid to demonstrate God’s love for us, covering us in his righteousness, through the shedding of his blood on the cross. The world desires shamelessness for our exposure, while the bridegroom protects and covers his beloved.