if Christ is our example, then we should follow him. He was baptized at 30 - when He had complete understanding of what He was doing. He himself said of teaching, 'line upon line, here a little - there a little. just as we teach piano lessons a little at a time, children can be taught about God by example. after all, Christ didn't ever keep children away from himself.
also, about the supposed Church repression of sex. i think that is a catholic doctrine that sex is sin. it is not a sin in other churches. in fact, sex is just another topic discussed sometimes in sermons. i remember a blazing sermon about 'the song of solomon.' this was before i was married (so i didn't fall asleep that day - which i usually didn't fall asleep - but you know what i mean).
without God, sex takes on a meaningless attribute of 'love' due to societal 'norms.' but, what if God's standards are better? who can tell us what will make us love our future mate the most? perhaps it is not comparing them with anyone else? i think God has it all figured out. i look to the bible to guide my spirituality and sex life, too. when you read that it is wrong to sleep with a same sex partner, or an animal - you immediately tune out temptations that come from that direction. lesbianism or homosexuality is not as attractive when you realize that God puts a curse ( a literal curse) on people who do not keep the law - no matter if they understand the law or not. it's like laws of physics. they happen when you do this negatively, or this - positively.
now, about the song of solomon. people think that is a description of solomon just getting it on with a harem. but, in actuality it is a sort of sad story that solomon is telling. after making out with probably 50 women, he finally finds the 'love' of his life. he is seemingly so hot for her he tells about his dreams. but, what is probably the most attractive about this woman is that she is unavailable. she has a love of her own and cannot stop thinking of him. she closes her mind to anyone else -even solomon in all his glory, fame and riches. so, he realizes that true love is not something you can buy.
i believe the man who gave the sermon was quoting an interpretation by the 'new bible commentary' of motyer. he had us section the parts that were: the harem, the shullamite (woman he loved), solomon, and the shepherd (Christ - in essence - whom the woman loved).
so i color coded the book and it came out to mean something entirely different than another conquest of solomon's. the first few verses - solomon is trying to warm up the woman by telling her about the 'kisses of her mouth.' then in verse 5-7 she makes excuses why she is not right for solomon (since she was taken from her location of caring for vineyards - but her real excuse is to come - she doesn't want to be part of a harem). then, the women of the harem try to include her and seduce her into being just like them. in verse 8, solomon tries another approach - and makes her now think that she should miss him by 'going back to her shepherd life' as though somehow that would make her miss his riches after seeing them. but, he says she looks like she belongs in a supposedly higher class situation because of her beauty. he wants to give her jewelry, next.
in verses 12-14 she puts her mind toward her own shepherd lover (interesting that the man is a shepherd as Christ is). when she thinks of her own lover, she gets hot. NOT over solomon. we know she is referring to her own love - when she mentions the vineyard of engedi. her beloved is not solomon.
you can almost hear solomon going 'rats. this woman is hard to get.' and flatters her again in verse 15. but the shullamite prefers the original man and talks about the cedars (the trees of the field) being her beams of the house and the rafters,cypresses. she doesn't need riches. her couch is luxurious grass. she considers her beloved handsome and pleasant (we don't knwo what he looked like - but even if he looked less than solomon - he was who she was dreaming of).
i could go on for the entire book with the notes - but people can read for themselves from this commentary. anyway - if people think the bible has nothing to say about sex - they should read the song of solomon from this perspective. verse 7:10 speaks of the shullamite's rejection of solomon and love and wanting to return to her beloved. ' i am my beloved's, and his desire is for me. come my beloved, let us go out into the country (not into solomon's forced palace), let us spend the night in the villages. let us rise early and go to the vineyards; let us see whether the vine has budded (other christians are there) and its blossoms have opened, and whether the pomegrantes have bloomed. there i will give you my love...both new and old, which i have saved up for you, my beloved.'
after i heard this sermon so many years ago - i thought, 'wow, God really thinks of everything.' He obvously inspired the bible to teach us about everything in life.
Topic: jaws