Can Christians use aphrodisiacs?
Recently, I attended a Christian men’s meeting where the existence and use of aphrodisiacs were being discussed.
There was a general consensus on the fact that aphrodisiacs do exist and are being used by many people including Christians.
Knowledge of aphrodisiacs ranging from natural foods like salt, cheese, mazondo and certain traditional herbs to pharmaceutical drugs was shared.
However, opinion was divided on why people use aphrodisiacs. Some said that they are used by people with low libido. Others said that they are used by people who are impotent. Still others argued that they are used by old-aged people to increase their sexual desire.
These three reasons above appeared to me to be genuine, valid reasons for taking aphrodisiacs if they really help. But I was startled to learn that the majority of people are using them for fun, to “fix” their spouses by having sex many times in one night and also to satisfy “small houses” and prostitutes. It was these last reasons and the known side effects of these substances that are believed to increase sexual desire that prompted me to question the morality of using these things as Christians and to offer scriptural counsel.
Let me point out that there are no specific scriptures that tell us as Christians to use or not use aphrodisiacs. I call such issues which are not clearly defined in scripture “twilight” or grey areas.
However, there are general provisions in scripture that guide us in what to do when faced with such issues. You can make an appeal to your Holy Spirit-sensitised conscience. The first law is if you are in doubt, don’t. The second law is the law of moderation. The Bible says that it is good to eat honey (Proverbs 24:13), and it also says that it is not good to eat too much honey (Proverbs 25:27).
There is no contradiction between these two verses. You just need to combine them and come up with a third verse in Proverbs 25:16 which reads, “Have you found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled with it, and vomit it.” You can derive the law of moderation from this third verse. In other words take only what is necessary. This law must be applied to all good things of life. Temperance or self-control helps us to restrain appetites and to prevent abuse of things.
Without moderation people can easily become addicted to things they deem necessary and good. I suggest that before you take aphrodisiacs seek advice from a qualified medical practitioner. He or she will tell you if it is necessary for you to use them and how much. Limitation of liberty enables us to remain unmastered by anything else except by the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23 that all things are permissible for him but not all things are profitable for him. Lawfulness should not be a licence to abuse, therefore lawfulness should be balanced out with profitability.
Another law that governs all things in the life of a Christian is found in 1 Corinthians 14:40 which records that all things should be done decently and in order. This is the law of decency and order. This means that mutual consent between spouses that intend to use prescribed aphrodisiacs should exist lest you move from the problem of under-performance to the one of over-performance.
Sources of the aphrodisiacs should be clean and trusted. The last law is that of watchfulness in all things. Paul urged Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:5, “Watch you in all things; endure afflictions…” Exercising caution in all things is a good thing. It is especially good in things that are morally doubtful like the use of aphrodisiacs which appears to be a commercialisation of sex than a remedy for health problems.
However, let me conclude by saying that it is suggested though faintly in 1 Timothy 5:23 that if one has physical infirmity which can be treated by a known medical remedy he or she can be recommended to use it by a trusted person. In this verse Paul tells Timothy to use a little wine to relieve his frequent stomach pains.
This may mean that medicine is acknowledged and accepted in Christianity or that a proper balanced diet can help keep us healthy. But to make a god of medicine through addiction to and abuse of certain drugs is biblically unwarranted.
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