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We live in a culture where sex is front and center all around us. For example:

• Explicit sexual content is commonplace in media and entertainment, and sex is a dominant theme in many TV shows, movies and songs.
• For many people, the word sex or sexuality brings to mind only romance and intercourse. 
• Pornography is on the rise, among males and females, and children are being exposed at increasingly younger ages.
• Human trafficking, including sex trafficking, remains a widespread global crisis.
• Sex before marriage and outside committed relationships is common.
• Many individuals come to believe that being hot, sexy, studly, hunky, sensuous, seductive are goals they should pursue, a message often reinforced in media.
• A prevalent ideology in today’s culture is that if something feels right and is personally desired, it should be embraced without hesitation.

Yet, while our culture is highly sexualized, many—unfortunately—still have only a limited understanding of human sexuality. What does it include, and what influences how it develops, how people experience it, and how it is expressed? Exploring these questions can lead to a broader and more thoughtful understanding of the topic.

Let’s take a closer look.

Definition

“Human sexuality is the way we experience and express ourselves as sexual beings.” To understand this definition more clearly, it helps to begin with a simple frame of reference. It may seem abstract at first, but it will make sense as we continue.

Experience

The term experience can refer to several related ideas:

• Personal involvement: taking part in something directly or undergoing it firsthand.
• A lived event: a single event, or a series of events, that a person has participated in or lived through.
• Practical learning: active participation in events or activities that builds knowledge or skill.
• Perception or awareness: understanding an object, thought, or emotion through the senses or the mind.
• Accumulated history: the sum of past events in the life of an individual.

Express

The word express has several related meanings, depending on how it is used.

• As a verb: to show, communicate, or make something known through words, appearance, or actions.
• As a noun: a clear or distinct statement, expression, or manifestation of something.
• As an adjective: clearly stated or indicated; direct, plain, explicit, and unambiguous.
• By resemblance: closely representative of something else or bearing an exact likeness.

Sexual

To better understand sexual in this context, it helps to organize its meanings into a few related categories.

• Sex and sex characteristics: relating to the sexes, gender, or the quality of being male or female; also relating to the sexual organs and their functions.
• Reproduction: relating to reproductive processes, including fertilization and the production of offspring.
• Desire and behavior: relating to motives, instincts, drives, desires, behaviors, and sexual activity, including intimate physical contact and stimulation.
• Attraction and identity: relating to physical attraction, intimacy, sexual orientation, sexual identity, and preferences.

Key Point

Human sexuality is a fundamental part of being human. It is woven into our nature and reflected in both how we experience it and how we express it.

Factors That Shape How People Experience and Express Their Sexuality

This section highlights five interconnected dimensions that shape how people experience and express their sexuality, including:

• Body
• Mind
• Spirit/Heart
• Personal History, Behavior, and Lifestyle
• Social, Community, Environmental, and Broader Societal Influences

The following subsections define each dimension and provide examples of how each one may shape a person’s life.

Body

The body dimension includes:

• Genetics (genotype and phenotype)
• Physical structure, form, frame, and physique
• Anatomy and physiology

In this context, examples include:

• Gender (i.e., sex assigned at birth)
• Hormones and sex organs
• Conception and reproduction (or procreation)

Mind

The mind dimension includes:

• Capacity/Processes to think, perceive, feel, desire, will 
• Capacity/Processes to learn, know, understand, remember, recollect 
• Seat of the faculty of reason

In this context, examples include:

• Information and knowledge about sexuality
• Thoughts, emotions, feelings, intentions related to sexuality 
• Decisions/Choices made related to sexuality

Spirit/Heart

The spirit/heart dimension includes:

• Conscience
• Affections, sensibilities, motivation, purpose, meaning
• Character, personality, temperamental makeup

In this context, examples include:

• View of self (identity), view of others, worldview 
• Beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, values, norms
• Life principles / principles for living 

Personal History, Behavior, and Lifestyle 

The personal history, behavior, and lifestyle dimension includes:

• History: The whole series of past events connected with a particular person, and the impact (positive and/or negative) that has on that person, as well as what a person learns from his/her personal history and life experiences.
• Behavior: Individual decisions/choices reflected in the way one acts or conducts oneself (especially toward self and toward others).
• Lifestyle: The characteristic tendencies, habits, patterns of living manifested in the way a person lives.

In this context, examples include:

• History: loving/nurturing upbringing vs. neglected/abused upbringing 
• Behavior: abstinence vs. promiscuity
• Lifestyle: living a life of sexual integrity vs. living a life of sexual immorality 

Social, Community, Environmental, and Broader Societal Influences

This dimension includes the social, community, environmental, and societal factors that help shape how a person experiences and expresses their sexuality. These influences can be grouped into three related areas:

• Social influences: relationships with other people.
• Community influences: institutions and settings where relationships develop and daily life takes place.
• Environmental and societal influences: geographic location, culture, media, laws, and public policy.

Examples of these influences include:

• Social influences: family, friends, dating partners, peers, coworkers, classmates, neighbors, and spouse or other significant others.
• Community influences: schools, churches, neighborhoods, workplaces, and other shared settings.
• Environmental and societal influences: where a person lives and moves through daily life, such as a city, state, country, or region; cultural norms, values, and media messages that shape how people see themselves and others, as well as what is considered normal or desirable; and laws, policies, and regulations that affect public life and social expectations, such as those related to marriage, abortion, school curricula, and advocacy for or against these measures.

Why This Matters

As you think about these dimensions—body; mind; spirit/heart; personal history, behavior, lifestyle; and social, community, environmental, societal influences—it may be helpful to pause and ask: What is shaping me right now? And what might God be inviting me to do next? Paying attention to these areas can help you understand your sexuality more honestly and respond with greater wisdom, intention, and hope.

• Awareness: A good next step is simply to grow in awareness. The more you understand about human sexuality, the more clearly you can recognize what is shaping your thoughts, desires, and choices. And that kind of awareness often becomes the starting point for wiser, healthier decisions.
• Development: It can also help to remember that these influences do not operate in isolation. They are connected. So, if you want to grow in maturity, make space for ongoing learning, honest reflection, and intentional choices. And if your desire is to live in step with God’s design for sexuality, it is worth taking time to understand that design and consider what faithfulness looks like in everyday life. Scripture addresses each of these dimensions of sexuality—at times directly, at times indirectly, and at times through stories that offer lessons and principles for living.
• Relationships: This kind of reflection can also strengthen the way you relate to others. Whether you are single, dating, or married, it is worth asking how you can communicate more clearly, love more responsibly, and grow in sexual integrity in your relationships.
• Guidance: If you are helping to guide someone else—whether as a parent, caregiver, teacher, mentor, or trusted friend—your role matters more than you may realize. Honest conversations, clear teaching, and a consistent example can go a long way in helping others pursue wisdom and sexual integrity.
• Change and Growth: And if there are patterns, thoughts, or behaviors you know need to change, do not ignore that. Start by naming what is influencing you. Real growth often begins with honest recognition. As you better understand what has shaped your experience and expression of sexuality, you will be in a better position to pursue healing, make different choices, and move toward greater wholeness.

Learn More

If you’d like to explore this topic more deeply, we invite you to visit our Online Resource Center for additional information and helpful resources.

And, we’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts on this blog in the comments.

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