What does the Bible say about sexual purity?
Introduction. There is relatively little emphasis and teaching today pertaining to sexual purity. Many do not even know what "fornication" is. In our Internet work which involves interacting with a large number of people, many young people do not think anything is wrong with two single people to engage in sexual intercourse. Some religious leaders and groups are now taking the position that as long as "no one is hurt," sexual intercourse outside of marriage is not necessarily a sin. Alas, as moral standards change in America, most who do enter marriage are not virgins. Many elect to cohabitate or "live together", thinking such is just an innocent and different lifestyle choice. In this study, we shall examine the teaching of the Bible relative to sexual purity and fornication.
Lack of Teaching. The following quotes are from an insightful article that appeared in the Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO), August 24, 2002, p. 23A, by Terry Mattingly, titled "Religious Community Reluctant to Criticize Cohabitating Couples" regarding the matter of cohabitation. First, editor Mattingly observed:
Mattingly wrote in quoting Michael McManus, founder of Marriage Savers: Helping Your Friends and Family Stay Married as follows:
Mattingly statistically observed:
Consider the below dissuading facts about those who cohabitate.
Teaching From the Old Testament. From the beginning, we see that man is indeed a social being (Gen. 2: 20, 18). In view of these needs, God made provision for companionship (Gen. 2: 24). This provision involved "marriage", not casual sex or cohabitation. This emphasis on both marriage and sexual purity before marriage continued under the Jewish Law of Moses. Consider the following:
Teaching From the New Testament. The emphasis on sexual purity continues into the New Testament which is binding on all people today. In a too often biblically illiterate society, many Bible terms either lose their meaning or have them replaced. "Fornication" is a classic example. Some say fornication can be simply passionate kissing; sexual intercourse with prostitutes (multiple); and premarital sex only (see addendum 1). The Greek word translated "fornication" is porneia. Porneia is found 26 times in the Greek New Testament. W. E. Vine states porneia (fornication) "is used of illicit sexual intercourse.." (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). Henry Thayer defines "fornication" as "illicit sexual intercourse in general… distinguished from adultery (moicheia) in Matt. 15: 19…used of adultery…in Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9 (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 532). The granddaddy Greek work says of fornication, "The N. T. is characterized by an unconditional repudiation of all extra-marital and unnatural intercourse" (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 6, pg. 590).
The church at Corinth was not free of sexual impurity, including fornication (I Cor. 5: 1f.). Paul commands them to "purge out" the fornicator and not tolerate such sin. One chapter later, Paul penned the following thought provoking words:
The sin of fornication is observed as especially consequential. It is a sin against one's own body, a violation of "property" belonging to another, and constitutes "one body" (I Cor. 6: 18, 19, 16).
So, what is the answer to having sexual desires? Consider the following:
Notice the contrast between "not to touch...avoid fornication" and "marriage ... bed". While we are focusing on what the Bible has to say about sexual purity versus fornication, this does not mean that all other sexual expressions short of intercourse are necessarily acceptable to God. For example, while heavy petting may not include actual sexual intercourse, it would be involved in what the Bible calls "lasciviousness" or "licentiousness" according to Gal. 5: 19). Lasciviousness is a "work of the flesh" and all who do such things, "…shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5: 21). Also, sexual intercourse does not "just happen," it is usually the end result of out-of-control petting.
The seriousness of the sin of fornication is easily seen in being the only grounds for scriptural divorcement, even though the marriage bond is considered for life (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9).
What is the ultimate destiny of unrepentant fornicators? Consider what is revealed in the last book of the New Testament:
Conclusion. Literally from Genesis to Revelation, sexual purity is stressed and fornication is condemned. As if that wasn't enough, consider the following quote that addresses some of the physical and emotional consequences when people violate God's plan:
Parents need to teach their children about the consequences of fornication and why sex is to be viewed as reserved for scripturally married couples. Virginity today should be highly valued and considered regarding any prospective mate.
Addendum 1. There are those who contend that porneia (fornication) in Matthew 5: 31, 32 and 19: 9 only means premarital sexual intercourse and that there are no grounds for divorcement and marriage to another once the marriage is in place. However, the contextual action of both texts in Matthew as well as the syntactical teaching of the verses themselves seem to preclude premarital fornication and focus only on fornication that is committed when and while the marriage is a reality. Having said this, I do think it wise and honest today for one to divulge to a prospective marriage mate the fact of their fornication or lack of virginity. Also, it is apparent that porneia as used in the Greek vernacular does not limit itself to sexual intercourse with a prostitute and is not short of sexual intercourse, inclusive of homosexual perversion (cp. Jude 7).
Lack of Teaching. The following quotes are from an insightful article that appeared in the Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO), August 24, 2002, p. 23A, by Terry Mattingly, titled "Religious Community Reluctant to Criticize Cohabitating Couples" regarding the matter of cohabitation. First, editor Mattingly observed:
- "'Pastors are getting very gun-shy when it comes to issues of marriage, family and sex' (Mattingly said quoting Scott Stanley, dm). Certainly, cohabitation would be right at the top of a list of these issues, along with premarital sex. They are so tired of getting beat up because they have hurt people's feelings.'"
Mattingly wrote in quoting Michael McManus, founder of Marriage Savers: Helping Your Friends and Family Stay Married as follows:
- "Some church leaders have fallen silent on this issue because they no longer believe that sex outside of marriage is a sin. Their silence is understandable." (See I Corinthians 7: 2-5.)
Mattingly statistically observed:
- "The Marriage Savers network is active in 163 cities and towns in 39 states and, wherever he travels to speak, McManus said he never sees more than one or two hands raised when he asks, 'How many of you have ever heard a sermon on cohabitation?' McManus is convinced most pastors simply do not know that 5 million unmarried Americans - 60 percent of all couples - are living together."
Consider the below dissuading facts about those who cohabitate.
- "Data from the University of Wisconsin provides a painful bottom line: Couples that cohabit before marriage increase their odds of divorce by 50 percent. Researchers found that only 15 out of every 100 cohabitating couples were married after a decade…Pastors do not know that these women face higher levels of depression and lower levels of communication and commitment. They are more than 60 percent more likely to be assaulted, and their children are endangered as well."
Teaching From the Old Testament. From the beginning, we see that man is indeed a social being (Gen. 2: 20, 18). In view of these needs, God made provision for companionship (Gen. 2: 24). This provision involved "marriage", not casual sex or cohabitation. This emphasis on both marriage and sexual purity before marriage continued under the Jewish Law of Moses. Consider the following:
- Exodus 22:16-17 "16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife. 17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins".
- Deut. 22:13-21 "13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, 14 And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say , I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: 15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: 16 And the damsel's father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; 17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying , I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city. 18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him; 19 And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days. 20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: 21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die : because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you."
Teaching From the New Testament. The emphasis on sexual purity continues into the New Testament which is binding on all people today. In a too often biblically illiterate society, many Bible terms either lose their meaning or have them replaced. "Fornication" is a classic example. Some say fornication can be simply passionate kissing; sexual intercourse with prostitutes (multiple); and premarital sex only (see addendum 1). The Greek word translated "fornication" is porneia. Porneia is found 26 times in the Greek New Testament. W. E. Vine states porneia (fornication) "is used of illicit sexual intercourse.." (Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words). Henry Thayer defines "fornication" as "illicit sexual intercourse in general… distinguished from adultery (moicheia) in Matt. 15: 19…used of adultery…in Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9 (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 532). The granddaddy Greek work says of fornication, "The N. T. is characterized by an unconditional repudiation of all extra-marital and unnatural intercourse" (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 6, pg. 590).
The church at Corinth was not free of sexual impurity, including fornication (I Cor. 5: 1f.). Paul commands them to "purge out" the fornicator and not tolerate such sin. One chapter later, Paul penned the following thought provoking words:
- 1 Cor. 6:16-20 "16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he , shall be one flesh. 17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. 18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
The sin of fornication is observed as especially consequential. It is a sin against one's own body, a violation of "property" belonging to another, and constitutes "one body" (I Cor. 6: 18, 19, 16).
So, what is the answer to having sexual desires? Consider the following:
- 1 Cor. 7:1-2 "1: Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2: Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband".
- Heb. 13:4 "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers ["fornicators" ASV] and adulterers God will judge."
Notice the contrast between "not to touch...avoid fornication" and "marriage ... bed". While we are focusing on what the Bible has to say about sexual purity versus fornication, this does not mean that all other sexual expressions short of intercourse are necessarily acceptable to God. For example, while heavy petting may not include actual sexual intercourse, it would be involved in what the Bible calls "lasciviousness" or "licentiousness" according to Gal. 5: 19). Lasciviousness is a "work of the flesh" and all who do such things, "…shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal. 5: 21). Also, sexual intercourse does not "just happen," it is usually the end result of out-of-control petting.
The seriousness of the sin of fornication is easily seen in being the only grounds for scriptural divorcement, even though the marriage bond is considered for life (Matt. 5: 32, 19: 9).
What is the ultimate destiny of unrepentant fornicators? Consider what is revealed in the last book of the New Testament:
- Rev. 21:8 "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers ["fornicators" ASV], and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
Conclusion. Literally from Genesis to Revelation, sexual purity is stressed and fornication is condemned. As if that wasn't enough, consider the following quote that addresses some of the physical and emotional consequences when people violate God's plan:
- "Young people today need to be taught to abstain from sexual intercourse and remain pure virgins before marriage. So many problems in marriages today stem from the fact that they are not virgins when they marry. Young people are bringing wounded emotions and diseased bodies into their marriages because of prior promiscuous affairs. STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) are so widespread that the statistics are shocking. There are 12 million new cases of STDs annually in the United states and 67% of these occur among persons under the age of 25. In fact, every year one out of six teens contracts an STD. 100,000 to 150,000 women become infertile each year as a result of STDs.¹ Others endure years of pain as some of these diseases are incurable. What a tragic price to pay for sexual sins. The Bible is right when it says fornication is a sin against one's own body."
Parents need to teach their children about the consequences of fornication and why sex is to be viewed as reserved for scripturally married couples. Virginity today should be highly valued and considered regarding any prospective mate.
Addendum 1. There are those who contend that porneia (fornication) in Matthew 5: 31, 32 and 19: 9 only means premarital sexual intercourse and that there are no grounds for divorcement and marriage to another once the marriage is in place. However, the contextual action of both texts in Matthew as well as the syntactical teaching of the verses themselves seem to preclude premarital fornication and focus only on fornication that is committed when and while the marriage is a reality. Having said this, I do think it wise and honest today for one to divulge to a prospective marriage mate the fact of their fornication or lack of virginity. Also, it is apparent that porneia as used in the Greek vernacular does not limit itself to sexual intercourse with a prostitute and is not short of sexual intercourse, inclusive of homosexual perversion (cp. Jude 7).