Christianity Plain and Simple

Sex in the Bible

The Bible has quite a lot to say about sex and its proper place in our lives, especially for Christians. To God, sex is a very big deal. It is not something that is merely a game or a fun activity between two consenting people. Neither is it something that is a disgusting, sinful activity to be discussed with total shame at its existence. Sex is best put as being of great importance, like precious jewels, and that is one of the reasons it carries around it such importance.

In the Bible, sex is to be between a husband and a wife. Often, I have heard well meaning people say that they intend to stay pure until they are married, meaning they won't have sexual activity until marriage. My Bible teacher once said though that saying this isn't entirely accurate, because marriage is pure. Having sex in marriage with your spouse is a good thing and should be practiced regularly.

1 Corinthians 7:4-5 - The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

Hebrews 13:4 - Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

It is only outside of this sphere where sex is not allowed. If you are both unmarried, having sex is called fornication in the Bible. Even if you are dating or engaged, having sex outside of marriage is a sin. It is even considered a serious enough sin that Christians are not allowed to be close friends with other Christians that commit fornication. God says it is as bad as condemning our own bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:18 - Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

Galatians 5:19 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Sex that involves a person or people that are married but are not married to each other are committing adultery. This is held on the same level as fornication is in the Bible.

Besides this, Jesus Christ taught that even our thoughts ought to be controlled. Lusting after people's bodies and fantasizing sexually about them is like committing fornication and adultery in our hearts even if we haven't with our bodies.

Matthew 5:27-28 - Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

In conclusion, God wants us to take sex seriously. The most serious it can be taken is to have it in a bounded, life long commitment with another person, making marriage the perfect place to commit sexual activity. Though it is fashionable to many people to sleep around, have one night stands, or even to have sex with someone we love but are not committed to, this is a shame to our God, Christian society, and ourselves.