Does the Bible really say sex is only for marriage?
Young people will often look to you as youth leaders for moral guidance in this important area of their lives. Many, even from Christian homes, will lack the direction that they need in order to be strengthened to lead sexually pure lives. They often suffer from confused and tempting messages in the media – such as ‘everyone has a right to do what they like’, and that ‘it is impossible to be self-controlled about their sexual passions and interests’.
God has not left us in any doubt about the right context for sexual intimacy. The Bible is consistent from beginning to end that sexual activity of any sort outside marriage is wrong.
God designed sexual intimacy. But, as with other things that he has given us, he expects it to be experienced in the God-designed context. God first placed sex within marriage and this is where he means it to remain! Having sex with a person who is married to somebody else is called adultery and is forbidden by God in the Old Testament ‘You shall not commit adultery’ Exodus 20:14. This command is clearly upheld in the New Testament: ‘Marriage is honourable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge’ (Hebrews 13:4).
Further direction to keep sex for marriage comes from the command to ‘flee sexual immorality' (1 Corinthians 6:18). The word translated as ‘immorality’ in many modern versions means any sexual activity outside marriage, including pre-marital sexual intimacy, adultery and homosexual acts.
The above passage is adapted from the booklet Going Out, Marriage and Sex available through the Lovewise website www.lovewise.org.uk
