Question:
"What does the Bible say about sex before
marriage?"
Answer:
There is no Hebrew or Greek word used in the
Bible that precisely refers to sex before
marriage.
The Bible undeniably condemns adultery and
sexual immorality, but is sex before marriage
considered sexually immoral?
According to 1 Corinthians 7:2, “yes” is the
clear answer: “But since there is so much
immorality, each man should have his own wife,
and each woman her own husband.”
In this verse,
Paul states that marriage is the “cure” for
sexual immorality.
First Corinthians 7:2 is essentially saying that,
because people cannot control themselves
and so many are having immoral sex outside of
marriage, people should get married.
Then they can fulfill their passions in a moral
way.
Since 1 Corinthians 7:2 clearly includes sex
before marriage in the definition of sexual
immorality,
all of the Bible verses that condemn sexual
immorality as being sinful also condemn sex
before marriage as sinful.
Sex before marriage is included in the biblical
definition of sexual immorality.
There are numerous Scriptures that declare
sex before marriage to be a sin
(Acts 15:20;
1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13, 18; 10:8;
2 Corinthians 12:21;
Galatians 5:19;
Ephesians 5:3;
Colossians 3:5;
1 Thessalonians 4:3;
Jude 7).
The Bible promotes complete abstinence before
marriage.
Sex between a husband and his wife is the only
form of sexual relations of which God approves
(Hebrews 13:4).
Far too often we focus on the “recreation”
aspect of sex without recognizing that there is
another aspect—procreation.
Sex within marriage is pleasurable, and God
designed it that way.
God wants men and women to enjoy sexual
activity within the confines of marriage.
Song of Solomon and several other Bible
passages (such as Proverbs 5:19) clearly
describe the pleasure of sex.
However,
the couple must understand that God’s intent
for sex includes producing children.
Thus, for a couple to engage in sex before
marriage is doubly wrong—they are enjoying
pleasures not intended for them,
and they are taking a chance of creating a
human life outside of the family structure God
intended for every child.
While practicality does not determine right from
wrong,
if the Bible's message on sex before marriage
were obeyed, there would be
far fewer sexually transmitted diseases,
far fewer abortions,
far fewer unwed mothers and unwanted
pregnancies, and
far fewer children growing up without both
parents in their lives.
Abstinence
is God’s only policy when it comes to sex before
marriage.
Abstinence
saves lives,
protects babies,
gives sexual relations the proper value, and,
most importantly, honors God.