n the New Testament, the word most often translated “sexual
immorality” is porneia . This word is also translated as
“whoredom,” “fornication,” and “idolatry.” It means “a
surrendering of sexual purity,” and it is primarily used of premarital
sexual relations. From this Greek word we get the English word
pornography , stemming from the concept of “selling off.” Sexual
immorality is the “selling off” of sexual purity and involves any type
of sexual expression outside the boundaries of a biblically defined
marriage (Matthew 19:4–5).
The connection between sexual immorality and idolatry is best
understood in the context of 1 Corinthians 6:18, which says, “Flee
from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside
his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” The
bodies of believers are the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1
Corinthians 6:19–20). Pagan idol worship often involved perverse
and immoral sexual acts performed in the temple of a false god.
When we use our physical bodies for immoral purposes, we are
imitating pagan worship by profaning God’s holy temple with acts
He calls detestable (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).
The root word for immorality in this passage is porneia ,
meaning illicit sexual intercourse, fornication, adultery,
homosexuality, intercourse with animals or close relatives,
or sex with a divorced person. It also stems from porneuo ,
which has a similar meaning but also is defined as
prostitution and lust.
Those are a lot of words, yes. And attaching the word lust
to sexual immorality creates room for a longer list including
porn, pedophilia, and masturbation (in most cases). But if
we return to the simplest context of God’s desire for sex in
Genesis, we find that again, sexual immorality would entail
any sexual activity outside of a husband and wife.
Biblical prohibitions against sexual immorality are often coupled
with warnings against “ impurity ” (Romans 1:24; Galatians 5:19;
Ephesians 4:19). This word in the Greek is akatharsia , which
means “defiled, foul, ceremonially unfit.” It connotes actions that
render a person unfit to enter God’s presence. Those who persist
in unrepentant immorality and impurity cannot come into the
presence of God. Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart for
they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8; cf. Psalm 24:3–4). It is
impossible to maintain a healthy intimacy with God when our
bodies and souls are given over to impurities of any kind.
Sexuality is God’s design. He alone can define the parameters for
its use.Biblically speaking, sexual immorality is any sexual activity that
takes place outside of marriage. This includes adultery
(infidelity) and fornication (premarital or extramarital sex).
Scripture teaches that both are off-limits for Christians (see I
Corinthians 6:9; Acts 15:29; Hebrews 13:4). I Thessalonians
4:3-5 tells us that it is God’s will that we should “avoid sexual
immorality” and that each of us should learn to control his or
her own body “in a way that is holy and honorable, not in
passionate lust like the heathen who do not know God.” The Bible is clear that sex was created to be enjoyed
between one man and one woman who are in a covenant marriage
until one of them dies (Matthew 19:6). Sexuality is His sacred
wedding gift to human beings. Any expression of it outside those
parameters constitutes abuse of God’s gift. Abuse is the use of
people or things in ways they were not designed to be used. The
Bible calls this sin. Adultery, premarital sex , pornography , and
homosexual relations are all outside God’s design, which makes
them sin.