God, Sex and the bible - Part 2.

God, Sex and the bible. Part 2

5. Unlawful sex: (top)

While the ten commandments or "ten suggestions" as they are considered in our day are not highly esteemed. We should remember that the ten commandments are the only part of the whole bible written by the finger of God himself (Exo 31:18 ).

(Exo 31:18 NIV) When the LORD finished speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the Testimony, the tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God.

The Social part of the ten commandments. (5th to 10th)

(Exo 20:12-17 NIV) "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
{13} "You shall not murder.
{14} "You shall not commit adultery.
{15} "You shall not steal.
{16} "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
{17} "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

The laws concerning unlawful sex were given in the OT and mostly upheld in the new testament, for example laws against adultery, fornication and homosexuality are all upheld in the NT. The seventh commandment forbidding adultery was given in the second part of the ten commandments that determined social ethics. The first part (1-4) concerns our relationship with God, the second part (5-10) concerns our relationship with our neighbour. The commandments arise out of God's nature so that they are holy, they arise out of his love and justice. The social commandments were given to his people for their benefit, by keeping them, society as a whole would benefit. Adultery would have an effect on the whole community. In these days where the rights of the individual to achieve individual satisfaction are espoused, the effect on the rest of society is frequently neglected. Adultery and its effect on the family will eventually lead to a weakening of the society. The first step to adultery is to covet your neighbor's wife (the tenth commandment).

At its most basic level adultery is not only breaking a commandment of God it goes against God's design for the human race, which is basically one partner for life. This concept is basic to Jesus teaching on divorce, in which divorce does not terminate a marriage while adultery does. If either the man or woman who committed adultery were found then they would both be killed, divorce does not come into the question. The innocent party would be free to remarry. Adultery also breaks a solemn covenant between the husband and wife, even today we still promise 'till death do us part' in practise many of us promise 'till difficulty do us part'. God acts as a witness to the covenant of marriage.

(Mal 2:14-15 NIV) You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. {15} Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

By definition when a girl loses her virginity it is an unrepeatable act that results in a flow of blood that baths the man's penis when he penetrates her for the first time. This blood is symbolic of the lifelong blood covenant between the man and the woman.

Today's attitude to virginity, adultery and divorce are symptomatic of how far western society has fallen away from God's standards. It is not therefore surprising that abortion is also rampant.

Not just adultery but most of the laws regarding unlawful sex can be considered as deviating from the created order of sex within marriage as ordained by God. This is described at its most fundamental level in Gen 2:24 and is frequently quoted in the NT, especially by Jesus in his teaching on divorce (Mal 2:14-16, Mat 19:3-9, Mk 10:6-12, Rom 7:2, 1 Cor 6:16,17, 7:2-4, 7:11, Eph 5:28-31).

Heb 13:4 declares marriage to be honourable, and that God will judge both the adulterer and the sexually immoral. While in our society sexual sins are not even considered sins, they are by God who we will answer to on the great day of judgement.

(Heb 13:4) Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Sex within marriage is good, honourable and holy.

Illicit sex is defined in various passages:

5.1. Adultery: (top)

The seventh commandment:

(Exo 20:14) "You shall not commit adultery.

The penalty:

{Deu 22:22} If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel.

Since the penalty for adultery is death, the innocent party, who is still alive, is free to remarry.

Adultery is declared unlawful in the seventh commandment (Ex 20:14) and indeed the tenth commandment prohibits coveting ones neighbours wife which is the precursor of adultery. Jesus goes to the heart of the law by saying that 'anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.' (Mat 5:28). The penalty for adultery is death for both those involved (Deu 22:22) which indicates the seriousness of this sin in God's eyes. Adultery is when a married person has sex with someone other than their spouse. Adultery is breaking faith with the partner of the marriage covenant, Mal 2:15 warns us to guard ourselves in our spirit because adultery starts in the heart before it takes place physically. Jesus teaches that it is out of the heart that adultery comes. Adultery breaks the one flesh bond of marriage which can lead to divorce. The scripture recognises that God has made the marriage partners one flesh (Mal 2:15, Mat 19:6). Adultery is therefore not only a sin against the other partner but against God who joined them together and before whom the covenant was made. Marriage is a natural ordinance established by God and whether or not God is recognised by those who marry he is still acting as a witness to the covenant of marriage made.

(Mal 2:14-16) You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. {15} Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. {16} "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

(Mat 19:4-6) "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' {5} and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? {6} So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

(Ezek 6:9) Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember me--how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices.

Adultery is also used to describe unfaithfulness to God (Ezek 6:9) and Jesus called his generation an adulterous generation (Mat 12:39, 16:4). Prov 2:16-17 tells of the adulteress 'the wayward wife with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God'. In Rom 7:3 a woman is called an adulteress if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, Jesus makes it clear that she is still an adulteress even if she is divorced 'And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery' (Mk 10:12).

(Rom 7:3) So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.

(Mark 10:11-12) He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. {12} And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

Proverbs (God's wisdom) is repleat with warning against adultery.

(Prov 2:12-19) Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, {13} who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, {14} who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, {15} whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. {16} It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words, {17} who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. {18} For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. {19} None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

(Prov 5:18-21) May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. {19} A loving doe, a graceful deer-- may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. {20} Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife? {21} For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.

(Prov 2:16) It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,

(Prov 5:3) For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;

(Prov 5:20) Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?

(Prov 6:26) for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.

(Prov 6:32) But a man who commits adultery lacks judgement; whoever does so destroys himself.

(Prov 7:5) they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words.

(Prov 22:14) The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the Lord's wrath will fall into it.

(Prov 30:20) "This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, 'I've done nothing wrong.'

Proverbs speaks a lot about adultery (Prov 2:16, 5:3, 5:20, 6:26, 7:5, 22:14, 30:20). Prov offers advice on how to avoid it when it advises a man to "rejoice in the wife of his youth" Prov 5:18.

5.2. Sex with close relatives proscribed: (top)

(Lev 18:6-19) "'No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the LORD. {7} "'Do not dishonour your father by having sexual relations with your mother. She is your mother; do not have relations with her. {8} "'Do not have sexual relations with your father's wife; that would dishonour your father. {9} "'Do not have sexual relations with your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere. {10} "'Do not have sexual relations with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter; that would dishonour you. {11} "'Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father's wife, born to your father; she is your sister. {12} "'Do not have sexual relations with your father's sister; she is your father's close relative. {13} "'Do not have sexual relations with your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative. {14} "'Do not dishonour your father's brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt. {15} "'Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law. She is your son's wife; do not have relations with her. {16} "'Do not have sexual relations with your brother's wife; that would dishonour your brother. {17} "'Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual relations with either her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness. {18} "'Do not take your wife's sister as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living. {19} "'Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness of her monthly period.

{Lev 18:20} "'Do not have sexual relations with your neighbour's wife and defile yourself with her. {21} "'Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.

Note: Clearly marriage between close relatives was permitted by God before the Law was given. The bible says that Eve was the mother of all the living (Gen 3:20) and all the world is descended from Noah and his family of eight in all. Abraham married his half sister and Isaac married a close family member.

(Gen 3:20 NIV) Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.

(1 Pet 3:20 NIV) who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

5.3. Homosexual acts: (top)

Books about homosexuality can be found here

OT references:

{Lev 18:22} "'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.

Its penalty:

(Lev 20:13) "'If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

This is hardly an act of just 'ceremonial' uncleanness for it requires the death penalty.

(Deu 23:17-18) No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute. {18} You must not bring the earnings of a female prostitute or of a male prostitute into the house of the LORD your God to pay any vow, because the LORD your God detests them both.

NT references.

(1 Cor 6:9-11) Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders (arsenokoites:G733 ){10} nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. {11} And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

The same word used for homosexual in 1 Cor 6:9 (arsenokoites) is translated perverts by the NIV in 1 Tim 1:10.

(1 Tim 1:10) for adulterers and perverts (arsenokoites:G733 ), for slave traders and liars and perjurers--and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine

733. arsenokoites, ar-sen-ok-oy'-tace; from G730 and G2845; a sodomite:--abuser of (that defile) self with mankind. 730, arsen, a male, and 2845 koite, a bed. A man who lies in bed with another male, a homosexual. Arsenokoites is based on the Septuagint translation of the Levitical prohibitions on male-male intercourse and clearly shows that Paul endorses the Levitical prohibitions against male-male intercourse.

(Rom 1:18-32) The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, {19} since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. {20} For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. {21} For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. {22} Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools {23} and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. {24} Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. {25} They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. {26} Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. {27} In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion. {28} Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. {29} They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, {30} slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; {31} they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. {32} Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Rom 2:1-3) You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things. {2} Now we know that God's judgement against those who do such things is based on truth. {3} So when you, a mere man, pass judgement on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgement?

The bible shows us that when men reject God the result is unnatural sex both male homosexuality and lesbianism (which is not mentioned in the OT but is in Rom 1:26). The results of rejecting God are seen in the post Christian culture of the West. This is not new, but in today's culture it is seen in a degree not known for some years. The state will not stand up against homosexual practises so only the church can speak up against this practise along with other practises such as sex outside of marriage and adultery. When the church is seen condoning homosexual activity through the ordination of homosexual priests or homosexual marriage the homosexual community is delighted.

Homosexual acts must be distinguished from homosexual orientation. A person with homosexual orientation must not carry out the physical act. This is no different from saying that a heterosexual person must not have sex outside of marriage. The difference is that the heterosexual person can find sexual fulfillment within marriage. Although some people see homosexual acts as the ultimate sin, all sexual immorality: fornication, adultery and homosexuality are wrong and God will punish all the sexually immoral.

While the punishment for adultery and homosexual acts are the same, namely death. Homosexual acts involve a deeper level of rebellion against God than adultery. While adultery is serious because it breaks the bond between a man and wife. Homosexual acts go against the created order of a man lying with a woman, Lev 18:22 says 'Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable' a homosexual act denies the way in which God made us. It should be self evident that God made a man and a woman to correspond sexually. When God made man he created male and female, he created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve or Eve and Susan. Rom 1:27 calls it a perversion.

Most people recognise that adultery is wrong even though they may do it, but with the homosexual he will not recognise that his actions are wrong, such is the depth of the rebellion within him. To find forgiveness of sin the first step is to admit that you are wrong. With the homosexual this is difficult. Rom 1:18 is true 'they suppress the truth'. The agenda of the 'gay' community is to achieve tolerance, acceptance and even approval of their lifestyle even so far as getting acceptance of homosexual marriage. The churches acceptance of this mocks God. Despite this God loves the homosexual while he hates the deed. As with the woman caught in the act of adultery, Jesus aim is to win the person rather than to condemn the person so that the person turns from their sin and is saved from the penalty of sin.

We need to bear in mind that Christ died for sinners which naturally includes homosexual offenders. The first century Christian community included those who had been homosexuals, but they were washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6:11).

(1 Cor 6:9-11) Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders {10} nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. {11} And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

The first step to finding forgiveness for homosexual acts is to acknowledge that the behaviour is wrong, this is the most difficult step but it is crucial. The next step which follows from this is to cease homosexual acts. Now in a sense that is sufficient to find forgiveness, but what about healing? It is enough that a person finds forgiveness for sins through Christ, God does not have to change a person's orientation. However the God who created mankind to be heterosexual, can and does graciously change a person's orientation as well. This is well documented in the book 'The Broken Image' by Leanne Payne.

It is a popular part of gay propaganda to say that Jesus said nothing about homosexuality; this is a half truth as all the best propaganda is. In Mat 19 Jesus endorses the created intent of marriage and sex, that it be between a man and a woman. The get-out clause is the mention of eunuchs in Mat 19:12, but I would interpret this to mean celibacy not gay marriage.The alternative to marriage is celibacy.

(Mat 19:3-12 NIV) Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?" {4} "Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' {5} and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'? {6} So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." {7} "Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?" {8} Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. {9} I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." {10} The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry." {11} Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. {12} For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

For a detailed rebuttal of gay theology see Responding to Pro-Gay Theology - by Joe Dallas

5.4. Bestiality: (top)

{Lev 18:23} "'Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion. {24} "'Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled.

Penalty:

(Lev 20:15-16) "'If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. {16} "'If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

The reasons for this prohibition stem from the creation account. Man is different to the animals and only Eve is a suitable mate for Adam.

5.5. Promiscuity: (top)

Sex before marriage, the OT view.

(Deu 22:13-30) If a man takes a wife and, after lying with her, dislikes her {14} and slanders her and gives her a bad name, saying, "I married this woman, but when I approached her, I did not find proof of her virginity," {15} then the girl's father and mother shall bring proof that she was a virgin to the town elders at the gate. {16} The girl's father will say to the elders, "I gave my daughter in marriage to this man, but he dislikes her. {17} Now he has slandered her and said, 'I did not find your daughter to be a virgin.' But here is the proof of my daughter's virginity." Then her parents shall display the cloth before the elders of the town, {18} and the elders shall take the man and punish him. {19} They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the girl's father, because this man has given an Israelite virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives. {20} If, however, the charge is true and no proof of the girl's virginity can be found, {21} she shall be brought to the door of her father's house and there the men of her town shall stone her to death. She has done a disgraceful thing in Israel by being promiscuous while still in her father's house. You must purge the evil from among you.

5.6. Rape (top)

i. Rape in a town.

{Deu 22:23} If a man happens to meet in a town a virgin pledged to be married and he sleeps with her, {24} you shall take both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death--the girl because she was in a town and did not scream for help, and the man because he violated another man's wife. You must purge the evil from among you.

ii. Rape in the country.

{Deu 22:25} But if out in the country a man happens to meet a girl pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. {26} Do nothing to the girl; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders his neighbour, {27} for the man found the girl out in the country, and though the betrothed girl screamed, there was no one to rescue her.

5.7. Premarital sex: (top)

{Deu 22:28} If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, {29} he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.

(Exo 22:16-17) "If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. {17} If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.

Premarital sex is very prevalent in the West today. Woman have cheapened themselves today by allowing men to have sex with them without commitment. Woman used to say 'No' to sex before marriage, by saying 'yes' they are weakening marriage. It used to be said that marriage is the price men pay to have sex and sex is the price woman pay to get marriage. There is some truth as well as untruth in this, men want sex and woman want marriage, that is the priority for each sex. By withholding sex until marriage a woman could be sure of the level of commitment of the man, if he is prepared to wait he will probably make a good husband. If he goes off in search of another woman, well it was probably a good thing.

Premarital sex defrauds your future partner of their right, your virginity. A man should marry a virgin and a woman should also marry a virgin. The blood shed when a woman looses her virginity is supposed to seal the covenant between her and her husband. People seem eager to lose their virginity before marriage, this is a perverted desire, we have lost any sense of the purity of sex. Premarital sex is not only a sin against your body, it is a sin against the other person and finally and more importantly it is a sin against God. The sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of heaven (1 Cor 6:9-10), its punishment is indicated in Rev 21:8, therefore it should be treated seriously, it is not a frivolous matter with God. It can also lead to sexually transmitted diseases which can lead to infertility and to AIDS which leads to premature death. Fortunately there is a move back to high moral standards with young people covenanting to remain virgins until marriage.

5.8. Sexual immorality in general - NT teaching. (top)

(Mat 15:18-19) But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' {19} For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality (porneia: G4202), theft, false testimony, slander.

While the Council of Jerusalem did not require the Gentile converts to obey the whole law, and to get circumcised, they still said that they should avoid sexual immorality

(Acts 21:25) As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality (porneia: G4202)."

(1 Cor 6:9-20) Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral (pornos: G4205) nor idolaters nor adulterers (moichos: G3432) nor male prostitutes (malakos: G3120) nor homosexual offenders (arsenokoites: G733){10} nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. {11} And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. {12} "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything. {13} "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"--but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality (porneia: G4202), but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. {14} By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. {15} Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? (porne: G4204) Never! {16} Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." {17} But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. {18} Flee from sexual immorality (porneia: G4202). All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. {19} Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; {20} you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body.

4202. porneia, por-ni'-ah; from G4203; harlotry (include. adultery and incest); fig. idolatry:--fornication. (translated sexual immorality (verb) basically any sexual sin including adultery)

4205. pornos, por'-nos; from pernemi (to sell; akin to the base of G4097); a (male) prostitute (as venal), i.e. (by anal.) a debauchee (libertine):--fornicator, whoremonger (translated the sexually immoral (noun)).

3120. malakos, mal-ak-os'; of uncert. affin.; soft, i.e. fine (clothing); fig. a catamite:--effeminate, soft.

733. arsenokoites, ar-sen-ok-oy'-tace; from G730 and G2845; a sodomite:--abuser of (that defile) self with mankind.

(Gal 5:19-21) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality (porneia: G4202), impurity and debauchery; {20} idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions {21} and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

(Col 3:5-7) Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality (porneia: G4202), impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. {6} Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. {7} You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

(1 Th 4:3-8) It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality (porneia: G4202); {4} that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, {5} not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; {6} and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. {7} For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. {8} Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

(Rev 21:8) But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral (pornos: G4205), those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death."

5.9. Masturbation and oral sex. (top)

(1 Th 4:3-7 NIV) It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; {4} that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, {5} not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; {6} and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. {7} For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

Neither of these are specifically mentioned in scripture, although some say that the Song of Songs alludes to oral sex. The story of Onan (Gen 38:8-9) is not about masturbation but coitus interruptus in which he refused to fulfill his duty as brother in law and to ensure offspring for his dead brother it is his refusal which displeased the Lord. The absence of any mention of masturbation is surprising considering how widespread it is now and likely was when the bible was written. Absence of its mention could be construed that God does not treat it as seriously as say adultery. Masturbation is widely practised and oral sex is probably not uncommon in the West. Using the creation narrative as our guide and the principle that the male genital is designed for the female genital, just as food is for the stomach (1 Cor 6:13). Then neither practise can be said to conform with the design of our Creator and should be regarded as deviations from design which are sinful. Masturbation should tell most people that they should be married, unfortunately life is not always so accommodating. In most cases marriage should put an end the practise of masturbation, although this does not always happen, such is the fallenness of man. In its favour masturbation is safe sex and does not cause pregnancy. If it is not accompanied by pornography and fantasies and used merely as a release mechanism it is better than fornication and may prevent fornication. While masturbation is not mentioned impure thoughts are, and these need to be avoided. Therefore we need to take control over what we look at and avoid those things that give rise to or stimulate lust - papers, magazines, TV, films etc. We should take the responsibility to guard our minds (Phil 4:7-8) so that we are not overtaken by temptation.

(Phil 4:7-8 NIV) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. {8} Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.

Paul's advice to Titus is to urge the young men to be self-controlled, this is good advice. In 1 Th 4:4-5 Paul tells us that "each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God". Also in 2 Tim 2:22 Paul's advice to Timothy is to flee the evil desires of youth and a positive command is introduced which is to pursue righteousness, faith love and peace. If the result is that a young man burns with sexual passion then the solution is marriage. The command for priests to remain celibate is clearly wrong (1 Tim 4:3 ). The current practise of late marriages together with a world filled with both sexual immorality and sexual images are not conducive to purity in both body and mind. For those addicted to pornography I have included some books in part1.

(Titus 2:6) Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.

2 Tim 2:22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Apart from impure thoughts masturbation takes what should be love for another and perverts it into a kind of self-love. Instead of giving pleasure to another it is self pleasing. Usually it is a phase that young men go through before marriage, with marriage tending to occur later in life people are turning to sexual immorality or masturbation instead, instead of being perhaps a short phase it may last for many years. When combined with pornography it becomes an addictive combination that can lead to obsessive and negative results. Within marriage masturbation should not become a substitute for sexual intercourse because that would be defrauding your partner of their marital rights.

The usual advice concerning oral sex within marriage is that it should not become a substitute for genital to genital sex. The rule of love should be used, such that if one partner finds it offensive then the other should not insist on it. It is true that scripture says nothing about oral sex. Even the Kamasutra has pictures of oral sex; so it goes back a long time. My own view is that it is immature, but if your husband needs it, then it is better than adultery. The consequences of him going to someone else are far worse.

5.10. Lust. (top)

1939. epithumia, ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah; from G1937; a longing (espec. for what is forbidden):--concupiscence, desire, lust (after).

Lust tries to please itself, love tries to please the other. Lust is never satisfied but always wants more. Lust is the illicit desire for something, in the context here it means the desire for sex outside of marriage i.e. the desire for illicit sex.

(Job 31:1) "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.

(Prov 6:20-35) My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. {21} Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. {22} When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. {23} For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life, {24} keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife. {25} Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes, {26} for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. {27} Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? {28} Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? {29} So is he who sleeps with another man's wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. {30} Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. {31} Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house. {32} But a man who commits adultery lacks judgement; whoever does so destroys himself. {33} Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away; {34} for jealousy arouses a husband's fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. {35} He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse the bribe, however great it is.

(Mat 5:27-30) "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' {28} But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. {29} If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. {30} And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

It is sometimes thought that we will not be judged by our thoughts, only by our deeds, however Jesus teaching on lust seems to challenge this view. The problem is that lust (i.e. evil thoughts) leads to bad deeds, see Jam 1:13-15, Mat 15:17-20.

(James 1:13-15) When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; {14} but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. {15} Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

(Mat 15:17-20) "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? {18} But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' {19} For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. {20} These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'"

(Mark 7:20-23) He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.' {21} For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, {22} greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. {23} All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"

(Eph 2:3) All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

(Col 3:5-6) Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. {6} Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

The passage below is the scripture which eventually converted Augustine from his hedonism and sexual addiction to Christ.

(1 Pet 4:3) For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.

(1 John 2:16) For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.

5.11. Pornography. (top)

(Mat 5:27-30) "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' {28} But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. {29} If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. {30} And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

In his statement about looking at a woman lustfully (Mat 5:28) he acknowledges that men are attracted to woman visually, see Adams comments on seeing Eve for the first time:

(Gen 2:22-23) Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. {23} The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, ' for she was taken out of man."

Pornography is not a modern phenomenon, it has existed for millennium, but modern technology has made it more realistic through print, film or video. Pornography is closely allied to idolatry because one is worshipping the image of a woman and attempting to become one flesh with the image. It encourages mental promiscuity, it is never satisfied, it never finds fulfilment other than an orgasm, it is searching for perfection, the original Eve. It exalts and idolises one's image of woman, but at its heart is the amelioration of the inner loneliness of Adam, but it fails because it involves an image of a woman. There is no commitment involved. The joys and difficulties involved with a real woman are not encountered, she is an image of man's creation. She is passive unlike a real woman, who responds to ones caresses. For addiction to pornography see books inpart1

Impurity: (top)

167. akatharsia, ak-ath-ar-see'-ah; from G169; impurity (the quality), phys. or mor.:--uncleanness.

(Rom 1:24) Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

(Rom 6:19) I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.

(Gal 5:19-21) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; {20} idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions {21} and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

(Eph 4:17-19) So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. {18} They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. {19} Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

(Eph 5:1-6) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children {2} and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. {3} But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. {4} Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. {5} For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. {6} Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.

(Col 3:5-6) Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. {6} Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

(1 Th 4:3-7) It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; {4} that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honourable, {5} not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; {6} and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. {7} For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.

(Rev 21:27) Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

5.12. Prostitution. (top)

The Bible has an interesting tradition when it comes to prostitutes; Rahab the prostitute is listed in the hall of faith Heb 11:31. The prodigal son squandered his money on fast living and prostitutes Luke 15:30. Jesus told the chief priests and the elders of the people that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of them because they believed John the Baptist and repented Mat 21:31 -32. Judah slept with his daughter-in-law thinking that she was a prostitute Gen 38:15 . Solomon issued his famous verdict over which of two prostitutes the baby really belonged to 1 Ki 3:16. Israel regularly prostituted itself by going after foreign gods Deu 31:16. Perhaps the most famous is the great prostitute of Revelation Rev 17:1 also known as Babylon the Great.

The OT law is a little tricky, with stronger rules for priests than the general population.

Lev 19:29 "'Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.

(Deu 23:17 NIV) No Israelite man or woman is to become a shrine prostitute.

Although priests were not supposed to marry a prostitute, nor should a priests daughter become a prostitute.

(Lev 21:14 NIV) He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or a woman defiled by prostitution, but only a virgin from his own people,

(Lev 21:9 NIV) "'If a priest's daughter defiles herself by becoming a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she must be burned in the fire.

In the NT male prostitutes are mentioned along with others who will not inherit the kingdom of God.

(1 Cor 6:9-10 NIV) Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders {10} nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul again appeals to Gen 2:24 "the two will become one flesh" when telling the Corinthians why it is wrong to unite themselves with a prostitute.

(1 Cor 6:15-20 NIV) Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! {16} Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." {17} But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. {18} Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. {19} Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; {20} you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

6. Divorce: (top)

OT scriptures:

(Deu 24:1-4) If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, {2} and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, {3} and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of divorce, gives it to her and sends her from his house, or if he dies, {4} then her first husband, who divorced her, is not allowed to marry her again after she has been defiled. That would be detestable in the eyes of the LORD. Do not bring sin upon the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.

(Mal 2:13-16) Another thing you do: You flood the Lord's altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. {14} You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. {15} Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth. {16} "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith.

We should note in the Malachi scripture that marriage is a covenant and God is acting as a witness to that covenant which the scripture make clear is a lifelong covenant which is only lawfully released when one of the marriage partners dies, then remarriage is possible.

Jesus on Divorce:

Jesus teaching on marriage and divorce is covered by four sections, Mat 5:31-32, 19:3-12, Mk 10:10-12, Lk 16:18.

(Mat 5:31-32) "It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' {32} But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

Mat 19.3-12: Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?' 4 Haven't you read, he replied, that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, 5 and said For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? 6 So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate. 7 Why then, they asked, did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away? 8 Jesus replied, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery. 10 The disciples said to him, If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry. 11 Jesus replied, Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it is has been given. 12 For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.

(Mark 10:10-12) When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. {11} He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. {12} And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

(Luke 16:18) "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

In these four scriptures Jesus covers most possibilities.

i. The man who divorces his wife causes her to become an adulteress (Mat 5:32)

ii. The man who marries the divorced woman commits adultery (Mat 5:32, Lk 16:18)

iii. The man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery Mat 19:9, Mk 10:11, Lk 16:8.

iv. The wife who divorces her husband and remarries commits adultery (Mk 10:12)

We should note that two of these references refer to the man (i and iii) divorcing his wife, the second refers to the man who marries the divorced woman but the fourth reference refers to the woman divorcing her husband. Just about all options are covered which shows the value of having the synoptic gospels.

Jesus' view on divorce is based on the creation narrative (Mat 19:4-6) in which in marriage the two people become one flesh, the two people become one. This union is viewed as God joining the two people and what God has joined together man should not separate through divorce. This union is only broken when one partner dies or one of the partners commits adultery. Divorce is man-made, it does not come from God, it does not break or annul the one flesh bond and so if one partner remarries then he is breaking the one flesh bond and so committing adultery. Jesus is not recognising the legitimacy of divorce, except in the case of unfaithfulness in which the bond has already been broken. It is normally assumed that the innocent party can remarry although this is not clear from the text.

We should note that Jesus teaching on divorce hold a high view of marriage and of sex.

Divorce allowed in cases of adultery. (top)

The exception clause which allows divorce unfaithfulness (the exception clause is only in Matthew 5:32 and 19:9 it is not in Luke or Mark) is if the divorce is based on marital unfaithfulness because the adultery has already taken place and the adulterer has broken faith with the other partner. Now if Jesus allows the divorce then if the divorce is to be meaningful then presumably the innocent party is allowed to remarry, however this is presumption. Now if we take a legalistic view then we could say that adultery means that we have to divorce the unfaithful partner, however such is not the case, Jesus is saying that we may. If a husband sins against a wife but returns repentant then the wife should forgive, but to some such betrayal may be too much and Jesus is saying that divorce is an option. However if repeated adultery takes place then it can be argued that the innocent party condones the adultery by taking the adulterer back again and again. There comes a point where divorce is the only option both for the innocent partner and the adulterer. By continuing to take the adulterer back the innocent party is condoning the sin of the adulterer and by not taking the adulterer back he is forced to consider his actions, maybe he will repent. On the other hand if the adulterer goes and lives with another person or marries them he has confirmed his adultery and the innocent party can divorce and presumably remarry the marriage is terminated in God's sight. It should be noted that the OT penalty for adultery is death, divorce is a more merciful option in the NT.

Paul on divorce:

1 Cor 7.10-11: To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

Pauline concession:

1 Cor 7.12-16: To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

The unbeliever may leave the marriage and the believer is not bound to the unbeliever, whether the believer is then free to marry another believer is not stated. If the unbeliever commits adultery and leaves then this would, in my opinion, free the believer to remarry.

Wife bound until her husband dies:

Rom 7.2-3: For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.

1 Cor 7.39: A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.

There is no such thing as a sexless marriage because unless a marriage is consummated technically it is not a marriage because the two have not become one flesh.

6.1. Remarriage. (top)

Note on unmarried (see also MacArthur below).

22. agamos, ag'-am-os; from G1 (as a neg. particle) and G1062; unmarried:--unmarried. 1062. gamos, gam'-os; of uncert. affin.; nuptials:--marriage, wedding.

(1 Cor 7:8) Now to the unmarried (agamos) and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.

(1 Cor 7:10-11) To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. {11} But if she does, she must remain unmarried (agamos) or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

(1 Cor 7:32) I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried (agamos) man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord.

(1 Cor 7:34) and his interests are divided. An unmarried (agamos) woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband.

(1 Cor 7:39-40) A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. {40} In my judgement, she is happier if she stays as she is--and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

MacArthur argues that the term unmarried (agamos) refers to divorced people, they are not widows (1 Cor 7:8) or virgins (1 Cor 7:34). He argues that the unmarried i.e. divorced can remarry but this seems to be contradicted by 1 Cor 7:11 and 39. It should be noted that unmarried can refer to singles who have never married but are not virgins.

For more on remarriage after divorce see: Jay E Adams, Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the Bible, Zondervan, 1980. Second Chance: Biblical Principals of Divorce and Remarriage by Ray Sutton

(1 Cor 7:27-28 NASB) Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. {28} But if you should marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin should marry, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

In the passage above Jay E Adams argues that the word released (Gk luo) must mean the same thing in both instances, and that it must mean divorce that was in Paul's mind, luo means to "loosen" (lit. or fig.):--break (up), destroy, dissolve, (un-) loose, melt, put off. And that those released from the marriage bonds by divorce are free to remarry and that further there is no sin in remarrying.

(Ezek 44:21-22 NASB) "Nor shall any of the priests drink wine when they enter the inner court. {22} "And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman but shall take virgins from the offspring of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.

In the passage above it was the priests as a special catagory who could not marry a widow or a divorced person but only a virgin, this implies that a person who is not a priest could marry a widow or a divorced person. The NT is clear that a believer can marry a widow.

7. Miscellaneous topics.

7.1. Abortion. (top)

(Psa 139:13-16) For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. {14} I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. {15} My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, {16} your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

(Jer 1:5) "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

How a society cares for its unborn, its old and its disabled is a good barometer of how that society regards God. A nation close to God will regard life as sacred and will care for its unborn, young, old and disabled. Our society seems to care more for animals than either the unborn or children. Abortion is used as a method of contraception especially in Russia. The current acceptance of abortion is rooted in a fallacy that says that aborting a foetus is OK but once the baby is born killing it would be murder. A new-born baby is a living being but a foetus is not. In this there is a false distinction between our concept of what is living. A new-born baby is just as dependent on parental care as a foetus which is entirely dependent on its mother. A premature baby can live being born 24 weeks after conception and doctors and nurses spend much resources trying to keep it alive. While abortion can be carried out up to a term of up to 28 weeks. There is an inconsistency here. At what point a foetus becomes a living being is only known to God. Who is man to make that decision.

7.2. Contraception. (top)

It is only within recent times that contraception has been scientifically practised, although it has undoubtedly been practised for many years in various forms. Its significance today is that allows premarital sex to be practised without the high probability of a pregnancy. With today's contraceptive devices pregnancy can be avoided with a high degree although those sperm do seem to manage to still get through when they should not, but human error is probably mostly to blame.

Is it biblical?

The bible clearly teaches that we should Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it Gen 1:28, and the Catholic view is that sex is primarily for procreation.

(Gen 1:26-28 NIV) Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." {27} So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. {28} God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

On the other hand sex is also for bonding of a man and his wife, the biological fact is that a woman is interested in sex throughout most of the monthly cycle. Marriage is the coming together of two people to become 'one flesh' with physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions. A sexless marriage is not a true marriage, it sounds spiritual but it is not because it ignores the one flesh union of marriage.

(Gen 2:24 NIV) For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. See also Mat 19:5 Mark 10:8 1 Cor 6:16 Eph 5:31

However in our fallen world, one of the purposes of marriage is to avoid sexual immorality, and within marriage the couple should fulfill their marital duty to each other and have sexual relations. Paul instructs such a couple not to deprive each other, except by mutual consent for a time, but not for so long that they might be tempted to look elsewhere for sexual fulfillment.

(1 Cor 7:1-6 NIV) Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. {2} But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. {3} The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. {4} The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. {5} Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. {6} I say this as a concession, not as a command.

The Catholic view has always emphasized that sex is meant for procreation, in order to be fruitful and increase in number; and fill the earth. However the earth is now pretty full, man has migrated to every part of the earth and lives everywhere that man can live. Indeed the big problem is more with over population and how to deal with its effects on the environment. In many countries like China and India the need is to bring the population rate of increase down to its replacement (steady state) level. While the Catholic church has always insisted on churches authority to establish moral issues, the protestant position is that one is personally responsible to make moral judgements based on the authority of scripture. I would suggest that scripture says little on the issue.

What about the sin of Onan?

(Gen 38:8-10 NIV) Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother." {9} But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing offspring for his brother. {10} What he did was wicked in the Lord's sight; so he put him to

God, Sex and the bible - Part 2.

Contents:

Part 1

Part 2