Sex

Sex

Sex is good! God created sex as a wonderful gift to be enjoyed between a man and woman in marriage. He intended it to be an intimate expression of love exclusively between a husband and wife. This protects people from the harmful consequences of illicit sex and provides an ideal environment for raising children.

Sex creates a powerful bond between the participants physically, emotionally and spiritually. When sex is removed from the commitment of marriage, it easily becomes a lustful and addictive activity. Pornography is a powerful tool that promotes lust-based sex (instead of love-based sex). It perverts sex and degrades the human body, which is made in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27).

As our Creator, God gives us clear instructions regarding sex:

Sex is for marriage only: Sex is a powerful activity that affects our body, soul and spirits. It joins us as "one flesh" with our sexual partner. Sex also allows us to share in the miracle of the creation of life. Marriage provides the best environment in which to raise children who will reach their fully created potential, emotionally, spiritually and physically.

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." Hebrews 13:4 NIV

"May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer--may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love. Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?" Proverbs 5:18-20 NIV

¹ Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.²Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 1 Corinthians 7:2 NKJV

Sex unites a man and woman physically, emotionally and spiritually
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2:24 NIV

"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." Malachi 2:15 NIV

"But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one." Mark 10:6-8 NIV

We are called to "sexual purity"
"It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 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." 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 NIV

For married people, this is sex based on love and not lust

For singles, this is abstaining from sex and exercising control over our bodies and thoughts

Why is our sexual behavior important to God? Sex is one of the most powerful ways we can honor or dishonor God. The creation of life is perhaps the greatest gift God has given us outside of Christ's payment of our sin. Sex enables us to greatly influence our mate's and our potential children's lives. The moment we introduce sin into sexual activity, we open the door to evil spirits and curses that could affect current and future generations. Honoring God's commands with our sexuality is a form of worship from the deepest part of our being. Here are some points that reveal the basis for this worship:

By accepting Jesus sacrifice for our sin, our bodies become God's property: "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?" 1 Corinthians 6:15 NIV and "The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body." 1 Corinthians 6:13 NIV

Our bodies are literally temples of the Holy Spirit: "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV). The notion of God's Spirit living in us should bring us to a renewed sense of awe and reverent fear, as we consider that sexual activity joins us with whatever we're having sex with.

Sexual sin defiles God's temple (our bodies) and the special union we have with God in spirit: "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! 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."But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?" 1 Corinthians 6:15-19 NIV

We are called to honor God with our bodies: "You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:20 NIV

See God Owns Us for more insight

What kind of sex is wrong? God makes it very clear what kinds of sex or sexually-related activities are wrong. As a rule of thumb, any sex outside of marriage is sin. We've listed a few of the many Bible references for each form of sex sin below.

Adultery: Sex outside of one's marriage (Deuteronomy 22:22, Galatians 5:19; Hebrews 13:4; Genesis 39:6-12, 1 Corinthians 7:2-3)

Bestiality: Sex with animals (Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:23; Leviticus 20:15-16)

Cross-Dressing: Men dressing as women and women dressing as men (Deuteronomy 22:5)

Incest: Sex between family members (Leviticus 18:6,7,10,22; 2 Samuel 13:2-22, Deuteronomy 22:13-30)

Fornication: Sex where at least one of the participants is not married; sex outside of marriage (Genesis 34:1-7; Deuteronomy 22:13-28; 2 Samuel 13:2-22; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 2 Corinthians 12:21, Galatians 5:19; Hebrews 13:4; Colossians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 7:2,8-9)

Homosexuality: Sex with member of same sex (1 Corinthians 6:9; Leviticus 20:13, Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-32, 1 Corinthians 7:2-3, 1 Timothy 1:8-11) (see homosexual page)

"Mental sex" sin: Jesus equated thinking about sexual sin with the act of committing the sin. Jesus said, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" Matthew 5:28 NIV. This notion of "thought sin" not only applies to sexual fantasy, but also to other forms of sin, like anger and murder (Matthew 5:21-22; Mark 7:20-22). Pornography powerfully promotes mental sex sin.

Pedophilia: Sex with children; a form of fornication. (Mark 9:42; Luke 17:1-2; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Hebrews 13:4; Colossians 3:5; 1 Corinthians 6:9 (see Strong's #3120 for effeminate))

Rape: Sex forced against the will (Deuteronomy 22:24-25, 2 Samuel 13:12-22)

God prohibited the above activities so that future generations would be conceived and raised in the best possible environment characterized by love and fidelity. When God's commands are broken through sex sin, pain and destruction result. Visit our pages, Bible examples of sex sin and Consequences of Sex Sin for more information.

Gray Areas of Sexuality? There are some other forms of sexual activity that may seem to be "gray" areas because the scriptures may not specifically address them. These typically are the "hot potatoes" of sexuality that are not typically discussed in church teachings. Pornography often goes to great lengths to exploit and promote these forms of sexual expression, and many people fantasize about these practices. It makes good sense to see what God has to say about these issues, so we've assembled the following pages to help you determine what God's will is for you concerning these practices:

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