Is sex only for procreation?

[tonychanyt]

I am talking about sex between a married couple.

Sex is enjoyable, Proverbs 5:

18 Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. 19 Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love.

Paul thought it was okay to have sex for different purposes other than having babies, 1 Corinthians 7:

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

Sex can alleviate a temptation problem.

3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.

Sex is a conjugal right.

4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Again, the temptation was mentioned.

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Sex can alleviate the problem of sexual burning passion. Sex is pleasurable. We are allowed to enjoy sex apart from making babies

As usual, I am not the oracle of God. I am merely expressing my own interpretation and opinion.

 

[look4hope]

It doesn’t suggest sex is only for procreation.

 

[Lost Witness]

A married couple having relations for the above reasons in the OP seem fine to me

 

[Reluctant Theologian]

In all of the Song of Songs I do not find any reference to procreation ...

 

[ZephBonkerer]

Why does a married couple having sexual relations need to be justified at all?

 

[JohnD70X7]

While all of the above I've read is true... procreation is why the LORD gave humanity the sex drive (to perpetuate the species).

It is especially helpful to realize this when being sexually tempted and one gets only negative answers to prayers like:

• remove this burden from me, Lord
• make the lust go away
• take away my desire for that one or those body parts I have a fetish for...

These things must needs be to keep the species alive until the Lord's plan of salvation has fully run its course.

 

[Carl Emerson]

While all of the above I've read is true... procreation is why the LORD gave humanity the sex drive (to perpetuate the species).

It is especially helpful to realize this when being sexually tempted and one gets only negative answers to prayers like:

• remove this burden from me, Lord
• make the lust go away
• take away my desire for that one or those body parts I have a fetish for...

These things must needs be to keep the species alive until the Lord's plan of salvation has fully run its course.

Make the Lust go away...

The sexual relationship in marriage should be motivated by Love not Lust.

In fact bringing lust into a marriage can destroy the marriage.

 

[Reluctant Theologian]

Make the Lust go away...

The sexual relationship in marriage should be motivated by Love not Lust.

In fact bringing lust into a marriage can destroy the marriage.

Interesting; how would you define 'lust' ? Do you mean that by definition sexual desire or the need for sexual release is bad? Or do you mean that sexual desire in overdrive (which may may overrule or disregard the other party) is bad?

Whenever English Bible translations use the word 'lust' the underlying Greek uses the word for '(strong) desire' which can be good, neutral or bad, depending on the context, but the Greek word itself has not imply a moral judgement.

 

[JohnD70X7]

Make the Lust go away...

The sexual relationship in marriage should be motivated by Love not Lust.

In fact bringing lust into a marriage can destroy the marriage.

I'm not sure I agree with you. Lust drives the physical cravings, love directs them exclusively to our spouse.

And without getting too deep into what is love, love is a choice... an act of our will.

The four Greek categories of love:

• Agape (perfectly selfless)
• Phileo (less selfish)
• Storge (mutual benefits and ideals of selfishness on both parts)
• Eros (lust, totally selfish... deceptive, often masquerading as one of the other three especially as a counterfeit agape which is why so many confuse lust with love)

 

[tonychanyt]

The four Greek categories of love:

Thanks for sharing. See Frequency of agape love in the NT.

 

[ZephBonkerer]

Interesting; how would you define 'lust' ? Do you mean that by definition sexual desire or the need for sexual release is bad? Or do you mean that sexual desire in overdrive (which may may overrule or disregard the other party) is bad?

I must admit I get a bit irritated whenever the Church community condemns any and all attraction of a sexual nature as "lust". Are we all supposed to be a bunch of prudes or something?

People who are driven by lust don't really have any sense of due care for the object of their lust. I do come across attractive women a lot. If I am interested in her, then I might say something like "can I get you a drink" or offer to walk with her. But I always give her the space and opportunity to decline. She is a human being with feeling and an agency of her own, not some object to be possessed. I consider it beneath me to fail to afford her that dignity.

That is the difference between love and lust. Lust objectifies people. Love does not.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Sex is also an opportunity for self giving and union regardless of whether it results in procreation.

 

[tonychanyt]

That is the difference between love and lust. Lust objectifies people. Love does not.

Right. See also Desire and lust.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Interesting; how would you define 'lust' ? Do you mean that by definition sexual desire or the need for sexual release is bad? Or do you mean that sexual desire in overdrive (which may may overrule or disregard the other party) is bad?

Whenever English Bible translations use the word 'lust' the underlying Greek uses the word for '(strong) desire' which can be good, neutral or bad, depending on the context, but the Greek word itself has not imply a moral judgement.

It is interesting that Eros is not referred to at all in the NT.

A serious believer would want every activity in life to be motivated by Agape - this is the goal of redemption.

1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

 

[ZephBonkerer]

A serious believer would want every activity in life to be motivated by Agape - this is the goal of redemption.

A fair and reasonable point. But you say it as if agape somehow conflicts with eros. I don't understand what makes you think these two are mutually exclusive. Maybe this isn't your viewpoint, but one could probably see why someone could think that.

 

[Carl Emerson]

A fair and reasonable point. But you say it as if agape somehow conflicts with eros. I don't understand what makes you think these two are mutually exclusive. Maybe this isn't your viewpoint, but one could probably see why someone could think that.

We would need to define Eros - but again one would expect mention of Eros if it was a legitimate motive.

I suspect it is lust driven by the flesh other wise it would have had legit reference.

To be blunt the world condones the lusts of the flesh and sex becomes like a drug which results in folks missing out on what God intended.

Bring this flesh craving into Marriage and you have a problem.

Seek all activity to be motivated by Agape, otherwise your partner becomes an object of pleasure and the union driven by self.

Even non believers benefit from Agape - that was God's intent for all mankind.

Even sinners love those who love them... Agape.

 

[ZephBonkerer]

We would need to define Eros - but again one would expect mention of Eros if it was a legitimate motive.

Why do we need explicit mention of Eros to hold that it is a legitimate motive to get married? Is the book Song of Solomon not enough for you?

That is my primary reason why I wish to marry again. And I make no bones about it.

So I'll be clear in my question: What's wrong with Eros?

Note: My question is not "What's wrong with lust?" I'm talking about Eros, not lust.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Why do we need explicit mention of Eros to hold that it is a legitimate motive to get married? Is the book Song of Solomon not enough for you?

Who said that ??

Would you like to define the difference between the lust of the flesh and Eros ?

Are we condoning erotica ?

 

[tonychanyt]

It is interesting that Eros is not referred to at all in the NT.

A serious believer would want every activity in life to be motivated by Agape - this is the goal of redemption.

Right. See Frequency of agape love in the NT

 

[RDKirk]

Thanks for sharing. See Frequency of agape love in the NT.

Interestingly, agape is used more frequently in the New Testament than in all other extant examples combined that we have of koine Greek. Scholars of koine Greek must use Paul's definition of agape because there aren't enough extra-biblical examples to determine what the word meant.

It could be that Paul took a Greek synonym for "love" that was seldom used in his own time and expanded its definition specifically for Christian use. Paul's definition might not have actually been the contemporary Greek definition...he may have just appropriated the word.