Ok, define fornication

[covenantwmn]

As I understand it, it means sexual intercourse between unmarried people. So, while sounding like trying to find a loophole, lol, does that mean that all else is not fornication, up to that point I mean?? Just wanting opinions.

 

[eatenbylocusts]

You post some interesting topics. My "opinion" is that fornication is intercourse between two non-marrieds.

 

[catofhope]

Actually we are told not to lust.
Because even thinking about things means we have sinned (in our heart).
Its just 3 AM here and I can not come up with the scripture right now.

 

[dayhiker]

I tried looking up the history of the meaning of fornication.

This is part of what I found.
Jerome translated the Latin Vulgate Bible from the Greek. He used fornix as the word translated from the Greek porneia.

From American heritage Dictionary at Bartleby.com
SYLLABICATION: for·ni·cate
ETYMOLOGY: Late Latin fornicr, fornict-, from fornix, fornic-, vault, vaulted cellar, brothel.

I read that an anthroplogist found that Latin had 26 slang words for prostitution, fornix being one of them.
it seems to me then that Jerome seems to have picked fornix because it was close to porneia in spelling.

Fornication came into the english language in late 1300's.

I've not been able to find the history of how fornix's meaning changed from prositution to pre-marrital sex.
If you know I'd like to know.

dayhiker

 

[covenantwmn]

Thanks all, appreciated.

 

[hypnotism]

Idolatry - also - Sex with many multiple partners or prostitution. Doc Scott talked about this over a decade ago.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]Porneia[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]por-ni'-ah[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]Parts of Speech[/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]TDNT[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]Noun Feminine[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]6:579,918[/FONT] [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]Definition[/FONT]

1. [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva][/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]
   [*] illicit sexual intercourse
   1. adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.
   2. sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18
   3. sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman; Mk. 10:11,
   [*] metaph. the worship of idols
   1. of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols
   [/FONT]

Bible Basic English Loss of virtue
Common English Terrible sexual sin
King James Fornication
Strong's Dictionary Harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively idolatry Young's Literal Whoredom Literal Translation Fornication

Various meanings of Porneia by Translation
From the above, we see that the bias is toward some egregious sexual error. Is it any wonder that this becomes the common theme given the anti-sex nature of the Conservative Christian church. However, it is vital to note the figurative meaning of idolatry from Strong's Dictionary. We must ask at what point did the word become a metaphor for idol worship.
Take a look sometime at
Studylight.org's definition of porneia.
If you read definition number one, you see the mainstream concept: illicit sexual intercourse. However, read definition number two and you will note the metaphor is for idolatry, just as we see with Strong's Dictionary. The sub note on number two reads, "[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols". There are other places in the New Testament where we see this very topic.[/FONT]

"In your letter you asked me about food offered to idols.
All of us know something about this subject. But knowledge makes us proud of ourselves, while love makes us helpful to others." (1 Corinthians 8:1 CEV)
​

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]The Corinthians had written Apostle Paul posed a series of dilemmas and questions to which he answered via this Epistle. [/FONT]

• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]They mentioned that there existed a member sleeping (having sex with) with his step-mother.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]They had continued using Lawsuits rather than fixing the problems personally.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]They wanted to know if it was better to marry or stay single.[/FONT]
• [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]They asked if eating food sacrificed to idols was okay.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Geneva]Paul goes o[/FONT]n with his answers. The word porneia appears several times in Paul's many letters, in each case it is beside the word, 'arsenokoitais'. In his book, "Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality" (1980), Boswell argued that the term 'arsenokoitais' in 1Co 6:19 and 1Ti 1:10 signified a male prostitute rather than a generic homosexual, as it is commonly translated. The arguments presented are based on several factors. The primary reason is that vice listing exactly what is prohibited, Paul's focus is instead on anything related to false god worship.
What exactly was Paul's problem with idolatry? It violated Law Number One, Love God. Though he recognized there are no other gods but the Creator, he still had his Pharisaic roots which included the prohibition of idols. In the modern state of Israel, prostitution is legal.

In Judaism, pre-marital sex is not forbidden. What is forbidden in the modern version of Judaism is exactly what was forbidden thousands of years ago; Idol worship. Looking to that as the root issue, we can see that when Paul used the word Porneia, he was not refuting sexual activities, but idolatry.
How can this be concluded? Look to a later verse from the same letter to the Corinthians:
"We are free to do all things, but there are things which it is not wise to do. We are free to do all things, but not all things are for the common good." (1 Corinthians 10:23 BBE)

Paul knew that nothing is forbidden under the new covenant. He could only advise strongly to avoid that which might violate the Law of Love. Over time, the Bible's many translations have changed the original meaning of porneia from idolatry to fornication. Why is this the case? Because Paul and the subsequent church did such a good job in wiping out idol worship that the translators needed something to fill in the blank.


I do not want to get into the gay debate here, However the term is used with another term Porneia is used with arsseokoitais.

Given the pagan Greek and Roman cultures of Pauls time it may be very relevant to the definition.
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache...ned&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us&client=firefox-a

3. Your (and the KJV's) definition of "pornoi" as "whoremongers" might
> suggest for "arsenokoitais" a meaning of clients of male prostitutes, not
> the male prostitutes themselves.

Pornoi was a vague term in Koine just a "harlot(-monger)" actually is in
English. My present conclusion would be that the New Testament seems to
use it for heterosexuals who cheat on their wives with prostitutes
(whoremongers), or more broadly, adulterers (in heterosexual
encounters). On the other hand, there is abundant evidence that Paul's
statements which are taken to refer to homosexuality in general
are always set in a context which concerns money.
​

 

[NicelyAged]

In my view, fornication involves things that run much deeper than the simple Christian explanation of sex between to unmarried people. I think if you look at the information we have about the level of debauchery that existed in biblical times and what it represented about the condition of the heart, it becomes very clear what was meant by "fornication". It's a condition of the heart.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

When you have sex with someone you are becoming "one" with them! I do not believe that Judaism allows pre-marital sex. Where do you get that from? Sex is reserved for married people period. Hebrews 13:4
"Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled, but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

I didn't make the rules, God did. Just because society accepts all doesn't mean that the church is supposed to be like the world. We are supposed to keep ourselves pure. So the only way to have sex honored by God is to be married.

memoriesbymichelle

 

[LongLegs]

So, while sounding like trying to find a loophole, lol, does that mean that all else is not fornication, up to that point I mean?? Just wanting opinions.

You mean can you do everything you want except putting it inside, and it not be fornication??? Well, I guess so!

Kathy

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

You mean can you do everything you want except putting it inside, and it not be fornication??? Well, I guess so!

Kathy

Please be more careful with what you say in your responses. There are alot of different kinds of people reading these and what you wrote is a little too explicit. There is more than one way to say things.

memoriesbymichelle

 

[LongLegs]

Please be more careful with what you say in your responses. There are alot of different kinds of people reading these and what you wrote is a little too explicit. There is more than one way to say things.

memoriesbymichelle

Sorry Memoriesbymichelle ......

I thought I was being very unexplict, considering this is a Mature Singles forum???????

KATHY