Sex before marriage in the Bible

[BjorkIsCool]

Hello,
Is there any place in the bible that sex before marriage is stated to be wrong/sin.

I looked up gotquestions.org to see what they had to say on the subject and they say the following verses condemn it: Acts 15:20; Romans 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:13,18; 7:2; 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 7.

I read them and but i dont think they do. Some of the verses condemn sexual immorality but none state anything about sex before marriage. The website seems to equate sex before marriage with sexual immorality. Should they be regarded together?

Can anyone point out to me why sex before marriage is wrong/sin using the Bible?

Not advocating sex before marriage!!!!

 

[GeratTzedek]

In the Hebrew Scriptures? Not that I know of. You have to consider that the entire concept of a marriage ceremony evolved. People didn't go down to the courthouse and get a marragie license.

For example, in the book of Ruth, there is an ideomatic expression, "She uncovered his feet." It means she uncovered his private male parts. Basically scripture is telling us that Ruth, on the advice of Naomi, got into bed with Boaz. Was this sin? This was Ruth's way of letting Boas know she wanted to BE HIS WIFE. That's why Boaz reacted with amazement that a young woman would want to marry an old man like him. "And she stayed by his feet all night."

By the time Yeshua came around, Jewish society was quite different. It was more urban than agrarian, and far more literate. Rabbinical Judaism had already begun its evolution with the rise of bet Hillel and bet Shammai, and it is only mere years before the oral Torah would begin to be recorded as the Talmud. In the time of Yeshua, premarital sex was quite a different thing indeed.

When Mary was found to be pregnant, had Joseph publicly repudiated her, she would likely have been stoned. Because he loved her, he was going to send her away privately. Instead, as things worked out, he married her, and public assumption was that he was the father... fornication being seen as something different than sex between an engaged couple. In Jewish law, one of the three ways of getting married IS to have sex with the intent of marraige. (The other two are a ketubah or legal agreement, and a gift such as a ring -- the ideal marraige being all three.) Fornication is seen as sex between two individuals who will not marry, such as a man and a prostitute.

The problem is, how many times in history do men say, "I love you, I want to marry you, sleep with me," and they are lying? Thus, as things have evolved, the conventional wisdom has wisely swung to avoidance of premarital sex in order to avoid the POSSIBILITY of fornication.

One of my friends is a Messianic Rabbi out in the midwest, quite Jewish, never stepped foot in a Christian church. He was telling me of the troubles he had with a member of his congregation who had proposed marriage to a girl and she accepted. Later that evening, in the romance of it all, they got themselves into trouble. When her Chrstian father found out, he became heavy handed even though she was 21, and would not allow them to continue seeing each other, dragging her several states away. My friend the Rabbi was like, "In the eyes of HaShem they are married. Let's get in the truck and drive out there and I'll perform the wedding." But the father would have none of it. What a mess.

 

[BjorkIsCool]

Thanks for responding.

I never knew that about Ruth. What if Ruth had done that and the man had been over come with lust but in the end didnt really want to marry Ruth?

But basically theres no real guideline from God on sex before marriage? Its humans own doings thats given us the no sex before marriage way of thinking? And organised religions have adopted it into there teachings in a way.

Though today it seems sex before marriage is ok thought is taking over.

 

[dayhiker]

HI Bjock,
There are many aspects to the sex before marriage. I agree there isn't a blanked statement saying its wrong.

An other aspect of the Bible times is that the father was incharge of the daughters adn he said what happened to them as far as marriage.

I would disagree with the statement that the Bible not having any guildlines. The Bible clearly teaches us to be honest, not to hurt others, take responcibility for our actions. Those princibles have some major considerations with every area of our life not just sexual.

dayhiker

 

[Ave Maria]

You are right that the Bible does not condemn sex before marriage. There is nothing wrong with sex before marriage and therefore the Bible does not condemn it.

 

[david_x]

Yes, sex before marrige is sexually immoral.
Why you ask? Because God is not part of it. That's right God is not in it and so it is immoral. God is there after the marrige alone.

 

[LJSGM]

Fornication is seen as sex between two individuals who will not marry, such as a man and a prostitute.

The problem is, how many times in history do men say, "I love you, I want to marry you, sleep with me," and they are lying? Thus, as things have evolved, the conventional wisdom has wisely swung to avoidance of premarital sex in order to avoid the POSSIBILITY of fornication.

The two become ONE flesh.

I think most christians do not understand what marriage is, and that is why they ask these questions "is sex before marriage ok?" it's out of ignorance (coming from the mainline church it's self as well). Sex makes two people one flesh, or married. There is no "sex before marriage" it's as silly as saying "is marriage before marriage ok?" There is no understanding.

If you think that sex really isn't that sacred, then think about what other things sex joins together. Purely through the act of sex, you become permanently bonded to a child for the rest of your life as well. No contracts, papers or your own heart's intent in the matter.

Wouldn't it be strange to live in a society that says that it's ok to abandon your child because you didn't have any papers to legalise your relationship so that you are not forced to be the child's mother.

One of my friends is a Messianic Rabbi out in the midwest, quite Jewish, never stepped foot in a Christian church. He was telling me of the troubles he had with a member of his congregation who had proposed marriage to a girl and she accepted. Later that evening, in the romance of it all, they got themselves into trouble. When her Chrstian father found out, he became heavy handed even though she was 21, and would not allow them to continue seeing each other, dragging her several states away. My friend the Rabbi was like, "In the eyes of HaShem they are married. Let's get in the truck and drive out there and I'll perform the wedding." But the father would have none of it. What a mess.

It's sad that Christians would have others forced into adultery by not letting them stay with their husband/wife because of a misunderstanding on their part. But this is what happens all the time in the church.

 

[BjorkIsCool]

The two become ONE flesh.

I think most christians do not understand what marriage is, and that is why they ask these questions "is sex before marriage ok?" it's out of ignorance (coming from the mainline church it's self as well). Sex makes two people one flesh, or married. There is no "sex before marriage" it's as silly as saying "is marriage before marriage ok?" There is no understanding.

If you think that sex really isn't that sacred, then think about what other things sex joins together. Purely through the act of sex, you become permanently bonded to a child for the rest of your life as well. No contracts, papers or your own heart's intent in the matter.

Wouldn't it be strange to live in a society that says that it's ok to abandon your child because you didn't have any papers to legalise your relationship so that you are not forced to be the child's mother.

Very interesting. What you say makes sence. Marriage is sex, never actually heard that before.

Whats your thoughts on marriage cermonys? Are they meaningless in regards to actual marriage?

What does it mean if two people do have sex (and become one flesh) and then the next day depart and never see each other again? Are they married?

 

[LJSGM]

Very interesting. What you say makes sence. Marriage is sex, never actually heard that before.

Whats your thoughts on marriage cermonys? Are they meaningless in regards to actual marriage?

What does it mean if two people do have sex (and become one flesh) and then the next day depart and never see each other again? Are they married?

Marriage ceremonies are a celebration that involves everyone close to you to join in. Originally, correct me if I'm wrong, but when a bethrothed couple "came together," there was a wedding banquet for a week after in celebration. It wasn't the celebration that made to two married.

When two people that become married, but do not have intention of "marrying" and depart, then this is considered fornication, or sexual immorality, using what God has given for the marriage covenant purely for pleasure, and then throwing their partner away when they're done with them is immoral.