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What Is Fornication?

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Calebofthepromisedland

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There have been a few threads lately regarding the bible's perspective on various sexual matters. I believe there is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion and that this represents a victory for the adversary and I want to do what I can to share the scriptures to shed light on these things. Further, I believe that through this, Satan has coused us to fall into a trap God warned us against in Isaiah 5:20:
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
God invented sex and, just as with all of His creation, He wants us to be happy and enjoy what He's given us. The first question I want to put out is this:
What does the word "fornication" mean?
Yeah, I'd say everyone has it. Fornication, free sex outside of wedlock. Or, casual sex if that is easier to picture. Sex is meant for mariage and is thus meant to be saved until marriage. Anyone who has sex outside of marriage is guilty of fornication. The Bible is also quite specific that fornicators do not inherit the kingdom of God. I didn't know about the idols thing but I would say it is a safe bet to agree with it.
 
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free2love

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2 Corinthians 12:21
lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication (strong's 4202), and lewdness which they have practiced.


Strong's 4202. porneia por-ni'-ah from 4203; harlotry (including adultery and incest); figuratively, idolatry:--fornication.
1) illicit sexual intercourse
a) adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.
b) sexual intercourse with close relatives; Lev. 18
c) sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman; Mk. 10:11,12
2) metaph. the worship of idols
a) of the defilement of idolatry, as incurred by eating the sacrifices offered to idols


4203. porneuo porn-yoo'-o from 4204; to act the harlot, i.e. (literally) indulge unlawful lust (of either sex), or (figuratively) practise idolatry:--commit (fornication).

1) to prostitute one's body to the lust of another
2) to give one's self to unlawful sexual intercourse
a) to commit fornication
3) metaph. to be given to idolatry, to worship idols a) to permit one's self to be drawn away by another into idolatry

4204. porne por'-nay feminine of 4205; a strumpet; figuratively, an idolater:--harlot, harlot.
1) a woman who sells her body for sexual uses
a) a prostitute, a harlot, one who yields herself to defilement for the sake of gain
b) any woman indulging in unlawful sexual intercourse, whether for gain or for lust
2) metaph. an idolatress
a) of "Babylon" i.e. Rome, the chief seat of idolatry


4205. pornos por'-nos from pernemi (to sell; akin to the base of 4097); a (male) prostitute (as venal), i.e. (by analogy) a debauchee (libertine):--fornicator, whoremonger.

1) a man who prostitutes his body to another's lust for hire
2) a male prostitute
3) a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator

Thanks for posting this as I will be able to refer to it as I go. There is a lot of useful info here but this is only the Greek and we really need to also look at the Hebrew in the OT as well.

Strong's is such a great reference if you know how to use it but the error of this 'doctrine of men' regarding this word is so deep it's even found in the very best bible reference we have.

Anyway, hang in there and I will give a more complete explanation as I go. (and be sure to read all of my posts, in fact do a post search on my name and go all the way back and you will find some clues as to where I'm going with this)

Bless Ya! :wave:
 
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free2love

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i would like to know why the question was asked in the first place when the meaning of the word could be looked up in any dictionary.:scratch: just asking...
bithiah2

Reasonable question... "Why?"

I believe God loves us and gave us His word as a 'user's manual' for life and if we follow His instructions we will be blessed, but God's enemy likes to twist words around so that we don't receive the blessings we could have. Examples of this can be found in the account of Satan's encounter with Eve: God - "Thou shalt surely die"; Satan - "Ye shall not surely die". Another one is when the devil tempted Jesus in the desert when he took written scripture and tried to deceive the Lord Himself. This scripture twisting went on all the time and, as Jesus admonished so many times it is by following the traditions and doctrines of men (substituted for the word of God) that the word of God becomes 'of none effect'.

If you look back at my original post you'll see where I quoted
Isaiah 5:20:
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!". I did so because this verse speaks of exactly what I see going on all starting with the true definition of this word and what it really means as opposed to the falsehood most, if not all believers live by. That's why.
 
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free2love

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In the Bible, fornication is defined as idolatry or adultery, that is, the breaking of the covenant vow with God or the breaking of the holy wedding vows. To worship another god (idol) is to cheat on God, and is against the 1st commandment. In the Bible, God says that those Israelites who worship idols have fornicated against Him.
Orthodox Judaism restricts sexual activity to a legally permissible marriage between a Jewish man and a Jewish woman. A man and women are even prohibited from being in a closed room alone together if they are not married, a law called yichud, nor are they allowed to have physical contact (a law referred to as negiah).
Sexual relations between a man and a woman who are not married are considered less serious (they are referred to as zenuth) than the Biblically prohibited unions such as adultery (a married woman having relations with another man) and incest; the later are referred to as ervah (literally "nakedness"), have more severe penalties and there are serious restrictions on children of these prohibited unions (mamzerim).
Sexual relations is one of the ways the Talmud(Kiddushin 1) specifies for effecting a marriage, though this method is frowned upon by the Rabbis. Children of a Jewish woman are considered Jewish regardless of whether she was married.

Wow, what a great post! Thank you for taking the time to give us your perspective. I hope everyone who attends to this thread reads it very carefully. You have truly blessed us! :amen:
 
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msbojingles

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Ok, here's the Hebrew too!

8457 taznuwth taz-nooth' or taznuth {taz-nooth'}; from 2181; harlotry, i.e. (figuratively) idolatry:--fornication, whoredom.
1) fornication, harlotry

2181 zanah zaw-naw' a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) harlot, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.

1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot
a) (Qal)
1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication
2) to commit adultery
3) to be a cult prostitute
4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)
b) (Pual) to play the harlot
c) (Hiphil)
1) to cause to commit adultery
2) to force into prostitution 3) to commit fornication



2183 zanuwn zaw-noon' from 2181; adultery; figuratively, idolatry:--whoredom
1) adultery, fornication, prostitution


2184 znuwth zen-ooth' from 2181; adultery, i.e. (figuratively) infidelity, idolatry:--whoredom.
1) fornication, harlotry

2185 zonowth zo-noth' applied to military equipments; but evidently the feminine plural active participle of 2181; harlots:--armour.

1) fornications a) armour (used in warfare not sanctioned by Jehovah) (fig.)
 
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free2love

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Ok, here's the Hebrew too!

8457 taznuwth taz-nooth' or taznuth {taz-nooth'}; from 2181; harlotry, i.e. (figuratively) idolatry:--fornication, whoredom.
1) fornication, harlotry

2181 zanah zaw-naw' a primitive root (highly-fed and therefore wanton); to commit adultery (usually of the female, and less often of simple fornication, rarely of involuntary ravishment); figuratively, to commit idolatry (the Jewish people being regarded as the spouse of Jehovah):--(cause to) commit fornication, X continually, X great, (be an, play the) harlot, (cause to be, play the) harlot, (commit, fall to) whoredom, (cause to) go a-whoring, whorish.

1) to commit fornication, be a harlot, play the harlot
a) (Qal)
1) to be a harlot, act as a harlot, commit fornication
2) to commit adultery
3) to be a cult prostitute
4) to be unfaithful (to God) (fig.)
b) (Pual) to play the harlot
c) (Hiphil)
1) to cause to commit adultery
2) to force into prostitution 3) to commit fornication

2183 zanuwn zaw-noon' from 2181; adultery; figuratively, idolatry:--whoredom
1) adultery, fornication, prostitution

2184 znuwth zen-ooth' from 2181; adultery, i.e. (figuratively) infidelity, idolatry:--whoredom.
1) fornication, harlotry

2185 zonowth zo-noth' applied to military equipments; but evidently the feminine plural active participle of 2181; harlots:--armour.

1) fornications a) armour (used in warfare not sanctioned by Jehovah) (fig.)

Thanks! Of course this is where I started years ago in researching this subject. Is this copy-paste from a program you have or online? Other worthwhile word-studies would include all variations of virgin, seduce, prostitute, orgy and others. To tell the truth it is remarkable just how large a topic sex is in the bible and ironically, as much help as references like this one are, they also need to be taken with a grain of salt sometimes... in this case the supposed 'figurative' nature of Israel's 'harlotry'. I don't care if it is in the most 'authoritative' references, it's just a lot of hot air. The 'whoring after other gods' of Israel was literal!!!
 
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MaidforHim

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This is the correct answer.

Fornication comes from the words above and includes all sexual acts outside a marriage between one man and one woman.

The Greek words above are where we get out English word "pornography. -The word pornography includes all roots of the Greek words mentioned above.
Wow, that was excellent. I saved that for future reference!

Thanks taking the time to share that msbojingles and lilymarie. God bless!
 
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ROGER459

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(1Corinthians 6:18-19-20) Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
(1Co 6:19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
(1Co 6:20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.


(Heb 13:4) Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

But in simple English... May include but not limited to.....

ANY SEXUAL ACT, OR ACTIONS, OR ANY MEETING OF MAN AND WOMAN, IN THE WAY ONLY PROVIDED BY GOD FOR THE MARRIAGE BED, [Hebrews 13:4] IS FORNICATION.

IT CAN INCLUDE, THE DEFILEMENT BY LANGUAGE, ACTIONS, VISUAL OR AUDITORY TRAPPINGS AND THE SAID LIKE!

(Matthew 5:28) But I [JESUS] say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman [man] to lust after her [him] hath committed adultery with her [him] already in his [her] heart.

This can be inclued in FORNICATION, for GOD looks at the Heart!

Thanks, Roger459


 
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msbojingles

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Thanks! Of course this is where I started years ago in researching this subject. Is this copy-paste from a program you have or online? Other worthwhile word-studies would include all variations of virgin, seduce, prostitute, orgy and others. To tell the truth it is remarkable just how large a topic sex is in the bible and ironically, as much help as references like this one are, they also need to be taken with a grain of salt sometimes... in this case the supposed 'figurative' nature of Israel's 'harlotry'. I don't care if it is in the most 'authoritative' references, it's just a lot of hot air. The 'whoring after other gods' of Israel was literal!!!

Yes, I understand that the "whoring after other gods" was literal. Obviously, that was just a short list of some of the words used, and not all of them say "figuratively."

But at least people can look at the list of words and see it for themselves, instead of looking up the word "fornication" in websters or what-have-you, and finding a meaning other than what is in the bible. Yes, everything must be taken in context, but most people here are not Hebrew or Greek majors.

taznusth (only used once) and zanah from which it comes are actually the only words literally translated "fornication" in the OT hebrew, the others are words also derived from zanah. And it (taznusth) does not say "figuratively" so that is a bit irrelevant there. It literally means harlotry, whoredom, fornication.


And we do have to look at the New testament writings concerning fornication. Because the words used in the NT sometimes had a much broader meaning than just "harlotry, whoredom, idolatry" and the writers could have used other words if they intended to say something different - and in many cases they did!

If we want to get all technical, every sin we can ever commit is an act of idolatry - because it always elevates somthing before God - and therefore is also harlotry, because we break our covenant with the Lord, and literally have "relations" with the world, because according to scripture we are married to Jesus - not even just engaged, but married.
 
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msbojingles

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(1Corinthians 6:18-19-20) Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
(1Co 6:19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
(1Co 6:20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.


(Heb 13:4) Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

But in simple English... May include but not limited to.....

ANY SEXUAL ACT, OR ACTIONS, OR ANY MEETING OF MAN AND WOMAN, IN THE WAY ONLY PROVIDED BY GOD FOR THE MARRIAGE BED, [Hebrews 13:4] IS FORNICATION.

IT CAN INCLUDE, THE DEFILEMENT BY LANGUAGE, ACTIONS, VISUAL OR AUDITORY TRAPPINGS AND THE SAID LIKE!

(Matthew 5:28) But I [JESUS] say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman [man] to lust after her [him] hath committed adultery with her [him] already in his [her] heart.

This can be inclued in FORNICATION, for GOD looks at the Heart!

Thanks, Roger459


:amen: with double whipped cream on top (as another poster would say..lol)
 
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BamaLady53

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There have been a few threads lately regarding the bible's perspective on various sexual matters. I believe there is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion and that this represents a victory for the adversary and I want to do what I can to share the scriptures to shed light on these things. Further, I believe that through this, Satan has coused us to fall into a trap God warned us against in Isaiah 5:20:
"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"
God invented sex and, just as with all of His creation, He wants us to be happy and enjoy what He's given us. The first question I want to put out is this:
What does the word "fornication" mean?
I know this isn't a response to your question but are you advocating sex outside of marriage?

Bama
 
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BamaLady53

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Sure thing. To me it seems to be plainly saying don't act in manners unbeffiting a member of the Body of Christ. The other poster did a better job of pointing out what was more to the issue, but it talks about not making yourself like a prostitute, and while you might say that's different than fornicating, and granted, it is, it's still not something I think Christ would want people doing. I can't read Greek or the original translations, but from my own personal experiences and such, it really just doesn't seem like an act a person should be taking part of, that being intercourse with someone outside of marriage. What more that speaks to me in that passage is it says to honor God and bring glory to Him in our body, but being so frivolous as to have relations outside of marriage, it might just be my own views, but I see no honor or glory in such a thing that could POSSIBLY be His.

I would like to add, without quoting scripture, which I prefer to rely on, the thought of sinning against your own body. We have seen disease, broken relatioships, insecurity, child abuse and more just due to sexual immorality. God knew this would happen, He knew the pain it would cause. Is this not enough to make us understand His precepts?
Bama:sigh:
 
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free2love

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but what is your point!
the meaning of a word can change but what does God say? i like men and i like sex but i want to please God.
so...for me it is a no-brainer as you say in america.

An honest question deserves an honest answer. My point is this and this is what God says: Fornication is not sex outside of marriage. Fornication is the general term referring to specific sexual acts listed in Leviticus 18, primarily incest, adultery, homosexuality and bestiality which were performed ceremonialy in the worship of idols.

Since sex before/outside marriage (meaning sex among singles) is not among the sexual acts God forbids it is not wrong, plain and simple. I know many will go off the handle about this, nevertheless, that's what the bible says and doesn't say. The belief that God forbids sex between single people may be widely held but it is not biblical. I don't know the answers to all the questions but there is no verse where God clearly forbids sex outside of marriage as He clearly forbids these others in Lev 18. For people to be going around trying to live their lives by what they think God said when He never said it is wrong and hurtful. I hope that makes it clear. :wave:
 
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New_Wineskin

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I know this isn't a response to your question but are you advocating sex outside of marriage?

Bama

Since "marraige" was not mentioned in that post , how could they be advocating *anything* concerning marraige ?

Also , what if they would advocate it in another post ?
 
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bod44

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Sex before marriage is not right before God first because it was designed for marriage and using it outside of marriage is perverting God's beautiful design, secondly because even from a worldly perspective, its not worth it. God designed it to create a bond. The bond is very very hard to break and causes emotional baggage to be carried along to the next person. Thats not even considering the physical aspect such as an unplanned pregnancy, stds, etc. Paul tells the young virgins to not give in to their passions in a couple different letters. Let us have self control for we are not our own.
 
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free2love

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Yes, I understand that the "whoring after other gods" was literal. Obviously, that was just a short list of some of the words used, and not all of them say "figuratively."

First let me apologize for the emphasis. It wasn't addressed so much at you as to the issue at hand.
But at least people can look at the list of words and see it for themselves, instead of looking up the word "fornication" in websters or what-have-you, and finding a meaning other than what is in the bible. Yes, everything must be taken in context, but most people here are not Hebrew or Greek majors.

I couldn't agree more and I want to thank you again for posting these pages. As you say, it gives people who've maybe never seen a concordance a chance to be exposed to research. :)

taznusth (only used once) and zanah from which it comes are actually the only words literally translated "fornication" in the OT hebrew, the others are words also derived from zanah. And it (taznusth) does not say "figuratively" so that is a bit irrelevant there. It literally means harlotry, whoredom, fornication.
And we do have to look at the New testament writings concerning fornication. Because the words used in the NT sometimes had a much broader meaning than just "harlotry, whoredom, idolatry" and the writers could have used other words if they intended to say something different - and in many cases they did!

Absolutely, but in research we only start with what the concordances give us. We also need to look at the context, the scope, the structure, figures of speech, oriental custom, many things. From the framing context of it, even though the word fornication wasn't used there, we can see that what is being described in Lev. 18 are the specifics of the sexual immorality and idolatry God is talking about all through His word.
My reason for trying my best to show accurately what this word IS is also to show what this word IS NOT so that people can stop reading error into the scripture. It is obvious that the interpretation of this word as 'sex outside of marriage' came from tradition and not from the bible, albeit many years ago so that it has taken hold on pretty much everyone. It is not true and not biblical. someone asked me if I am "advocating sex outside of marriage". Well, no, not really but I think the question also must be asked: "Is God forbidding sex outside of marriage" because the answer is no, not in my bible He's not. What I am advocating, if anything, is let's live our lives by what the word of God actually says and not by what men or religion or tradition try to add to God's word, ok? It is easy to make the assumptions about this word that are commonly made if you don't know what it actually refers to but if you start out with the understanding of what it really means the scripture really opens up to you. Yes, I feel it is important to understand that fornication/sexual immorality(NIV) does not mean sex outside of marriage, but I feel it is even more important to understand that literally every time you see this word or any translations of the Hebrew and Greek words it comes from it is talking about the sexual practices carried on in ritual worship of idols and they were, specifically: incest, adultery, homosexuality (between men; it doesn't mention women) and bestiality. That's what fornication IS.
 
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New_Wineskin

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My reason for trying my best to show accurately what this word IS is also to show what this word IS NOT so that people can stop reading error into the scripture. It is obvious that the interpretation of this word as 'sex outside of marriage' came from tradition and not from the bible, albeit many years ago so that it has taken hold on pretty much everyone. It is not true and not biblical. someone asked me if I am "advocating sex outside of marriage". Well, no, not really but I think the question also must be asked: "Is God forbidding sex outside of marriage" because the answer is no, not in my bible He's not. What I am advocating, if anything, is let's live our lives by what the word of God actually says and not by what men or religion or tradition try to add to God's word, ok? It is easy to make the assumptions about this word that are commonly made if you don't know what it actually refers to but if you start out with the understanding of what it really means the scripture really opens up to you. Yes, I feel it is important to understand that fornication/sexual immorality(NIV) does not mean sex outside of marriage, but I feel it is even more important to understand that literally every time you see this word or any translations of the Hebrew and Greek words it comes from it is talking about the sexual practices carried on in ritual worship of idols and they were, specifically: incest, adultery, homosexuality (between men; it doesn't mention women) and bestiality. That's what fornication IS.

Good post . :)
 
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