is premarital sex wrong? Part II

On Friday I asked the question, “Is premarital sex wrong?” and approached the answer from a philosophical rather than theological standpoint. In this post, I am going to examine key scripture texts that are used to show how premarital sex is wrong; interestingly, there are a few biblical texts that are used that, in truth, do not apply; and there are others that simply imply it is wrong; and then there are some that explicitly, in their original linguistic context, condemn premarital sex as wrong.

Erroneous Scriptural Basis. First we’ll examine some biblical texts that are used to condemn premarital sex but which, in their original context, do not do so at all. These texts are all found in 1 Corinthians (6.9-10, 18-20; 10.8). When reading the Bible, we must keep at the forefront of our minds the situation which the letter addresses. 1 Corinthians is a multi-faceted letter with many situations addressed, but the texts above are centered around a major theme, and that is the act of sexual immorality via visiting prostitutes. Corinth was renowned for its sexual immorality, and prostitutes could be found on every street corner. What today we call “sluts” and “whores” were called, in the ancient world, “Corinthian girls.” Many of those who converted to the faith from their pagan backgrounds gave up a life of visiting prostitutes. Others, however, continued visiting the prostitutes while being Christians. St. Paul was absolutely enraged by this, because the Christian is to live a life of purity and holiness, a life reflective of his or her status of being in the covenant of God, and to live otherwise is to blaspheme both God and Christ and to live in contrariness to the life God desires His people to live. Let’s look at the three texts mentioned above and explore what they mean.

"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

In the context of the Corinthian situation, the kind of people Paul speaks of in relation to “the sexually immoral” are either pagan temple prostitutes or those who visit the prostitutes (scholars are divided on the exact object of the phrase). To use this text to imply that those who engage in premarital sex are excluded from the kingdom of God is to this text in a manner that is not consistent with its original usage. While there is a certain validity to discovering principles found in the text, this principalizing activity must be used with caution and not loosely, as is evident in the next verse:

"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? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

Paul is not talking about premarital sex or masturbation or pornography. The sexual immorality from which Christians are to flee is the act of visiting prostitutes. Visiting prostitutes is to be avoided because 1) the body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit, 2) the body is inhabited by the Spirit, and 3) the body belongs not to you to use to fulfill carnal passions and desires but, rather, it belongs to God and is to be used in a way that honors Him. Visiting prostitutes—especially pagan prostitutes belonging to pagan temples—is in no way glorifying to God or respective towards the body which is a temple belonging not to pagan gods but to the Living God. This verse has been used to condemn all sorts of sexual sin as well as eating disorders, drinking, and smoking. While not condoning any of these, the text does not condemn them. Eating disorders, drinking, and smoking were not issues in the Corinthian church, and so Paul does not address them. It has been popular to principalize this exhortation and apply it to all sorts of things we do with our bodies, but we must be careful in doing this and realize that this text does not explicitly condemn such things.

We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died." (1 Corinthians 10:8)

This verse is also used to condemn premarital sex. However, the issue is not premarital sex but a different kind of sexual immorality all-together. Paul is referring back to an incident found in Numbers 25.1-9. In this Old Testament texts, the people of Israel engaged in sexual acts associated with the pagan religion of Baal worship. Paul uses this text because it can be applied to those who are engaging in sexual acts with prostitutes belonging to the temples of the Greco-Roman pagan gods. Once again Paul is exhorting the Corinthian Christians to avoid hooking up with hookers; he is not talking about sex before marriage.

Biblical Texts Implying Premarital Sex Is Wrong. The above passages from 1 Corinthians have been used to condemn premarital sex, but in their context, they do not do this. However, in a separate issue within the letter—a question concerning marriage—Paul does imply that premarital sex is wrong. The texts are 1 Corinthians 7.2 and 8-9.

"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." (1 Corinthians 7:1-2, KJV)

Paul writes that there is nothing wrong with being celibate (not touching a woman), and there is also good to be found in marriage. If someone is in danger of committing fornication (Greek porneia, which will be addressed in a few moments), then that person should marry. This verse, in the King James Version, implies that sex outside marriage is wrong, and the Greek word used—porneia—absolutely condemns such acts. That is why those in danger of committing this sin should marry.

"Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” (1 Corinthians 7:8-9)

Paul reiterates what he wrote in 7.1-2: “If you are unable to control yourself, then get married.” Why? So you will have an avenue of sexual release that is pleasing to God. It is better to be married than to be filled with desire for sex with no way of fulfilling that desire; it is implied that to fulfill the desire outside marriage is to be committing a sin. These two texts imply—and, honestly, 7.1-2, as we shall see in a minute, explicitly says—that sex outside of marriage is a sin. We have looked at verses that do not support the argument that sex outside marriage is a sin, we have looked at verses that imply that sex outside of marriage is a sin, and now we will look at verses that explicitly condemn sex outside of marriage as a sin.

The Greek Word Porneia. The Greek word porneia was a blanket-term used to depict all sorts of sexual sins, including illicit sexual intercourse (that is, sex outside of the covenant of marriage), adultery, homosexual activities, sex with animals or close relative, sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman, and it was metaphorically used to depict the worship of idols. This Greek word is often translated “sexual immorality” or “immorality,” and most readers do not know of the vast hoard of sins covered underneath this blanket-term. Keeping this in mind, let’s look at three biblical texts—where porneia, which includes sex outside the covenant of marriages—is condemned.

"But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people." (Ephesians 5:3)

^“It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality…” (1 Thess 4.3)

"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)

All three of these texts condemn porneia. Not even a hint of sexual immorality among Christians means that premarital sin should not be practiced. It is God’s desire that His people avoid porneia, which includes premarital sex/sex outside marriage. And the kicker: in Hebrews, it is written that God will judge those who dishonor the marriage bed by both adultery and porneia. It is clear, then, that sex outside marriage—premarital sex—is a sin that Christians, who are holy and “in Christ,” are to abstain from; and if the temptation to sin in this way becomes too much, the couple is advised to be married.