Talking about “What the Bible says about premarital sex” can make people uncomfortable.
Christians are generally taught that the Bible advises against sex outside marriage, like adultery. In Christian communities, children are often guided to avoid sex until marriage.
The Bible presents sex as a gift for husbands and wives, designed for a spiritual relationship (Ephesians 5:31-32). Besides pleasure, God intended sex to bring joy and blessings to His children.
To grasp the Bible’s view on sex before marriage, let’s explore relevant bible verses and consider different perspectives.
Key Takeaway
- The Bible considers sex before marriage as “sexual immorality” and advises against it.
- Premarital sex can cloud judgment, weaken marital bonds, and make it difficult to commit to one’s future spouse.
- Several Bible verses emphasize that sex is a sacred gift intended exclusively for married couples. Likewise, there are Bible verses that offer healing and strength to a couple’s union..
- Abstaining from premarital sex honors God’s intent for sex to occur between husbands and wives and provides benefits like avoiding STDs.
The Impact of Premarital Sex: Insights from Biblical Passages
Surprisingly, you won’t find any specific phrase in the Bible talking about the explicit prohibition of sex.
However, the Bible uses the terms “sexual immorality and sexual sin” repeatedly. These phrases are used to describe sexual intercourse that happens outside marriage.
There are many drawbacks to having sex before marriage, let alone the biblical perspective.
For example, it can make choosing and fully bonding with the right marriage partner difficult.
Sex is a deep connection that goes beyond the physical. It creates a strong emotional attachment to someone.
People who’ve had premarital sex feel so deeply connected that they may not clearly judge whether the person is right for them in the long term. The feelings of sex make it hard to think objectively, ruining matters of the marriage bed in the future.
Also, when a person has sexual activity with many people, they find it hard to bond with their future spouse.
Think of a tape that’s being used a lot. Eventually, it will not stick well. Connecting with many people sexually makes it hard to unite with one person later. These reasons make premarital sex look “stupid.”
By clouding your judgment and weakening your unity in marriage, you will find it difficult to stay in one long-term relationship. When the Bible prohibits sex before marriage, it is to protect us from such things.
What Does the Bible Say About Premarital Sex?
Sex is not in itself is not evil. God created it and meant it to be pleasurable. He designed it to be memorable, fun, and exciting and wanted humans to share it with one person: our spouse.
So, if you have not done it yet, keep waiting. You’ll be glad you did.
But if you already have, please note that God is merciful and can give you a fresh start because he loves you. That said, here are some bible passages in the New Testament that condemn the act of premarital sex.
1 Corinthians 7:2
This considers sex before marriage as part of sexual immorality: “But sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband.”
Hebrews 13:4
This views sex outside marriage as an immoral act. “Let everyone honor marriage and let the marriage bed remain undefiled, for God will judge a sexually immoral person and those committing adultery.” That includes various forms of sex.
1 Thessalonians 4: 3
This encourages us to be holy and to learn to control our sexual desire in a holy and honorable way. “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.”
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
This reminds us to flee from sexual sin. “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body.”
Do you know that your bodies are temples 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 bodies.”
1 Corinthians 6:9
This enlightens us about those who will inherit the kingdom of God. “Or do you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals.
Consequences of Premarital Sex According to the Bible
Sex before marriage may seem to have immediate gratification. But the fun is for a limited time as it creates problems in the future.
Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t entertain fornication.
Damages Your Relationship with God
The Bible considers sexual immorality as a sin and work of the flesh. 1 Corinthians 6:13 says, “Yet the body isn’t for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.”
The Christian view of sex is that it is for married people. When unmarried people engage in it, they go against the will of God and, in turn, damage the committed relationship they had with him.
Some people experience guilt, shame, and self-hatred, which draw them away from God.
Risk of STDs, Unwanted Pregnancy, and Single Parenthood
Having multiple partners is among the reasons premarital intimacy is highly condemned. It increases a person’s risk of sexually transmitted diseases, which have a long-term effect when not treated early.
When this person gets married, there are high chances of adultery. This makes the other partner live in fear.
Also, having sex before marriage comes with a constant fear of pregnancy. This can be a problem because it may lead to one becoming a single parent or make one choose the painful decision of terminating a pregnancy. Either choice could be chaotic in the relationship and affect other aspects of life.
Goes Against God’s Original Design for Sex and Marriage
Many people avoid talking about sex, as they term it ungodly. But that is far from the truth. God himself designed sex and intended it to be between married people.
His intentions were for husband and wife to experience memorable fun; through it, he blessed them with children. When a person has sex outside marriage, they are going against this purpose that God had designed.
Having a sexual relationship with someone who is not your husband or wife defies the will of God and goes against the teaching of Jesus.
God’s Intent for Sex
God created sex and marriage for wonderful reasons. Unfortunately, society today has ignored God’s plan for sex, which has brought huge problems. An understanding of why God designed sex can help you make wise decisions.
The purpose of sex was for the reproduction of human life. The first statement in the Bible, Genesis 1:27, says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.”
The statement male and female is the first reference to human sexuality. God created the sexes. It wasn’t accidental.
Verse 28, we read that “Then God blessed them and said to them, “be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.” This is to mean that men and women are to reproduce.
In another verse, Genesis 2:24, the Bible says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. As per these verses, human beings are to use sex to reproduce children who should be conceived and born into a family made up of husband and wife.
Pleasure is an aspect of sex. Unfortunately, this is often taken out of concept to promote premarital sex and adultery. But God’s intended for husband and wife to pleasure each other sexually within a marriage set-up.
As we read from Proverbs 5:18-19 “Let your fountain be blessed and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always with her love.”
God is clear that his intention for sex was for the delight of a husband and his wife.
Benefits of Abstinence Before Marriage
Avoid STDs, Abortion, and Unwed Mothers
Having multiple partners puts one at risk of contracting STDs. Worse, you can get HIV/AIDs without taking proper measures. Besides, there is always a chance that partners can make a baby every time they have sex.
If you are doing it outside marriage, there is a high chance that one of you isn’t 100% certain they want to spend the rest of their life with the partner. If you have a baby with someone you don’t see a future with, you have a few options, and none is ideal.
It’s either your relationship will be loveless, you will become a single mother, you’ll secure an abortion, or you will consider adoption.
Gives Sex Proper Value
Sex is not just physical intimacy, and everyone goes their way. It creates a strong emotional connection. For this reason, it’s best to reserve yourself and do it with someone you love and are married to.
That way, you learn to value yourself and your partner, which adds volume to your sex life in marriage. Instead of doing it out of lust, you will handle each other with tender care.
Honors and Obeys God
Complete abstinence is pleasing before God’s eyes. The verses above claim premarital sex is considered sexual immorality. The Bible tells us in Corinthians that our bodies are the temple of God, so we should strive to keep ourselves pure. By having sex in a marriage set up, you are obeying God’s intent for it.
Apostle Paul’s Teachings
Sex is not physical; it is intimate: we often see sex as the joining of two bodies. However, it involves the souls, too. In First Corinthians 6:15-20, Paul reminds us that our bodies are members of Christ, and we should strive to unite them with the Lord.
He also encourages us to run away from sexual immorality and reminds us that we do not belong to ourselves. So, we should honor God with our bodies.
Sex should be practiced within the confines of marriage between one man and one woman. We have already seen in 1 Corinthians 7:2 that Paul encourages sexual intimacy between a man and his wife and discourages homosexuality. Also, as we’ve read in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, only the righteous will inherit the kingdom of God.
In another verse, he encourages spouses not to deprive their partners of sex. 1 Corinthians 7:3-5, “The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations unless it is for prayer.”
Christians should avoid sexual immorality, and Paul reminds us to run away from it. We must remember that our whole body is the temple of the Holy Spirit whom God has given us and that we must use our body to glorify God. We are members of Christ who must remain pure.
Conclusion
The Bible emphasizes the importance of preserving the purity of our bodies. While sex looks fun and pleasurable, it goes beyond that.
God designed it to be used within the context of marriage for husband and wife to please one another, and through that, he blesses them with children.
Besides increasing the risk for pregnancy, STDs, and even alcohol abuse, sex with the wrong person can create a damaging bond.
If you haven’t had sex before marriage, try to fight the temptation of fulfilling your bodily desires. You will not regret waiting for the right time to have it.
Remember, we must remain righteous to please God, and sexual immorality only stains us. But for young people who have already practiced it, it is not too late to stop and keep yourself pure.
The good thing is that God is full of forgiveness; he can forgive the sin of fornication and give you a fresh start.