Marriage, divorce, adultery, fornication and homosexuality are topics we will be discussing in this reading. We’ll seek to uncover what the Bible has to say about these subjects. These are topics thought about, discussed and highly debated right now and have been since the beginning.
So what do all these topics have in common? Sex. This is a small word with a big meaning. This act has been around since Gods creation of Adam and Eve. Without this act life would cease to exist. God created sex as a gift to mankind. After the creation of Adam and Eve, in Genesis Chapter 1:28 it says “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.”
So God blessed mankind with the gift of sex to fulfill the will of God. So why has sex been belittled? Why has sex become perverted and distorted from its original intention and purpose. ?
Although sex is a gift from God, it is also something that He considers sacred and holy. It is so important that God specifically addresses it twice in the 10 Commandments given to Moses and the Israelites in Exodus Chapter 20. Thou shall not commit adultery and Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife.
Marriage
Marriage is first discussed In Genesis 1:20, it says “So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Marriage is a special gift from God. God created this sacred union of a husband and wife for the benefit of man because man needed a helper. In this union of marriage, a man and a woman become one single entity in spirit. Proverbs 18:22 says “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.”
What if I’m not married? Is it wrong or a sin if I am not married? Is marriage a requirement according to the Bible? In 1 Corinthians 7, The Apostle Paul writes, “Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”
Marriage is a beautiful and good thing. Sexual relations are only to occur in marriage between a husband and a wife. As the Apostle Paul says, marriage is a concession and not a command. Being unmarried is not wrong or a sin. Therefore if a person is unmarried and can control their sexual desires and passions it is also a good thing.
Adultery
Adultery, according to the dictionary, is the voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse.
This sin is rebuked early in the bible when God gave this to Moses as one of the 10 commandments “You shall not commit adultery.” In Leviticus 18:20 again God commands, “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife and defile yourself with her.”
Other scriptures referring to adultery include Hebrews 13:4 where is says “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
Do not be deceived by thinking that adultery can only be committed physically by a man or woman. God not only sees your actions but also knows your heart and mind. In Matthew 5:27, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Divorce
It’s unfortunate that not all marriages end as God intended. Just as it was in the Garden of Eden when God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge, sometimes we also fall short and choose against what God commands.
There are many scriptures that discuss the topic of divorce.
Matthew 5:31 says, “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Malachi 2:15, says “Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. “The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the Lord Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.”
1 Corinthians 7:10, says” To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?”
Matthew 19:3 says, “Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ ? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Divorce is a highly debated subject and we understand there are many different scenarios, situations and factors that go into a person’s desire to request a divorce. The scriptures concur that God does not agree with divorce or the separation of marriage but it is allowed in situations of sexual immorality.
Divorce is a major decision that affects every child, family member, and friend that was a part of that union of marriage. Although divorce is permitted in a situation of sexual immorality, it is not a commandment for divorce.
If you are in a situation where you’re contemplating getting a divorce, before you make that decision seek guidance from someone who is familiar with Gods word such as your Pastor and or other elders in your church. Pray about the decision. Ask God to show you his will and that you feel His peace in the decision.
Fornication
What is fornication? Fornication is sexual intercourse between people not married to each other. Fornication is a sin. If you are not married and you are having sexual relations then you are considered a fornicator and you are living a life that God considers sexually immoral.
1 Corinthians 6:9, says “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:18, say “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 not 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”
Corinthians 6:9-10 is direct and straight to the point. If you are living a life of sexual immorality you will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Point blank.
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is sexual relations between persons of the same sex. Homosexual acts are a sin. God specifically commands against homosexual acts. In Leviticus 18:22, the Lord says “ ‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman; that is detestable.”
In Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 1:21, says ”For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.”
Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”
Homosexuality is a perverted desire of the flesh and since it is a sinful desire of the flesh then it is demonic in nature. As the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 1:21, homosexuality is unnatural, meaning it is not natural or is not as God had intended or designed sex to be. Homosexuality is not the will of God for any human being.
What if a person says they were born being attracted to the same sex? Even if we concede to the persons justification of the sin by them saying they were born attracted to the same sex, homosexuality is still a sin, it is still against what God commanded and it is still against God’s will. A person claiming to be attracted to the same sex still has the choice to commit a homosexual act or not. The person still has the choice to commit sin or not to sin. The person still has the free will to choose not to think lustfully in their mind toward someone of the same sex. If they choose to commit a homosexual act then they are considered a homosexual and are considered sexually immoral.
Again as the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:9, “Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
These are not my words, these are Gods words.
Conclusion
Although we touched on a few scriptures that discuss the subjects of marriage, divorce, adultery, fornication and homosexuality, we know that these topics can be dynamic in scope and situations and circumstances vary by individual. But one thing always remains constant and unwavering and that is God and his word. We pray that our review of some of the scriptures that touch on these subjects were of benefit to you in seeking what the Bible has to say about these topics.
Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” We are all sinners. If you know someone who is living a life of sexual immorality, Leviticus 19:17, says“ ‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in their guilt.” Love your neighbor by showing him or her the truth about what is Gods will towards these subjects.
If you are the person living in sexual immorality, it’s not a coincidence that you are reading this. It’s not too late, repent! Ask God for forgiveness and turn away from sin. If you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord but never confessed Him with your mouth, don’t wait this is the time to do it. Jesus died for our sins. He rose from the dead and by raising from the dead, by the grace of God, we have the gift and opportunity to be born again with him. If we confess this belief with our mouths and believe in our hearts and that this is true by demonstrating it in obeying his commands, then God will send a helper, the Holy Spirit, who will give you the strength, the peace and will meet the needs to be successful.
Don’t wait to be set free. Do it today. Accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior and receive the freedom, joy and peace that comes with His Spirit. If you are ready to be set free, Click here to read more about salvation thru Jesus Christ.
