Illicit Sex

[Madhuri]

What is the significance of illicit sex in Christianity? Most religions are known to consider sex before or outside of the marriage union to be a 'sin' but most Christians I know have sex with multiple partners before marriage and many get divorced, remarried etc.

If I remember correctly, there is the idea in Islam that once married, to get divorced and remarried is considered adultery. There can only be one person you are allowed to marry. Is this the same in Christian doctrine?

How seriously do Christians take sex (in the religious context)? Or how seriously should they take it?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Christianity is totally screwed up about sex and marriage.
Traditionally it has taken a very hard line and some denominations still do.
However, there are so many "let outs" from annulments to legalistic accommodations. that divorce is common even expected.

If a religion will not accommodate what people actually do, people vote with their feet. Very few Christians will put Christian teaching above their social rights. However some do.

 

[wordmagnifiedabovenames]

What is the significance of illicit sex in Christianity?

The Bible is pretty clear that fornication and adultery are sins. Like most sins, it creates a barrier between man and God, repentence and forgivenness are required etc. Most Christians I know are sinners too.

If I remember correctly, there is the idea in Islam that once married, to get divorced and remarried is considered adultery. There can only be one person you are allowed to marry. Is this the same in Christian doctrine?

I have no idea what the Islamic stance is, but in Matthew 5 Jesus says "But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery."

How seriously do Christians take sex (in the religious context)?

Personally, I think the evidence of Christian marraiges ending in divorce being roughly the same as secular marriages ending in divorce, and as you pointed out, the amount of Christians who justify sex with multiple partners before marriage shows that it's not taken seriously enough by a lot of Christians.

I think God is not against sex; He invented it. He gave Adam and the woman the equipment and told them go forth and multiply and fill the earth. He gave the same command to Noah's family post flood. I think though, that in His omniscience, God saw how bad the consequences of sex could be if it was abused so He put some rules around it. Eg. I think there would be nowhere near as many abortions if people only had sex to with the person he/she is married to, especially if the sex was saved until they were actually married. I think there would be nowhere near as many broken relationships if people didn't cheat on each other. I think there would be nowhere near as many health issues (STDs, STIs, whatever the PC term is these days,) if people only had the one sexual partner. I think that sex in marriage would be a lot more special (and the marriage itself be more "special") if the man and the woman were able to give themselves completely to each other when they were married, rather than if they'd already given themselves away to other people before they were married. The marriage would possibly be healthier if the people in it knew that they weren't being compared to previous lovers etc. Marriages would probably also be a lot healthier and less prone to breakup if there was no pornography, and people weren't placing expectations on their partner that they'd derived from seeing pornography, which apparently is mostly unrealistic anyway. There would also be less child abuse and rape (and probably less abortions resulting from it) if sex was kept in marriage.

 

[TJ73]

To my best understanding, in Christianity to divorce and marry another is adultery and in Islam there are multiple legitimate grounds for divorce and after it is complete you may remarry.

 

[Madhuri]

To my best understanding, in Christianity to divorce and marry another is adultery and in Islam there are multiple legitimate grounds for divorce and after it is complete you may remarry.

The only reason I thought it was adultary to remarry in Islam is because of arguments made by some Muslim members on this forum (stating that it is adultary) on a particular thread a few months ago. However I do not remember the title of the thread, the person who created the thread or what part of the forum it was in :sorry1:

 

[Gharib]

If I remember correctly, there is the idea in Islam that once married, to get divorced and remarried is considered adultery. There can only be one person you are allowed to marry. Is this the same in Christian doctrine?

that is incorrect, in islam divorce is permited although it is something disliked.

it is not considered adultery to remarry.

you can read more about it here:

Islamonline Fatwa on Divorce in Islam

 

[Just_me_Mike]

The bible as we have it today, for example in the King James version, is a very good translation, but still not perfect. Requiring many times checking suspicious words and phrases in the original manuscripts, as best as we are able to do.
When we take the time to do such things, our conclusions can better reflect original intentions.

With that said, many churches today use the verse quoted already in this thread about "saving for the cause of fornication" (Matthew 5) to justify certain divorces. After all, on the surface it appears to say divorce is not allowed, except in cases of fornication. In order to have an honest study on the subject you have to include Matthew 19: starting at vs 7 or 8, where Jesus rescinds this allowance of God long ago.

The bible has much to say about the subject. In short, the bible does not teach it is OK to have divorce because of fornication. It was a law for a specific purpose at a specific time and that purpose has long passed. Which means, Christians are simply confused about the topic and, many divorce and take liberties they ought not to take.

The bible, goes on to say towards the end of time, all those in the churches will think they are doing God's will, when in fact they are doing Satan's will. As such, on the last day many will say "God did we not do your will?" and God will reply I don't know you.

So you are not wrong for observing the rampant hypocrisy that only outsiders of the church can apparently see.

 

[Madhuri]

Thank you both TJ73 and Eselam for correcting my understanding.

 

[Kami Servant]

Christians who I have met tend to be unbothered by such things. Christianity today is so widespread that the ratio of devout Christians to those who are not is very low, so it is not surprising you are so confused about the matter.

 

[ZooGirl02]

I am a Christian and I do not consider sex before marriage to be sinful. Just because the Bible says that it is does not mean that it is indeed sinful. The Bible also says that eating shellfish is sinful but do we really believe that it is? For most of us, of course not!

 

[Madhuri]

I am a Christian and I do not consider sex before marriage to be sinful. Just because the Bible says that it is does not mean that it is indeed sinful. The Bible also says that eating shellfish is sinful but do we really believe that it is? For most of us, of course not!

But then how seriously do you take the Bible? Why would God tell you to not do something if he didn't mean it? What would be the point?

 

[ZooGirl02]

But then how seriously do you take the Bible? Why would God tell you to not do something if he didn't mean it? What would be the point?

Well, I don't take the Bible all that seriously to be honest with you. But part of the problem is that I think modern Bible translations aren't translated all that well.

 

[7he4uthor]

1n some cultures the female must be a virgin for the maariage to be valid.
1 write this from mexico where 70 years ago it was a custom for the bridegroom to throw out the blooded sheets into the street where a crowd awaited consumation of the marriage. Failure to produce the red sheets made the marriage invalid and of course the womans life ruined permanently

This to me is a strange and potebtially humiliating practice invading the most intimate privacy of a couple, but nevertheless 1 report it as it was reported to me.

1n 1slam and [i suspect some christian sects] other religions/tradditions similar practices exist.

Google

 

[Sweetvoice]

I am a Christian and I do not consider sex before marriage to be sinful. Just because the Bible says that it is does not mean that it is indeed sinful. The Bible also says that eating shellfish is sinful but do we really believe that it is? For most of us, of course not!

So you are saying the bible is up for personal interpretation as to practice in this modern times. That somehow would make the bible's teachings not of Truth, rather of practicality to suit the time/era. Why should then the bible be our guide to living a moral life.

 

[Katzpur]

I am a Christian and I do not consider sex before marriage to be sinful. Just because the Bible says that it is does not mean that it is indeed sinful. The Bible also says that eating shellfish is sinful but do we really believe that it is? For most of us, of course not!

I'm really confused. Your post says that you're a Christian and yet you have listed "agnostic" as your religion. If you're really agnostic, you really shouldn't be responding to posts on the Christian DIR forum.

 

[heavenlyarts]

The Bible says to flee from sexual immorality. with this I agree whole heartedly. America and other developed nations are a mess of lust and promiscuity. We can no longer tell the difference between lust and love. It is sad and shameful that most Christians are as bad as unbelievers, they behave just as promiscuously. In Christinaity we forgive sexual sins, we forgive sin, if someone commits a crime that is against the law they are punished by the legal system in the government. We have separation of church and state. We are not hypocrites like the Muslims, we don't kill people for sexual sins. Jesus said about the woman caught in adultery whoever has never sinned may throw the first stone. We are all guilty of lust.

I feel people should follow the Bible's rules of abstinence, purity and chastity. Life would be much better if people waited until after they were married to have sex, and then stayed faithful to their marriage partner until one partner died, they would not think of having another spouse, of ever marrying again until after their current husband or wife has died. And of course there would be a time of mourning for a while for the spouse that died before marrying again. Like someone before me said, things would be a lot better if people did this. Fewer unwanted pregancies and abortions, less sexually transmitted diseases, no more prostitution, no more porn or child sexual abuse and molestation, no rape, no teenagers or preteens, kids having sex, no dirty movies or child pornography.

 

[Kathryn]

There are principles, goals, ideals, and then there is reality.

Jesus gave us the ideals to strive for, and He offers forgiveness when we fail as humans.

This doesn't mean we are to take His grace lightly or casually - if we do that, it cheapens His sacrifice on the cross for our sins. But it does mean that when we sin - if we repent, we can be forgiven and move forward with our life.

 

[Sweetvoice]

The Bible says to flee from sexual immorality. with this I agree whole heartedly. America and other developed nations are a mess of lust and promiscuity. We can no longer tell the difference between lust and love. It is sad and shameful that most Christians are as bad as unbelievers, they behave just as promiscuously. In Christinaity we forgive sexual sins, we forgive sin, if someone commits a crime that is against the law they are punished by the legal system in the government. We have separation of church and state. We are not hypocrites like the Muslims, we don't kill people for sexual sins. Jesus said about the woman caught in adultery whoever has never sinned may throw the first stone. We are all guilty of lust.

I feel people should follow the Bible's rules of abstinence, purity and chastity. Life would be much better if people waited until after they were married to have sex, and then stayed faithful to their marriage partner until one partner died, they would not think of having another spouse, of ever marrying again until after their current husband or wife has died. And of course there would be a time of mourning for a while for the spouse that died before marrying again. Like someone before me said, things would be a lot better if people did this. Fewer unwanted pregancies and abortions, less sexually transmitted diseases, no more prostitution, no more porn or child sexual abuse and molestation, no rape, no teenagers or preteens, kids having sex, no dirty movies or child pornography.

You echoed my sentiment too. But we live in a practical modern degenerating age, and christians share some comfort in so sinning because Jesus had died for our sins already. We can err and still be saved. Well, wait, there is incest too during Adam's time.

 

[7he4uthor]

But then how seriously do you take the Bible?

excellent point if the question is
HOW SERIOUSLY SHOULD PPL TAKE THE BIBLE ?

This will answer that question !

[youtube]0mpHpLrJVHY[/youtube]
YouTube - Misquoting Jesus: Scribes Who Altered Scripture and Readers Who May Never Know


There are 2 famous quotes
1- christianity's greatest test will come when the garve of yashua is uncovered [happened circa 2005]
2- the collapse of christianity will come when ppl realize the bible is inaccurate [happened long ago, has been kept secret by institutional churches]

''in the age of information there is no excuse for ignorance''