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"Premarital Sex is Not a Sin Against God"

URAVIP2ME

Veteran Member
NOTE
The title of this thread is taken from the title of the quoted material below, which is part of an article that addresses premarital sex in the context of god and the Bible. It doesn't necessarily represent my thoughts, but because they seemingly contradict the teachings of most Christians I wonder just what you think of their accuracy, and where they may have gone astray.

(To read the entire article click the "source" at the end.)
"The Bible does not forbid premarital sex.

There is no passage of the Bible that references premarital sex as a sin against God. The association between sin and premarital sex is a new Christian idea. The only possible reference to premarital sex being a sin in the Bible is in the New Testament. This premise although, is generally dismissed by theologians because the Greek word pornei, or sexual immorality is commonly incorrectly translated into the English word fornication.​

Yes, for example, KJV did translate ' porneia ' in English as fornication such as found at Matthew 5:32 and Matthew 19:9
Porneia does cover more than just pre-martial sex, but also includes having sex with an animal as wrong.- Leviticus 20:16
We even get the English word pornography ( porn) from the Greek word porneia which would also be including sexual immorality.
That is why Jesus used the word ' porneia ' and did Not use the word 'adultery' as grounds for divorce.
Compare Matthew 5:32 with Numbers 14:33; Ezekiel 23:11; Hosea 2:5
Notice what God judges according to Hebrews 13:4
 

12jtartar

Active Member
Premium Member
NOTE
The title of this thread is taken from the title of the quoted material below, which is part of an article that addresses premarital sex in the context of god and the Bible. It doesn't necessarily represent my thoughts, but because they seemingly contradict the teachings of most Christians I wonder just what you think of their accuracy, and where they may have gone astray.

(To read the entire article click the "source" at the end.)


"The Bible does not forbid premarital sex.

There is no passage of the Bible that references premarital sex as a sin against God. The association between sin and premarital sex is a new Christian idea. The only possible reference to premarital sex being a sin in the Bible is in the New Testament. This premise although, is generally dismissed by theologians because the Greek word pornei, or sexual immorality is commonly incorrectly translated into the English word fornication.

In Biblical times women were the owned property of a man. Men ruled over women and their children. Women had very few, if any, rights, and men often bought women from their families or at an auction, usually at age twelve and a half. The fathers owned the women (daughters, wives, concubines, handmaidens, servants etc.) and if you wanted to have intercourse with one of his properties, then you had to ask his permission.
If a father sold a daughter, he would get more money for her if she was a virgin. Non-virgins were less expensive to buy. If a man purchased a daughter at a virgin price, and she was not, or she did not bleed during intercourse, then he could return her to her father and get his money back.

Most marriages were arranged for financial reasons. Many couples never even met until the day of the marriage. On the day of marriage the proposed husband would give a dowry, or monetary compensation, to the father of a bride. The price of the dowry was different from woman to woman, was determined by the father, and was based on the woman's beauty, ability to bear children, strength, household skills, and status as a virgin.
In the Old Testament, many verses that people site for being against premarital sex are actual verses against stealing another man's property.

In Exodus 22:16 - 17, "If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged, and lies with her, he must pay the bride-price for her, and she will be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins." According to this, the only reason any wrong was done is because the father of the woman lost money when the man and the woman consented to having premarital sex without her father's knowledge. This passage showed that through premarital sex, the man is actually stealing from the woman's father, the difference in value between her as a virgin and her as a nonvirgin. It does not show that premarital sex is wrong.

In Deuteronomy 22:28 - 29 it says, "If a man finds a girl who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered, then the man who lay with her shall give to the girl's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall become his wife because he has violated her; he cannot divorce her all his days." This shows that forced premarital sex, or rape is also stealing, but unlike the book of exodus, this trespass provides a punishment, as the male rapist not only stole from the woman herself but from the woman's father as well.

Another example of premarital sex in the Old Testament is given in Deuteronomy 21:10. This is a case in which a man takes a woman captive and then if he wants to make her his wife he must follow the conditions it sets forth, and then have intercourse with her. Then, if she is found to be desirable he has the option of marrying her or sending her away. This passage not only possibly condones premarital sex, but maybe even divorce as well.

Even the 10 Commandments don't forbid premarital sex. Most Christians would classify premarital sex under the seventh commandment, "Thou shall not commit adultery," but adultery is defined as: voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse. If neither persons are married, it cannot be adultery."
source

Skwim,
Anyone who says that the Bible does not condemn fornication, does not know anything about The Christian Greek Scriptures.
Allow me to point out a few Scriptures that condemn fornication, 1Corinthians 6:9,10, 18-20, 1Timothy 1:8-10, Jesus also warned against fornication, Matthew 19:9. See Colossians 3:5,6, Galatians 5:19-21,Notice that the Scriptures tell us that the ones doing these things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Revelation 21:8 tells us that fornicators will go into the Lake of Fire, the Second death. There is NO resurrection from the Lake of Fire!!! Revelation 22:15 says the same thing.
Anyone who wants to live in God's paradise earth had better meditate on these words. To make this earth a paradise as God intends to do, all who do not obey will undergo Eternal destruction, 2Thessalonians 1:6-10.
 

Milton Platt

Well-Known Member
I think the writer is choosing to ignore the many Scriptures that specifically condemn fornication. Hebrews 13:4, for example; "Let marriage be honorable among all, and let the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers."
1 Corinthians 7:1,2 says; " concerning the things about which you wrote, it is better for a man not to touch a woman; but because of the prevalence of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife and each woman have her own husband." Verses 8 and 9 state: "Now I say to those who are unmarried and to the widows that it is better for them if they remain as I am. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be inflamed with passion. Rather than commit sexual immorality, the Bible urges single ones to marry.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 is also relevant: "For this is the will of God, that you should be holy and abstain from sexual immorality. Each one of you should know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not with greedy, uncontrolled sexual passion like the nations have that do not know God."

I think he clearly stated that it was a New Testament change. He was saying that the Old Testament had a different take on it. Provide quotes from the Old Testament to refute, if you have them.
 

rusra02

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I think he clearly stated that it was a New Testament change. He was saying that the Old Testament had a different take on it. Provide quotes from the Old Testament to refute, if you have them.
Fornication is clearly condemned in both the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. God’s faithful servants avoided fornication, whether between single, engaged, or married persons. It was considered a sin against God.—Ge 34:1, 2, 6, 7,31; 38:24-26; 39:7-9.
 
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