A standard dictionary definition of fornication typically goes something like this: Fornication is “voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons…” From the perspective of the English language and the Western Judeo-Christian ethic, that’s a pretty accurate and commonly accepted definition of the term. However, from a biblical perspective, the water may be a bit muddier than that.
The Bible frequently condemns sexual immorality of any kind. Both the Old Testament (or “Hebrew Bible”) and the New Testament forbid the faithful from participating in what the ancients considered sexually “inappropriate” behaviors. Included in those “behaviors” were fornication, adultery, and/or homosexuality. And while many today see the biblical standards of sexual “purity” as antiquated and irrelevant, nonetheless, the three Abrahamic Traditions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) still have at the heart of their ethical teachings the importance of living a life of sexual purity.
Do all Jews, Christians, and Muslims live lives in alignment with scriptural standards of morality? Of course not! Do those three religions still have as part of their scriptural texts and doctrines something which forbids sexually immorality? They definitely do.
One of the challenges in determining exactly what the Bible says about “inappropriate” or “forbidden” sexual relationships is that the language of the Hebrew and Greek is not always as clear as English language translations make it seem. What, in English, refers specifically to fornication, as opposed to some other forbidden sexual act, is not always the case in Hebrew or Greek.
In English, for example, we typically make a distinction between “fornication” (i.e., sexual relations between two unmarried individuals) and “adultery” (i.e., sexual relations between two people, where one or both are married to someone else). However, the biblical text is simply not black and white on this. The Hebrew and Greek words for “adultery” (Heb., na'aph; Gk., moicheuo, moichao or moicheia) essentially mean to commit sin in the form of some inappropriate sexual act or through engagement in idolatrous worship.
Similarly, the Hebrew and the Greek words for “fornication” (Heb., zanah; see also taznuwth or taznuth; Gk., porneia) mean any form of sexual immorality, and certainly include fornication, but can also mean adultery, harlotry, and even (in a metaphorical sense) idolatry. So, “fornication” in the Bible is a “catch-all” phrase that would certainly condemn pre-marital sex but would also apply to other forms of sexual immorality. Thus, setting aside the common English meaning of the word, fornication in the Bible basically means sexually immoral acts—in any form or of any nature and with any person (or group of persons).
Explaining that sinful thoughts lead to sinful behaviors, Jesus clarified: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, …acts of adultery, [and] other immoral sexual acts.” (Matthew 15:19) The fact that Jesus distinguishes between “adultery” and “porneia” here suggests that, by “porneia” (or “fornication”), He is referring specifically to pre-marital sex. In the context of the chapter, Jesus is condemning all such immoral sexual behaviors, and He is suggesting that adultery and “porneia”/fornication were considered different kinds of sexual sins—the former committed by one or more married persons and the latter committed by unmarried persons.
There are other biblical passages that make a similar point (e.g., 1 Corinthians 7:2; Hebrews 13:4). See also Acts 15:20, 1 Corinthians 5:1, 6:13 & 18, and 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; Jude 1:7; Revelation 21:8, where it is less clear what the sexual act is that is being condemned).
That being said, the Bible is quite clear regarding its views on pre-marital sex, adultery, and homosexuality. In a time when a statistically high percentage of the world’s population participates in one or more of these three activities, it is hardly “politically correct” to bring up the Bible’s condemnation of sexual promiscuity.
However, anyone who has ever read the Bible knows that it is not really interested in political “correctness.” Rather, it is entirely focused on presenting the views and teachings of Jesus and the various biblical prophets who were sources of the Judeo-Christian belief system—including its understanding of sexual purity.
So, why does it matter if someone engages in sex outside the bonds of marriage—whether the person you do so with is married or single? In many ways, the Bible is not entirely clear on the answer to this question. There are “hints” at some of the concerns.
However, since biblical prophets tended to speak “authoritatively”—as the mouthpiece of the divine—they often felt little or no obligation to explain the “whys” of certain commandments. On moral issues, their interest was typically on the “whats” of how one behaved, rather than on the “whys” of their obedience. So “what” is forbidden is usually clearer than “why” it is forbidden in the Bible.
Through what we might call an eisigetical approach to the Bible, theologians, moralists, ethicists, and scientists typically draw three concerns (or dangers) regarding sexual promiscuity. These are often said to be at the heart of the biblical dictate forbidding sex with someone one is not legally (or “lawfully”) married to.
The first essentially argues that an all-knowing God has given commands pertaining to sexual morality for the sake of preserving the health of His children upon the earth. Science has proven that sexual promiscuity can increase the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, etc. In addition, certain life-threatening cancers have been traced to STDs. Thus, out of love for His creations, and in a time when scientific laws simply were not understood, God revealed a commandment that would protect and preserve humans from these life-altering diseases, but He didn’t give the “whys” because those could not be understood in the biblical era.
Second, frequent promiscuity can lead to various mental health issues, including mood and personality disorders. Those sometimes lead to substance abuse, which itself can bring about permanent illness, including (but not limited to) severe addiction and consequent health challenges.
In addition, sexual immorality often harms the emotional, psychological, and spiritual health of family and friends. Marriages and families are broken. Spouses and children are often emotionally and otherwise scarred. The victims of another’s choices to “cheat” on a partner or family leave a trail of heartache and destruction that lasts for decades.
Finally, those who write about this subject frequently point out that promiscuity can lead to infertility, children with only one or no parents, an increase in abortions, an increase in the number of kids entering the adoption or foster system, financial strains, the loss of opportunities for education and career advancement, influence on who and when one marries, and numerous other challenges which grow out of an unexpected pregnancy, the loss of fertility, the damage to relationships, and the like.
Like any biblical commandment, for those who embrace the text as inspired, the God-given commandments are not for the purpose of “controlling” the adherent but, instead, to protect the believer from the many challenges and heartaches associated with sin.
Thus, fornication (in any of its forms described in the Bible) has been condemned by God with the intent of protecting His children from mental, physical, and spiritual harms. The commandments, according to the Bible, were given by God to increase peace, joy, happiness, hopefulness, and eventual salvation.
While the world we live in does not see anything “wrong” with sexual promiscuity, the canonical books of Jews and Christians—in addition to those of every major world religion—condemn fornication because the God each of these faith traditions worship is “all-seeing,” and is more aware of the dangers of such behaviors than any of us are able or willing to believe.
9/17/2024 11:15:15 PM
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