Is Sex Before Marriage Actually a Sin?

In our culture it's considered weird to not "try out" sex before you're married. But is that God's plan and design? Watch this video as Emily walks through this topic.

[Polyester_Avalanche]

QUESTION: How does a single Christian deal with sexual desire in a God-honoring way? "Running" from it doesn't really work.

[HadassaMiguel]

In our society sex is normal but in bible says sex is for marriage only..

[weitzfc]

i think with some people, they think it is a sin. i think there is a lot of regret, especially with women. physical love and relationships, are things most people that relate soul to love . the idea that someone used you, and did not care for you, must be soul crushing . it's a self punishing sin, that leaves you feeling, unloved and unwanted .

[mattr.]

Nonbeliever/former Christian here. I actually admire anyone that enters into marriage as a virgin. But even this is no guarantee of a problem-free, successful marriage. It takes effort from two people to make it work. You will experience pain and hardship in marriage, even if you are both virgins, Christian, and have all the right beliefs.

[goobertgoobert]

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

[jasonrodgers]

My beloved late wife & I were first intimate on our second date. It was AWESOME! That was 42 years ago, we married a couple of years after that, I lost her to heart disease 7 years ago. She was the only woman in my life since 1982, including NOW. I look forward to God reuniting us in paradise. If you think I'm going to feel guilty or ashamed about ANY of our years together, you're going to be disappointed.

[Jennifer-dinl]

Where does it say you must sign a contract with the state? My question is, how is marriage defined? What if you are committed to one man and he is committed to you your whole lives, but you don't sign a contract with the state?

[mikemcconville]

I can tell you one thing. I’m 50 and my vision is just fine.

[PastorDowell]

There are major flaws in this teaching. She did not quote one Scripture at all. So she gave you the stock Christian answer. She should sit down and be quiet! She missed this by a long shot.

[jgrecoStan]

Thats not what porneia actually means. It means prostitute. Not to justify fornication, but we have to be accurate about the original language and historical context.

[Liminalplace]

Jesus didn't up the standard. That a misreading of Mathew 5. The "you have heard it said" wasn't Jesus quoting the old testament but the scribes and Pharisees. And saying "but I say to you" wasn't a law but wisdom on how to become the type of person that would not commit these sins by dealing with the source attitude. The Greek word "a woman" often means "wife" so there is nothing wrong in being attracted to a single woman, that's not adultery anyway. The word "lust" or 'desire" is the same word used for covet in the Greek translation of the ten commandments"you shall not covet your neighbors wife"
Just meaning Jesus wasn't raising the standard just clearing it from religious interpretations. And the law of Moses weren't actually laws, as in legislation, but wisdom..torah is the correct word. And that's what Jesus is doing giving wisdom on how to have righteousness beyond the scribes and Pharisees.

[victor]

I guess nobody ever explained this to King Solomon? 700 wives and 300 concubines?

[JOHNNY]

telling single people they can't have sex or masturbate is just stupid to me and just sets people up to fail, its either going to be one or the other its just to unrealistic and every sane Christian knows that,

[michaelwheelhouse]

Matthew 5:27-28 explained correctly. Jesus was not 'upping' the standard. He was pointing out the standard that was there all along.

A bad translation of this verse. In Greek, they don’t have a separate word for “wife” vs “woman”. They are the exact same word and only context can tell you which is which. The point Jesus is making is about adultery. Biblical adultery can only be committed when a married woman is involved. Therefore, the women mentioned here must be married. If she isn’t, then you simply can’t have the sin of adultery. It’s literally impossible.
A more accurate translation from the Greek, "but I say to you that everyone who gazes intently at a [married] woman in order to covet her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
All of a sudden, the whole verse makes perfect sense. Jesus says that if you covet your neighbor’s wife, you’ve as good as committed adultery with her in your heart. The issue is coveting another man’s wife, not noticing an attractive woman.
The Greek word Pros conveys intention. Jesus was talking about intentional, purposeful looking/staring here and that’s the first crucial point. Jesus is not talking about an accidental glance or catching a bit of flesh out of the corner of your eye.
“lust” in that passage is the Greek word “ἐπιθυμῆσαι” (epithumeó). It means to show focused passion as it aptly builds on (Gk epi, “upon”) what a person truly yearns for; to “greatly desire to do or have something – ‘to long for, to desire very much‘

[jeffpaxton]

If you’ve had 20 failed relationships and you had sex with all 20, it is just like being divorced 20 times. The mental scars are the same. Save sex for marriage if you want to keep your sanity.

[selohcin]

This video gives a half-answer at best. Thumbs down.

[jenya]

As an atheist Jew who thinks premarital sex is a must to know that the couple is compatible and don't care what either religion says, I wonder how did I get here?

[Apvizionz]

I would argue It's a sin not to have sex before marrage. Also, never enter into a lifetime monogamous relationship with someone with even knowing if you're sexually compatible. God want you to be happy.

[bassettjj]

If premarital sex is a sin, then I have two questions I would like someone to answer.

1) In Exodus 22:16-17 it says if a man has sex with a woman he either has to marry her or pay a fine to the father. Why would he not be stoned If its a sin considering stoning is the punishment for sins in the Old Testament (ie adultery)?
2) In Leviticus chapter 18 there is a list of sexual sins. Surprisingly premarital sex is not there. Why not if its such a big sin?

[patricj]

Masturbation is in violation to none of God's commandment. Anyone who claims it is sin teaches human bids, and is a heretic.
And Matthew 5:27-28 is one of the worst misused verses in the bible.
These verses are horribly taken out of context. First of all: OF COURSE adultery can only be commited as long as there is a marriage included in the situation. If you read the bible in its context you will understand that Jesus adressed the unallowed lusting for another man's wife. Nothing else.
It's about intentional desire to get what is forbidden according to the law.
A single man lusting for(wanting to get) a single woman is of course not sin. How could otherwise a man even search for a wife?
God's word always needs to be read in its context!