What Does the Bible Say About Sex and Sexuality — In Biblical Context
The Bible presents sex as a good gift from God designed exclusively for the covenant of marriage between husband and wife.
The Bible presents sex as a good gift from God designed exclusively for the covenant of marriage between husband and wife.
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." — Hebrews 13:4 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
Scripture's view of sex begins in Genesis: God created male and female and blessed their union (Genesis 1:27-28). The Song of Solomon celebrates the beauty and passion of marital intimacy. Hebrews 13:4 states, 'Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.' Paul teaches that married couples should not deprive each other (1 Corinthians 7:3-5) and that sexual immorality (porneia) is sin (1 Corinthians 6:18-20). The body is called 'the temple of the Holy Ghost,' giving sexual ethics a deeply spiritual dimension. The Bible consistently affirms sex as a wonderful gift when expressed within God's design for marriage, while warning against its misuse outside that covenant.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, Hebrews 13:4, sits inside Hebrews 13. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge."
Supporting Passages
"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."
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