What does the Bible say about sex?

Sex is a gift God gives to married people for their mutual enjoyment. It's in the Bible, Proverbs 5:18-19, TLB. "Let your manhood be a blessing; rejoice in the wife of your youth. Let her charms and tender embrace satisfy you. Let her love alone fill you with delight."

>> Discover: What does the Bible say adultery?

Biblical sexuality is a gift

Romance and God's gift of sexuality are highly recommended within the commitment of marriage. It's in the Bible, Hebrews 13:4, NIV. "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure…" I Corinthians 7:3,4, NIV says, "The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife."

God designed sex as part of the unique relationship of marriage. It's in the Bible, I Corinthians 7:5, TLB. "So do not refuse these rights to each other. The only exception to this rule would be the agreement of both husband and wife to refrain from the rights of marriage for a limited time, so that they can give themselves more completely to prayer. Afterwards, they should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt them because of their lack of self-control."

To keep from hurting ourselves, sexual desires and activities must be placed under Christ's control. It's in the Bible, I Thessalonians 4:3-5, TLB. "For God wants you to be holy and pure and to keep clear of all sexual sin so that each of you will marry in holiness and honor—not in lustful passion as the heathen do, in their ignorance of God and his ways."

Sex forbidden by the Bible

The seventh commandment forbids adultery. It's in the Bible, Exodus 20:14, "You shall not commit adultery."

Sexual sin is destructive, even when the effects are not immediately apparent. It's in the Bible, I Corinthians 6:18, TLB. "That is why I say to run from sex sin. No other sin affects the body as this one does. When you sin this sin it is against your own body."

How does sexual sin begin? It's in the Bible, Matthew 5:28, TLB. "But I say: Anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

The Bible condemns homosexual behavior. It's in the Bible, Romans 1:26-27, NIV. "Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion."

The Bible forbids incest. It's in the Bible, Leviticus 18:6, NIV. "No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations."

The Bible forbids bestiality. It's in the Bible, Leviticus 18:23, NIV. "Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it."

The Bible forbids sexual relations with a prostitute. It's in the Bible, I Corinthians 6:15-17, TLB. Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts and members of Christ? So should I take part of Christ and join Him to a prostitute? Never! And don't you know that if a man joins himself to a prostitute she becomes a part of him and he becomes a part of her? For God tells us in the Scripture that in His sight the two become one person."