Biblical Morals and Marriage

Biblical Morals and Marriage

First blog:  It's a Question of Morals!   A ‘source’ must be found for your morals.  Mine is the Bible.

Second blog: How to live and teach morality in an immoral/amoral culture.

But, what exactly does the Bible teach about morals and marriage?

First, we must define marriage.  

Marriage is defined not so much by definition, but by example.  The most well known ‘marriage’ passage is found in Genesis 2:24, 25

“This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Now, although Adam and his wife were both naked, neither of them felt any shame.”  By illustration here, and throughout scripture, marriage is defined as the ‘union’ between one man and one woman.  Marriage creates a spiritual, mystical, and physical bond between one man and one woman.  A man is emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally designed to join with a woman to create a holy union.  This works because a man and a woman are opposites.  A man is a man and a woman is a woman—spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically etc.  Marriage joins two and creates one.

As a matter of fact, the Bible states that is is NOT good for a man to be alone.  Translation?  We’re better together.  Two make one.  Two bring one another into a greater realm of completion.  The only Biblical exception to this is when there is either forced celibacy or the gift of celibacy is given.  Single people can serve the needs of the Kingdom of God to a greater degree!

Second, where and how the wheels fall off the cart.

Since the Bible is very clear—God created humanity with a sexual appetite—humanity has taken that appetite and diverted from God’s plan and intention.  This is readily seen in the beginning of Genesis, where Adam and Eve ate fruit (they had appetites), but that fruit was forbidden (misdirected appetites).

Throughout the Bible (remember—this is the source of our morality)—the Bible describes numerous ways or means that a God-given sexual appetite goes awry.

Here is a sample list of God-given sexual appetites going amiss.  I will simply list them.

1.  Sexual union before marriage.  The Bible calls this fornication or sexual immorality. 

2.  Sexual union by a married person with someone other than his/her spouse.  This is the sin of adultery.

3.  Sexual union with an animal.  This is called beastiality.

4.  Sexual union with someone of the same sex.  This is a particular kind of fornication.

5.  Multiple married partners.  This is referred to as polygamy

6.  Sexual lusting.  This is intentional sexual imaginations of sexual activities with others.  This is pornography.

Third, should God relax?

Why did, or why does God give sexual appetites and then go and ruin it by giving a bunch of rules to ruin our fun?  There are three reasons:

(1) The first reason is because of what sexual union and marriage illustrate or represent.  The Bible  teaches us that marriage is an illustration of God’s relationship/love for His people.  There is no marriage in heaven—no male/female—we will be in union with God Himself.  The intimacy level with God, in eternity, is so holy and awesome the Bible uses marriage to illustrate this.

(2) The most healthy couples—spiritually, emotionally, physically, psychologically,— are male and female virgins who marry and stay married until death. 

(3) Immorality (in any of the above illustrations 1 to 6) will ultimately end up hurting you in some fashion. I realize that is a rather bold statement, but I believe both my 40 years of dealing with people issues, and statistics will prove this a valid point. 

So, God gave the gift of sexuality for married couples to enjoy and experience intimacy and oneness.  Humanity —in misdirecting that gift—has brought an enormous amount of pain and hurt.