Posted on 06/04/2014 10:18:03 AM PDT by matthewrobertolson
Does the Bible really teach that premarital sex is wrong? (Of course it does! But with Sola Scriptura, that might be unclear!)
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TRANSCRIPT ———————-
Does the Bible really teach that premarital sex is wrong? Well, as a Catholic, I know that it does. So, I suppose the real question should be: can a Protestant reasonably think that premarital sex is okay? I think that they can. And here's why.
When the Bible condemns "fornication", the Greek word porneia is used. It is an all-encompassing word for sexual immorality, and this can make things unclear to a Protestant. Take Hebrews 13:4, for example: it uses the Greek word moichos to condemn adultery. That's very clear language. But, then, it uses porneia for fornication. So, the verse can, potentially, be seen as unclear on the latter.
Now, probably the most convincing passage against premarital sex is in 1 Corinthians 6. In this passage, "sexual perversion" is clearly banned. But again, that could be unclear, as "sexual perversion" can even occur within marriage. The thing here against becoming one with prostitutes offers what is probably the best argument. But even that, I think, could be seen as unclear. Paul could easily be seen as referring to literal prostitutes only. Obviously, should an otherwise-devout Christian have sexual relations with a current prostitute, that could cause grave scandal.
And, as far as I know, in every case of premarital sex in the Bible, there is no clear divine punishment for the sexual act. The only obvious penalty is in the realm of financial compensation. Even the Song of Solomon does not explicitly refer only to acts within marriage. In fact, in it, the lovers are separate. They don't seem to live together, and there's evidence that could be understood to mean that they weren't even married (see 8:8, for example). And, judging from Scripture alone, as long as lovers intend to get married someday, their acts together aren't always necessarily bad (see Exodus 22:16, for example).
To someone raised in the Catholic Tradition on this issue -- including many Protestants who have borrowed the Church's ancient teaching on this -- these verses are clear. But to a Sola Scriptura Protestant, who demands formal sufficiency of Scripture, this wiggle-room can shake their world.
Catholics can say, "Well, the Bible is only materially sufficient" -- meaning that, well, while the Bible implicitly or explicitly references every doctrine and dogma, you must still have the Church to interpret it, because the Church is the "pillar and support of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). But Protestants don't have that luxury. Formal sufficiency demands clarity, and when clarity is not there (as is frequently the case), questions like this arise.
So, in conclusion, to a Catholic, this is clear. But to a Protestant, not so much.
he posts this crap here just to sow discord and offend for the sake of offending. nobody here is fighting about this topic, yet he desires there to be fighting, so he goes ahead and starts it all on his own.
he’s using this simpy as a strawman argument to attack protestants and stir up ill feeligs between catholics and protestants.
Jesus’ own words:
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs [i.e., homosexuals, see Deuteronomy 23:17-18], those who practice magic arts, the fornicators, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”
Revelation 22:14-15
LOL you just go right ahead and think that. Whatever fits your agenda!
Minor correction: It takes a hateful “Catholic” who hasn't read the Bible for themself to write something like that.
“can a Protestant reasonably think that premarital sex is okay?”
So there are no Catholics fornicating?
“Where is masturbation discussed in YHvH’s WORD ?”
I never said it was. The Protestant book given to me said masturbation was generally fine because the Bible did not denounce it. In other words, the Protestant author suffered from the stupidity of the false Protestant doctrine of sola scriptura. Thus, he believed the Bible allowed masturbation.
look up the sin of Onan
I know and it’s a real shame that Free Republic enables it.
“It seems to me that the main point of this article is to pit Believers against one another - this is despicable.”
The search for truth is never despicable – even if some people are too weak to bear with it.
“Why go down this road?”
Of telling the truth? Why would that be a problem?
“ My wife has a lady friend who was just ordained as a Catholic Priest. So according to logic of this writer, I can now lump all Catholics into the same bowl as my wife’s friend? Of course not.”
Actually, no, that is not the logic of the article.
“I have a huge amount of respect, love and admiration for my Catholic brothers & sisters (on the whole) for standing firm against the culture of death and holding high the banner of Christ.”
Which is all about the truth.
“Articles like this are not helpful. Stop preaching hatred and dissension.”
The article is helpful. It peaches no hatred and in itself cannot be accused of causing dissension.
“it demonstrates that the author does not understand what Sola Scripture even means”
Yeah, I was going to say the same thing. I’ve seen that before, where some folks come up with some crafty attack on Protestants based on the premise that Sola Scriptura means what they think it means, rather than what it actually means.
By the way, a similar concept is held for divorce…. Note Focus on the Family’s response to this question about divorce. http://family.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/26520
2 Samuel 12:8 I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.
Perhaps I missed it. In your opinion, for what truth is the author of this article searching?
Amen. I attended many denominations while growing up and every one taught that sex was for marriage. Why does anyone post something he/she knows so little about?
The sin of Onan has ZERO to do with masturbation.
What a bunch of garbage.
But another Catholic, anti-Prod, hater, couldn't resist taking a cheap shot at Protestants and sola Scritpura.
It's not. Some will raise the story of Onan but even a casual reading of it makes it clear that it has nothing to do with masturbation. There is an inferred reference to condemning masturbation in Mark 7:20 "And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders," Masturbation is basically about a thought process that involves having sex with someone outside of a marital relationship so it wold seem that this verse is applicable. Perhaps an even stronger inference to masturbation is contained in Matthew 5:28 "But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." By definition, masturbation would appear to be condemned as sinful... not because of the act itself but because it involves one going through the act of adultery or formication in their mind. According to this verse, the bar is set just as high for what a person is thinking as for what they are doing. This concept by the way is also discussed in the Old Testament.... Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he."
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