The Biblical Design for Human Sexuality

by Rich Deem

INTRODUCTION

There are many misunderstandings about what Christianity teaches about human
sexuality and sexual relationships. During the Victorian era, it was claimed that all sexual
acts were sinful, unless they were specifically done for the purpose of procreation. Others
have claimed that the original sin was a sexual act, represented by the eating of the
forbidden fruit. All of these ideas are without biblical basis. The purpose of this page is to
present the biblical Christian view of human sexuality.

The first command of God

The very first command God gave to humans was to "be fruitful and multiply, and fill the
earth."1 Although we do not usually think of this command in terms of its
accomplishment, it is a command for males and females to engage in sexual relations to
produce children. Some have taken this command as either requiring that couples must
never prevent conception or that the sole purpose of sexual relations is to produce
children. Neither of these interpretations are specified in scripture, and, in fact, are
contradicted by other biblical passages.

Why did God create humans?

The Bible says that God created humans because He desires to enjoy His children in
heaven.2 In order to accomplish this task, God has made us a partner with Him.
Therefore, God designed human sexuality to produce children who were to be raised in a
godly manner to seek after Him. The Bible says, "Has not the LORD made them one? In
flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring."3 The
institution of marriage and human sexuality was commenced in the beginning of the first
pair of human beings as a temporal institution.4 A marriage covenant was designed from
the beginning so that children would be raised in a godly manner by the parents.

Sexual relations - the original sin?

Genesis chapter two describes the detailed account of the creation of humans in the
garden of Eden (the location of which the text places in the Mesopotamian plain). The
marriage covenant is spelled out in the original narrative that describes the meeting of
the first man and first woman:

And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man,
and brought her to the man. And the man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh
of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man." For this
cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they
shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not
ashamed. (Genesis 2:22-25)

In contrast to the claims of some, the sexual act was not the original sin, as indicated in
the above passage. The Hebrew word (dâbaq), translated "cleave"5 is a verb
describing the closeness that should exist between a husband and wife. This describes
both physical and emotional closeness. The next phrase "they shall become one flesh"
refers to the sexual relationship. To reinforce the idea that Adam and Eve were engaging
in a sexual relationship the text says that they "were both naked and were not ashamed."
The temptation by Satan that led to the original sin occurred in the following chapter. This
sin was committed as a direct result of disobedience of the only rule God had made for
Adam and Eve.

The Bible actually encourages married couples to enjoy their sexual relationships within
marriage.6 The New Testament confirms that sexual relations within a marriage is not
sinful. Paul says that those who marry have not sinned.7 The writer of the book of
Hebrews states, "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure,"8
indicating that sexual relations within marriage are "pure" and not sinful.

Sexual responsibility in marriage

The Bible discusses the responsibility of husbands and wives in marriage. It says that
husbands and wives do not authority over their own bodies, but must submit their bodies
to their spouse and must not deny each other sexually:

Let the husband fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The
wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also
the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop
depriving one another, except by agreement for a time that you may devote yourselves to
prayer, and come together again lest Satan tempt you because of your lack of self-
control. (1 Corinthians 7:3-5)

The command to not deny the spouse sexually is made so that he or she is not tempted
outside the marriage.8 Fidelity in marriage is emphasized throughout the New
Testament.9

Commands for the husband

The Christian marriage is arranged in a manner similar to that of the Christian church.
Throughout the New Testament, the husband is commanded to love his wife. The manner
and extent of devotion is given as "just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up
for her," "husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies," and "must love his
wife as he loves himself."10 In other passages, husbands are commanded to "love your
wives and do not be harsh with them"11 and "be considerate as you live with your wives,
and treat them with respect."12

Commands for the wife

Wives are commanded to submit to their husbands. Submission is not a popular word
among women these days. However, the biblical command to submit is not without
qualification. Submission is to be done "as the church submits to Christ" and "as is fitting
in the Lord."13 The Bible also says that the wife should respect her husband.10 Peter says
that wives ought to submit to their husbands so that they "may be won over without
words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your
lives."14 This was one of the main factors why I chose Carole as my wife.

Commands for both

Peter ends his discussion of the responsibilities of husbands and wives with the following
instruction for both:
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be
compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)

Divorce

The original law of divorce was instituted by Moses:

"When a man takes a wife and marries her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his
eyes because he has found some indecency in her, and he writes her a certificate of
divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house (Deuteronomy 24:1)

Although the law of divorce seems to be rather broad, it had a rather limited context. The
Hebrew word (ervâh), translated "indecency" usually referred to some sort of
intentional indecent exposure on the part of the wife.15

Elsewhere, the Old Testament indicates that God hates divorce:

"For I hate divorce," says the LORD, the God of Israel, "and him who covers his garment
with wrong," says the LORD of hosts. "So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal
treacherously." (Malachi 2:16)

In the New Testament, the Pharisees, the ruling religious class, tried to trap Jesus on the
question of divorce. Jesus countered with "What therefore God has joined together, let no
man separate."16 When they pressed Him regarding the law of Moses, Jesus said:

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were
hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. (Matthew 19:8)

In this passage and elsewhere, Jesus indicated that those who divorced and married
another person were committing adultery. This rule applied to both husbands17 and
wives18 and those whom they marry.19 Likewise, Paul forbade divorce - even when the
spouse was a non-believer.20

Exceptions to remarriage

Obviously, the death of the spouse allows one to remarry.21 Jesus said that there was one
exception that allowed remarriage, which was marital unfaithfulness.17-19 Paul indicated
that abandonment was also a cause for divorce and remarriage.22 Although the issue of
spousal abuse is not directly addressed in the Bible, some have interpreted these kinds of
acts to be equivalent to abandonment.

Sexual Sins

Several specific sexual relationships are forbidden in the Bible. Among these are
homosexuality,23 bestiality (sex with animals),24 and incest (sexual relations with close
family members, including your mother, sister, niece, aunt, daughter-in-law, and sister-
in-law),25 fornication (sexual relations outside of marriage),26 and adultery (sexual
relations with another person's spouse).27 To emphasize the seriousness of these kinds of
offenses, the penalty was death.28
Christians are to avoid all forms of sexual sin, since the Christian's body is the indwelt by
the Holy Spirit.29 Paul says that the body is meant for the Lord and not for sexual
immorality.30 Since Christians were redeemed (bought back with a price - which was the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ) we no longer "own" our bodies, since they have been purchased
by God.31 Not only are Christians to avoid sexual sins, but we are to avoid those who
claim to be Christians, yet practice such things.32 The Bible says that those who are
sexually immoral are separated from God and will not share in God's inheritance upon
death.33

Married or single? Which is better?

It is not the will of God that all Christians be married. Paul explained that a person who
marries will have divided loyalty between his spouse and the Lord.34 A Christian is much
better able to serve the Lord when single then when married. However, a Christian should
not remain single if that gift has not been given to him.35 Jesus said that those who have
been given the gift of being able to remain single should do so for the sake of the
gospel.36

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the
presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus
Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and
forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

REFERENCES

1. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him;
male and female He created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them,
"Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of
the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on
the earth." (Genesis 1:27-28)
2. In the parable of the banquet Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great
banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant
to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they
all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I
must go and see it. Please excuse me.' Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke
of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' Still another said,
'I just got married, so I can't come.' The servant came back and reported this to
his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant,
'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the
crippled, the blind and the lame.' 'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has
been done, but there is still room.' Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to
the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be
full.'" (Luke 14:16-23)
3. You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and
the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is
your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the LORD made them
one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly
offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of
your youth. (Malachi 2:14-15)
4. Marriage is temporal (not eternal), since it was only intended for physical life as
explained by Jesus:
"At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will
 be like the angels in heaven." (Matthew 22:30)
Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those
who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from
the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die;
for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the
resurrection. (Luke 20:34-36)
5. dâbaq (Strong's H1692)
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
1. to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow
closely, join to, overtake, catch
a. (Qal)
1. to cling, cleave to
2. to stay with
b. (Pual) to be joined together
c. (Hiphil)
1. to cause to cleave to
2. to pursue closely
3. to overtake
d. (Hophal) to be made to cleave
6. Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth. As a loving
hind and a graceful doe, Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; Be exhilarated
always with her love. (Proverbs 5:18-19)
7. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not
sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to
spare you this. (1 Corinthians 7:28)
8. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will
judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (Hebrews 13:4)
9. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness,
causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced
woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:32)
I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and
marries another woman commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9)
He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman
commits adultery against her. (Mark 10:11)
So then if, while her husband is living, she is joined to another man, she shall be
called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she
is not an adulteress, though she is joined to another man. (Romans 7:3)
So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit
adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. (Revelation
2:22)
10. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up
for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the
word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle
or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought
to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself...
However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife
must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:25-28, 33)
11. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. (Colossians 3:19)
12. Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat
them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift
of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7)
13. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their
husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:24)
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (Colossians 3:18)
14. Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do
not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of
their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. (1 Peter 3:1-2)
15. ervâh (Strong's H6172)
Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions:
1. nakedness, nudity, shame, pudenda
a. pudenda (implying shameful exposure)
b. nakedness of a thing, indecency, improper behavior
c. exposed, undefended (figuratively)
16. ..."'FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL
CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? "Consequently
they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let
no man separate." (Matthew 19:5-6)
17. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and
marries another woman commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9)
And He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman
commits adultery against her; (Mark 10:11)
18. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness,
causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced
woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:32)
and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is
committing adultery." (Mark 10:12)
19. But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness,
causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced
woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:32)
20. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not
separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else
be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the
rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer
and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a
husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not
divorce him. And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to
live with her, let her not send her husband away. For the unbelieving husband is
sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her
believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are
holy. (1 Corinthians 7:10-14)
21. For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is
alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then,
if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an
adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an
adulteress, even though she marries another man. (Romans 7:2-3)
22. Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not
under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. (1 Corinthians
7:15)
23. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be
deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male
prostitutes nor homosexual offenders (1 Corinthians 6:9)
Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--
both young and old--surrounded the house. They called to Lot, "Where are the
men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with
them." Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said,
"No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing. (Genesis 19:4-7)
While they were enjoying themselves, some of the wicked men of the city
surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they shouted to the old man who
 owned the house, "Bring out the man who came to your house so we can have
sex with him." The owner of the house went outside and said to them, "No, my
friends, don't be so vile. Since this man is my guest, don't do this disgraceful
thing. (Judges 19:22-23)
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave
themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of
those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7)
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual
impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the
truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the
Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. 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. (Romans 1:24-
27)
24. "Anyone who has sexual relations with an animal must be put to death. (Exodus
22:19)
"Cursed is the man who has sexual relations with any animal." Then all the people
shall say, "Amen!" (Deuteronomy 27:21)
25. "'No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the
LORD. Do not dishonor your father by having sexual relations with your mother.
She is your mother; do not have relations with her. Do not have sexual relations
with your father's wife; that would dishonor your father. Do not have sexual
relations with your sister, either your father's daughter or your mother's daughter,
whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere. Do not have sexual
relations with your son's daughter or your daughter's daughter; that would
dishonor you. Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father's
wife, born to your father; she is your sister. Do not have sexual relations with
your father's sister; she is your father's close relative. Do not have sexual
relations with your mother's sister, because she is your mother's close relative. Do
not dishonor your father's brother by approaching his wife to have sexual
relations; she is your aunt. Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-
law. She is your son's wife; do not have relations with her. Do not have sexual
relations with your brother's wife; that would dishonor your brother. Do not have
sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter. Do not have sexual
relations with either her son's daughter or her daughter's daughter; they are her
close relatives. That is wickedness. Do not take your wife's sister as a rival wife
and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.'" (Leviticus 18:6-18)
"Cursed is the man who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the
daughter of his mother." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" Cursed is the man
who sleeps with his mother-in-law." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
(Deuteronomy 27:22-23)
26. "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,
false witness, slanders. (Matthew 15:19)
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications,
thefts, murders, adulteries, (Mark 7:21)
"You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of
fornication; we have one Father, even God." (John 8:41)
but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and
from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. (Acts 15:20)
that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things
strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you
will do well. Farewell." (Acts 15:29)
"But concerning the Gentiles who have believed, we wrote, having decided that
 they should abstain from meat sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is
strangled and from fornication." (Acts 21:25)
Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do
not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate,
nor homosexuals, (1 Corinthians 6:9)
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled;
for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4)
27. "You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
"You shall not commit adultery. (Deuteronomy 5:18)
"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your
neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or
anything that belongs to your neighbor." (Deuteronomy 5:21)
"'Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor's wife and defile yourself with
her. (Leviticus 18:20)
But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys
himself. (Proverbs 6:32)
28. "'If a man commits adultery with another man's wife--with the wife of his
neighbor--both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death. If a man
sleeps with his father's wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man and the
woman must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. If a man
sleeps with his daughter-in-law, both of them must be put to death. What they
have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads. If a man lies
with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.
They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads. If a man
marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be
burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you. If a man has sexual
relations with an animal, he must be put to death, and you must kill the animal. If
a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the
woman and the animal. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their
own heads. If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his
mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They must be cut off
before the eyes of their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held
responsible. If a man lies with a woman during her monthly period and has sexual
relations with her, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also
uncovered it. Both of them must be cut off from their people. Do not have sexual
relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would
dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible. If a man sleeps
with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will
die childless. If a man marries his brother's wife, it is an act of impurity; he has
dishonored his brother. They will be childless.'" (Leviticus 20:10-21)
29. Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells
in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the
temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
30. "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"--but God will destroy them both.
The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for
the body. (1 Corinthians 6:13)
31. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body,
but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your
body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from
God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God
with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
32. I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- not
at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and
swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I
am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a
 brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard
or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. (1 Corinthians 5:9-11)
33. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and
debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish
ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I
warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom
of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just
as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice
to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of
any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy
people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out
of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure
or greedy person--such a man is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:1-5)
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual
immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of
these, the wrath of God is coming. (Colossians 3:5-6)
It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual
immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is
holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know
God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage
of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you
and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. (1
Thessalonians 4:3-7)
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will
judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (Hebrews 13:4)
He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral,
those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the
fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." (Revelation 21:7-8)
"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, those
who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and
everyone who loves and practices falsehood. "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give
you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David,
and the bright Morning Star." (Revelation 22:14-16)
34. Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a
wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has
not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to
spare you this. What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on
those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if
they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something,
as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not
engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. I would like
you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's
affairs--how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the
affairs of this world--how he can please his wife-- and his interests are divided. An
unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be
devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned
about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband. I am saying this
for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in
undivided devotion to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:27-35)
35. If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if
she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he
 wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. But the man who has settled
the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his
own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin--this man also
does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who
does not marry her does even better. A woman is bound to her husband as long
as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but
he must belong to the Lord. In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she
is--and I think that I too have the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 7:36-40)
36. "For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother's womb; and
there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are also eunuchs
who made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is
able to accept this, let him accept it." (Matthew 19:12)