Lubber Opinion
What Does Jesus Say About Sex?: “The views and opinions expressed by this lubber do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the crew. Reader discretion be advised.” – Staff
What does Jesus say about sex? To be honest, not much.
He tells a woman at the well of all her past marriages and reminds her she is sleeping with a man to whom she is not married. But he doesn’t judge her. Instead he offers grace and mercy.
In the controversial passage in John 8:1-11 where a woman is caught in adultery, Jesus says, “I do not condemn you. Go and sin no more.” Again, Jesus points out sin without shaming or judging the woman.
In Matthew 19:4-6 Jesus affirms God’s desire for marriage when he says, “In the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Much can be explored in these words but at the very least Jesus celebrates that men and women are different. So much so that when they experience the intimacy of sexual union they become one.
In Matthew 5:27–28 Jesus expands his definition of adultery when he says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” From the perspective of Jesus sexual immorality is a matter of the heart and its sin is birthed in the heart.
Jesus concludes by saying in Matthew 15:19–20, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
So What Does Jesus Forbid?
After his death, after his resurrection, after Jesus poured out his Spirit on his followers he gives this final declaration to Believers in Acts 15:28-29.
“It seemed good to the Spirit of Jesus not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements. You are to:
- avoid food sacrificed to idols
- avoid eating or drinking blood
- avoid meat of strangled animals
- avoid all sexual immorality
Keep in mind, these are the words of Jesus spoken through his Spirit, not the words of men. As to why Jesus selected these four prohibitions for Believers, let’s consider their impact on our lives.
Why These Four Prohibitions?
Food sacrificed to idolsis placing our trust for provision (food) in a lesser God. Jesus teaches us to pray that God would give us daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
Prohibiting the consumption of blood goes back to Genesis 9:2-4 when God warns Noah, “You must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it.” Back before and during the time of Jesus many of the cultures believed drinking blood could bring life. But Jesus declares only his blood brings eternal life.
Avoiding meat of strangled animals hints at the same admonition, for eating the meat of strangled animal, un-cut and not slaughtered, would still have its lifeblood in it.
When we commit sexually immoral acts we sin against our own body (Corinthians 6:18). Such acts God considers unclean, unholy (Ephesians 5:3). God calls such acts, “detestable and abominations.” The Apostle Paul says:
Your bodies are temples 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 bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
He who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body. For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:16-17).
If we are in Christ and he is in us we bring his Spirit with us into the bed. When we commit sexually immoral acts we are involving Jesus in that sin—and this includes acts of fantasy that lead to self gratification.
Love the Lord your God, not idols. This is a call to our heart
Receive the blood of Christ for your sins and live, not the blood of animals which leads to death. This is a call to our soul.
Be united with the Spirit of Jesus and if blessed with a mate, them alone. This is a call to our spirit.
Beyond this the Spirit of Jesus gives us no additional requirements.