Chapter 1 What is Fornication?

CHAPTER 1

What Is Fornication?


The Greek word translated "sexual immorality" is porneia. The Hebrew word for fornication is “zanah”. It is used to describe many forms of sexual misconduct. The term fornication is also used to encompass many types of unhealthy sexual relationships outside of marriage. It can include premarital sexual relationships, homosexual acts, incest, prostitution, lust, rape, and bestiality. It can also be used in a metaphoric sense in the Bible to mean a forsaking of God.

The Princeton wordnet internet dictionary defines fornication as voluntary sexual intercourse between persons not married. It also includes adultery in its definition as extramarital sex that willfully and maliciously interferes with marriage relations.

"If a man entices a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her,
he shall surely pay the bride price for her to be his wife."
Exodus 22:16

The Bible says that when a man takes (has sex with) a virgin he has to pay a price and marry her. Moreover, he cannot divorce her for as long as he lives. The Bible says that he has “humbled” her. In other words, he has humiliated her and caused her to feel shame. How many of our young women today feel “humiliated” by their virginity being taken? The family and the bridegroom were supposed to present the bride as pure before God and the community. When she has been violated, the violator has not only taken her honor but the honor of her family as well. These ideas may seem trivial in our modern day world, but they are still relevant. The reason they are relevant is that a man values purity even though he is the very one trying to defile it. We have many instances where men upon getting knowledge of a female loved one being violated cannot face the loved one. Most people believe that it is because he feels shame for the loved one, but actually, it is the opposite. The man feels ashamed because he could not protect the loved one; I speak from personal experience. Even in a lot of cases where the loved one was a willing participant many men still feel a sense of shame and blame the man for “enticing the female.

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to
his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
Genesis 2:24

For the purpose of this book, we are going to use the definition of sexual relationships outside of marriage for fornication. As we see, indiscriminate sex was never God’s plan for us. God's Divine Plan throughout the scriptures has involved a man and a woman in matrimony. We see that from the beginning of time it was that way and continues to today. Some will say that times have changed. That was thousands of years ago. It does not matter; according to God; His Word always remains the same. Unlike our frequently changing society, God remains the same.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words
will by no means pass away."
Matthew 24:35

Marriage was given to a man and a woman to raise a family. Nowhere is a family presented as a single male or female except in the case of death. A family in the sight of God has always been and always will be a male and a female parent raising children. Now does that mean God will not bless single parents? Of course not! However, we should remember it is we, who have perverted God's plan, not God changing His plans. There have been a number of outstanding single parent households, but let us understand this was not God's design. God has taken a bad situation and used it for His glory. However, make no mistake this in no way changes or modifies God original plan. We should not continue to believe that God will allow us to blatantly defy His revealed Word simply because it does not fit into our current lifestyles and mores. God was not created in our image, as many would have us to believe, we were created in His image. How can the clay dictate to the potter what vessel should be made? Does not the potter have power over the clay to create whatever He chooses with the clay?

I look forward to your comments...