What does the bible say about fornication?
Matthew 15:18-20a
18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man...
Ephesians 5:2-3 NKJV
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
3 But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;
Galatians 5:19 NKJV
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
With all due respect, but if you have a Bible with the word fornication in it....it is a corrupted translation, with the intent to demonize the relationships between men and women.
The evolution of the word Fornicate or Fornication
Fornicate comes from the Latin, the term fornix means arch or vaulted ceiling. In Ancient Rome, it was known that prostitutes would wait for their customers out of the hot sun or rain in areas that had cover…vaulted ceilings. The Latin word fornix became a euphemism for brothels and the Latin verb fornicare referred to a man visiting a brothel. Meaning a man being serviced by prostitutes.
Trying to make a long story short here, In 382 a variant of the word Fornication made it way into the Latin Vulgate Bible then the earlier versions translated sexual immorality, and all the variances and scenarios thereof into the word fornication. Then they introduced a new definition, two unmarried people having sex. There is no definition in the scriptures that indicate two unmarried people having sex is a sin....because that is how they formed a marriage. No biblical requirement for a wedding ceremony.
Of course there are instances where two unmarried people having sex can be a sin. Casual sex...and one night stands, prostitutes, general whoremongering, carousing etc. Modern more accurate translations generally use the phrase sexual immorality instead of fornication.
The need for wedding ceremonies was something that God taught us after the Bible. Something that is a very good thing. It is the right thing to do. Like I said, it is a long story. But I am very big on weddings. The bigger the better. But For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. That is it! That is how they formed marriages in the Old and New Testament....The first documented Christian wedding was 8 centuries after the biblical era and it is a long story but it was because of the Gentiles....and the protestants were the first to make it a requirement...a good thing, but 1500 years after the biblical era.
The sin that the word fornication causes is the sin of falsely accusing people, condemning, judging, turning people away from Christianity. Shacking up! Living in sin! Couples that are together and are monogamous have not sinned.
Of course we want them to have a wedding ceremony. That is why they should be welcomed in the church, fellowship with Christians and they may see it is the right thing to do.
As time went on Christianity developed a very negative view towards women and sexuality and the word fornication is just one of the reasons for that and it actually lead to some horrific atrocities at the hands of the church.
