Is sex a sin?

from the old testament

• In Genesis 1:28, God says to Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it." Sex is the method of fulfilling that command.
• Genesis 2:23–25 repeats the sanctity of intimacy in marriage. God created sex. He created it not just so people could procreate, but He created it to be pleasurable.
• When a husband and wife come together sexually, they become one flesh (Genesis 2:24); this is both a physical and a spiritual union that creates a deep emotional bond between the two. We should not forget that sex is one of the most intimate acts a man and woman can perform with one another, and the emotional and psychological impact of that act is far more profound than we often realize or admit. Within the marriage of one man and one woman, this is meant to be a beautiful thing.
• After the flood, God said again to Noah and his sons, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1). Procreation was a part of God's plan for mankind, and the method He designed for procreation is sex.
• The Song of Solomon describes the pleasure of a married couple in their sexual relationship. It uses poetic language to celebrate their physical intimacy and emotional connection (Song of Solomon 1:2–4; 7:6–10).

from the new testament

• As with so many things that God created good, the rebellion of mankind into sin has tainted what was once pure. Sin brings with it many desires that are selfish and contrary to God's commandments, perverting what God created good (Romans 1:24–27). As a result, we, as sinful and selfish human beings, often stray from God's plan for sex, just as we do in other aspects of our lives. So, sex can certainly be sin. However, again, within the union of marriage between one man and one woman, sex is not sin and is meant to be loving, selfless, and enjoyable.
• In 1 Corinthians chapter 6, Paul writes, "The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord" (1 Corinthians 6:13).
• First Corinthians 6:18 says, "Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body." Sexual immorality is any sex that is outside of God's intended design. That would include all sexual activity outside the marriage relationship of one man and one woman. Thus, sex is a sin when it occurs in the context of things like premarital sex, adultery, sex with a child, sex with an animal, and sex with a person of the same biological sex (homosexuality).
• Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul expresses sex as a selfless act between a husband and wife (1 Corinthians 7:3–5).
• First Corinthians 7:5 is where we, as humans, get ourselves into trouble when it comes to sex. Not necessarily that a husband and wife are depriving one another, but that we lack self-control.

implications for today

Sex was created as a beautiful gift to be enjoyed between one man and one woman in marriage. Within God’s plan, design, and purposes, sex is a sacred expression of love, unity, and intimacy that reflects the covenantal bond of marriage, honors God, and strengthens the relationship between husband and wife (Genesis 2:24–25; Ephesians 5:31–33). It demonstrates the oneness that God intended for marriage, providing deep emotional, spiritual, and physical connection. Sex within marriage provides a context for selfless giving and mutual care, mirroring Christ's love for the church (Ephesians 5:25–28). When people experience sex within God's design, it enriches marriages, builds trust, and glorifies Him as the Creator of all good gifts (James 1:17).

Outside of God’s good plan, purposes, and timing, sex leads to our destruction. All sin is harmful to us, and sexual sin is especially so (1 Corinthians 6:18). There is a deep emotional and psychological impact that sex has on a man and a woman. Within the context of a loving, heterosexual marriage relationship, this is a good thing. But sex outside of such a marriage causes more damage to our psyche and our emotional state than we realize. God's intent for sex was always for it to be a pleasurable experience, which creates a bond between a husband and a wife and results in the continuation of the human race. In this way, there is nothing sinful about sex. Sex is only sinful when we pervert its good use by engaging in it outside of a marriage between one man and one woman.

Sexual sin is not outside of God's grace. If you have participated in sexual sin, there is forgiveness and healing available in Christ. First Corinthians 6:9–11 says, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."