Immorality is addressed throughout the Bible as a serious issue. God’s Word calls believers to live in purity and holiness. Today, we’ll examine what the Bible teaches about immorality and how to live a life pleasing to God.
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What Does The Bible Say About Immorality
1 Corinthians 6:18
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.”
This verse highlights the seriousness of sexual immorality and the importance of fleeing from it. It emphasizes that sexual sin affects not only our relationship with God but also our physical bodies.
1 Corinthians 10:8
“We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.”
This verse reminds us of the consequences of sexual immorality, using the example of the Israelites in the wilderness. It serves as a warning against engaging in such sinful behavior.
Galatians 5:19
“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery.”
This verse categorizes sexual immorality as one of the acts of the flesh. It highlights that engaging in such behavior goes against the teachings of God.
Ephesians 5:3
“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.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of maintaining purity in our thoughts, words, and actions. It urges Christians to distance themselves from any form of sexual immorality, as it is inappropriate for those who belong to God.
Colossians 3:5
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.”
This verse instructs believers to actively reject and eliminate any form of sexual immorality from their lives. It reminds us that indulging in such behavior is a form of idolatry and goes against God’s will.
1 Thessalonians 4:3
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality.”
This verse highlights that it is God’s desire for His people to live a sanctified and pure life. It encourages believers to steer clear of sexual immorality and pursue holiness instead.
Hebrews 13:4
“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
This verse stresses the importance of honoring the institution of marriage and maintaining purity within it. It warns of the judgment that awaits those who engage in adultery and sexual immorality.
1 Peter 2:11
“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.”
This verse reminds believers that they are residing in a world that promotes sinful desires and urges them to resist temptation. It emphasizes the spiritual battle that takes place when we give in to sexual immorality.
1 John 2:16
“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
This verse identifies the root causes of sexual immorality as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. It highlights that such desires do not originate from God but from worldly influences.
Revelation 21:8
“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
This verse makes it clear that those who engage in sexual immorality will face severe consequences in the afterlife. It serves as a powerful warning against the destructive nature of such sins.
Proverbs 5:18-19
“May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.”
This verse celebrates the sanctity of marital intimacy and encourages husbands to find fulfillment and satisfaction in their wives. It affirms the beauty and exclusivity of sexual intimacy within the bond of marriage.
Matthew 5:28
“But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
This verse expands the definition of sexual immorality to include the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It reminds believers to guard against lustful desires, for they can lead to sinful actions.
Job 31:1
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman.”
This verse reveals Job’s commitment to purity by making a conscious decision to avoid looking at others with lustful intent. It offers a practical example of how we can resist sexual immorality.
Psalm 119:9
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.”
This verse emphasizes the importance of relying on God’s Word to guide our walk in purity. It suggests that obedience to His commands is the key to avoiding sexual immorality.
Psalm 101:3
“I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it.”
This verse expresses the Psalmist’s determination to distance himself from anything that promotes immorality. It reflects a strong stance against participating in sinful activities.
Proverbs 6:32-33
“But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away.”
This verse outlines the destructive consequences of engaging in sexual immorality. It warns of the lasting shame and pain that result from such actions.
Proverbs 7:25-27
“Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.”
This verse serves as a cautionary tale, warning against being lured into the ways of an immoral person. It emphasizes the danger and destruction that await those who yield to temptation.
Proverbs 9:17-18
“Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.”
This verse highlights the deceptive allure of immorality, comparing it to stolen water and secret food. It reveals that indulging in sinful pleasures can lead to spiritual death.
Matthew 5:32
“But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
This verse demonstrates Jesus’ teachings on the seriousness of sexual immorality within marriage. It affirms the principle that divorce should only be considered in cases of infidelity.
Romans 6:12-13
“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.”
This verse encourages believers to resist the influence of sin, including sexual immorality, and instead surrender their lives to God. It highlights the transformative power of God’s grace to turn us away from sinful practices.
1 Corinthians 5:9-11
“I wrote to 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 to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.”
This verse addresses the importance of maintaining a separation from those within the Christian community who persistently engage in sexual immorality. It emphasizes the need for believers to hold one another accountable for their actions.
1 Corinthians 7:2
“But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.”
This verse reiterates the biblical principle of sexual intimacy within the bounds of marriage. It emphasizes the importance of fulfilling one another’s needs in a committed marital relationship.
1 Timothy 4:12
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
This verse encourages young believers to live exemplary lives that reflect the values of the Christian faith, including purity. It emphasizes that even at a young age, they can be a positive influence on others.
Titus 2:11-12
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”
This verse emphasizes the transformative power of God’s grace, which helps believers resist indulging in worldly passions, including sexual immorality. It reminds us that grace empowers us to live in a way that is pleasing to God.