Premarital sex and Marriage, the Bible and the Church

[littlered123]

I know the Catholic Church teaches premarital sex is a grave sin, yet it seems that there are contradictions in the Bible and I wonder if it was a big deal in the Church in the earlier centuries. I know that there was definitely premarital or extramarital sex in the Old Testament and I don’t remember God making a big deal out of it or calling out his people for it. Also, I have heard the word “fornication” mentioned in the New Testament as immoral, yet when I have read up on it, sources went back to the original Greek and Hebrew wording. The Greek wording is porneia which either means illicit sexual intercourse or worshiping idols. While illicit sexual intercourse could include fornication, it is not immediately clear and it could just refer to prostitution, incest, or homosexuality. It seems the Bible is not the best source to ‘prove’ that premarital sex is immoral.

I was also reading that marriage was not instituted as a sacrament within the Church until the 12th or 13th century. I heard it was common and accepted to follow the marriage customs of the time. Early Christians would have followed Greek or Roman or Jewish marriage customs, which often accepted premarital sex, at least after the engagement, as normal. I assume Early Christians were engaging in premarital relations and may not have seen it as sinful. Early Church Fathers touched upon the matter, but mostly because they were exalting celibacy and virginity, and almost saying all sex was impure. For example, St. Augustine believed most sex was at least a venial sin, even within marriage. It is confusing, especially since reading people believe somehow your marriage isn’t valid if not a sacramental marriage, when for more than 10 centuries after Jesus, marriages were not sacramental, and yet were considered to be valid. It also seems even early Christians may have accepted premarital sex, so why is it such a big deal and considered such a grave sin today? It seems that those ideas come from theologians or leaders who viewed sex in a negative light

 

[Irishmom2]

I know the Catholic Church teaches premarital sex is a grave sin, yet it seems that there are contradictions in the Bible and I wonder if it was a big deal in the Church in the earlier centuries.

Please, enlighten us with examples.

 

[1ke]

I know the Catholic Church teaches premarital sex is a grave sin, yet it seems that there are contradictions in the Bible

Well, it’s a good thing we are not Sola Scriptura. Its a heresy for a reason.

Divine Revelation is BOTH Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. And the Church authentically teaches and interprets Divine Revelation.

So, you can rest assured that fornication is in fact grave matter against the sixth commandment. You need wonder no longer.

and I wonder if it was a big deal in the Church in the earlier centuries.

Yes. Yes it was.

I know that there was definitely premarital or extramarital sex in the Old Testament and I don’t remember God making a big deal out of it or calling out his people for it

He gave them the sixth commandment. So, yeah, it’s a big deal. Was then, is now.

While illicit sexual intercourse could include fornication, it is not immediately clear and it could just refer to prostitution, incest, or homosexuality. It seems the Bible is not the best source to ‘prove’ that premarital sex is immoral.

You are tilting at windmills. Illicit sexual intercourse DOES include fornication.

I was also reading that marriage was not instituted as a sacrament within the Church until the 12th or 13th century.

This is entirely incorrect.

Early Christians would have followed Greek or Roman or Jewish marriage customs, which often accepted premarital sex, at least after the engagement, as normal

Wrong.

What you may actually be talking about is the binding nature of betrothal AS marriage.

so why is it such a big deal and considered such a grave sin today

It has always been gravely wrong.

 

[PennyinCanada]

Marriage and family life have been the building blocks of societies over the centuries. Since the introduction of the pill and back up abortion, we’ve seen young women under the poverty line when they keep their baby, abandoned by their boyfriends, and we’ve seen abortion into the millions. We’ve seen the amount of people with sexually transmitted diseases skyrocket, and the types of diseases one could catch take off as well. None of this is good for women or babies, or for the boyfriends, or for society who must support this choice, which has become incredibly expensive. It’s claimed that what happens in the bedroom is no one’s business but society ends up paying for it. All of this without one religious argument. It’s been a train wreck for everyone.

God’s plan is to bring blessing to the human race. To build families and societies. You are free to chose other options and join the train wreck as you wish. No regrets when you make a choice to walk in God’s way.

 

[PennyinCanada]

Why do you suppose that when Mary and Joseph were betrothed, and he found out she was pregnant, that he planned to divorce her quietly?
I believe the penalty for adultery in the Old Testament was stoning.

John 8:1-11
At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4 and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

 

[Cathoholic]

littlered123 . . .

I was also reading that marriage was not instituted as a sacrament within the Church until the 12th or 13th century.

Jesus instituted the seven Sacraments. All of them. Including Holy Matrimony.

But even before this, fornication outside even natural marriages, has been a sin.

You can see it from natural law (you don’t need a Bible verse for this).

Dr. Ed Feser explains this (and unpacks the natural law philosophy) in his book: The Last Superstition: A Refutation of the New Atheism

Amazon.com

 

[Anicette]

It also seems even early Christians may have accepted premarital sex, so why is it such a big deal and considered such a grave sin today? It seems that those ideas come from theologians or leaders who viewed sex in a negative light

I don’t know for early Christians, but i tend to believe that also in Antic times out of wedlock sex, prostitution and sometimes homosexuality may have been accepeted in some areas, premarital sex was not common because marriage was much more centered on procreation.

In some later historical times it had hapenned such as before around or after Industrial Revolution that first children were often conceived before marriage, so during bethoral. But it was what the catholic people did, not what the Church ask them for. She always warn Her faithfull against premarital sex.

Today, It is the same, people don’t see premarital sex as a problem anymore, and go even more far: marriage is not in their radar. The Church seems to toleated the situation but still teach that sexuality marriage and procreation are intimately linked to each other and that sexuality should not come alone.