2. -is sexual intercourse engaged in by a person or persons who are not yet married. It is
generally used in reference to young people who are presumed yet of marriageable age, or who will
one day be married, but who are engaging in sexual activity prior to their marriage.
Fornication is voluntary sexual intercourse between a man and woman who are not married to
each other. Adultery is one type of fornication
Thessalonians 4:3-8 equates fornification with the selfish lust of the pagans. “ For this is
the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from immorality (porneia); that each
one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of
LUST like heathen who do not know God”.
Different cultures have various views on the morality of sex outside of marriage.
Some view marriage before sex as completely optional,
While others strongly disapprove of sex outside marriage.
One out of four Filipinos aged 15-24 are engaging in premarital sex, according to a study by
the UP Population Institute.
This year’s study also says that close to 4 million youngsters are engaging in premarital sex
with 30% of the respondents doing it in their own homes while 18% were doing it inside motels
and hotels.
ARGUMENTS:
A. Anti-PMS
1. Premarital intercourse contradicts the very purpose of sexuality.
The purpose of sexual love is propagation of mankind through procreation of children.
Unexpected and unplanned baby in a premarital sex will not find protection and
security in the family.
The unexpected baby could be aborted.
The woman may be left to raise the baby without the man.
Therefore it cannot be accepted as meaningful and proper.
Sexual intercourse is responsible only if it is performed by a couple who are
able to secure the welfare of a child, and it can only be guaranteed within
the permanent state of MARRIAGE.
2. Sexual act is to give expression to the mutual love of the partners and to deepen it.
Sexual intercourse is a natural sign of a total gift of oneself, the culmination of a mutual
relationship of love.
The culmination of a mutual relationship must first answer the question “Are you the
one I want to be the Mother or Father of any child of mine?” and “Are you the one I
want to be with, to care for, and to be cared by, for the rest of my life?”
= Marriage
B. Pro-PMS
1. Sexual drive needs its satisfaction as any other drive.
In present civilization, interval between sexual maturation and marriage is long.
Therefore, the natural and normal way to gratify this drive in this meantime is
premarital intercourse.
3. Some says that repression of sexual impulses is psychologically harmful.
= But the facts do not support this claim, a great number of young people remain
continent without damage to their psychological health.
2. Partners must know whether they will truly match, also under the sexual aspect.
This experience is to be gathered before the final marriage pledge.
= But do people really need to experiment by means of intercourse whether they really
match?
= This is not a necessity in physiological aspect.
= as to psychological compatibility, they could test it by expressions of love and
affection other than premarital intercourse.
3. Repression of sexual pleasure for the sake of an allegedly necessary premarital
continence lacks justification.
Man must be liberated from the oppression of moral taboos which deprive him of
legitimate fulfillment and happiness.
= The longing for true happiness, loving companionship and personal reassurance
is not fulfilled in premarital intercourse.
= Using sex in that way emptied its meaning.
STAND OF THE CHURCH
THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYS:
"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who
sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the
Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were
bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)
"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." (Ephesians 5:3)
"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor
homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor
swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)
"We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did--and in one day twenty-three
thousand of them died." (1 Corinthians 10:8)
"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who
practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-- their place will be in the fiery lake of
burning sulfur. This is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)
"I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that
I might present you as a pure virgin to him." (2 Corinthians 11:2)
4. This indicates that purity and virginity are highly valued before marriage in Scripture.
Premarital sex takes away that purity and virginity. As Christian recording artist Rebecca St.
James says, if we have made the mistake of having sex before marriage then we can repent
and give our sexuality back to God and become "recycled virgins." As I see it, the idea of
being a "recycled virgin" means that we have received forgiveness from God and we are now
keeping ourselves pure for marriage without having premarital sex anymore (just like a virgin).
For those who have already lost that purity before marriage, God is willing to forgive our sins and
purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
EXTRAMARITAL SEX
Occurs when a married person engages in sexual activity with someone other than their
marriage partner.
Where extramarital sexual relations breach a sexual norm it may also be referred to as
adultery, fornication, philandary, or infidelity.
Such terms may also carry moral or religious judgments and consequences in civil or religious
law.
ARGUMENTS:
1. The 7th commandment of God says “You shall not commit adultery” and the 10th says “You
shall not covet your neighbor’s wife”
Engaging in extramarital sex means committing adultery.
Adultery is an offense against justice and fidelity.
2. Engaging in extramarital sex increases the likelihood of getting a sexually transmitted
disease.
3. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge
the adulterer and all the sexually immoral (Hebrews 13:4)
It also shows consideration and respect to your partner.
4. Adultery involves destructive consequences for the love, harmony and stability in the family of
the married partners.
It violates the pledges made in the marriage sacrament.
The children will not be properly cared if the parents are not permanently united,
because of adultery.
REFERENCES: Christian Ethics ( Moral Theology in the Light of Vatican II) by Karl H. Pesehko, 1994,
http://www.layhands.com/IsPremaritalSexASin.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extramarital_sex