For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.
(1 Thessalonians 4:3-6, NASB)
I believe that God originally created man and woman (Gen. 1:27), and through them, provided the means for procreation: part of man and part of woman (Gen. 1:28). For reasons only He knows, that procreation comes naturally through sexual intercourse. And if it can't happen naturally, for whatever reason, it still takes part of man and part of woman.
But I also believe that God, in His infinite wisdom, chose to make that act pleasurable, something that actually “cleaves” a husband and wife. Nothing is more intimate than sexually connecting with another person, and I believe God intends for sex to be between married people. It is beautiful in His sight for a husband and wife to give themselves to each other in this way (see 1 Cor. 7:3-5 in The Message paraphrase).
Anything else goes against God’s original design.
Our bodies are temples housing the very Spirit of God. We must protect them and use them only in ways that please and glorify God. And that includes making certain we keep ourselves pure either through abstinence if we're single or being in a God-designed “leave and cleave” relationship—a covenant blessed by God (Gen. 2:24).
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