Nearly 90 percent of unmarried young adults (ages 18-29) in the United States have had sex and those percentages are similar in other western nations. This amounts to hundreds of thousands of babies born out of wedlock each year and many others opting to abort their unborn children (The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, “The Fog Zone,” 2009).

More and more young Christians are buying into the message that sex outside of marriage is okay and feel the belief that sex should be reserved for marriage is too rigid.

Sex itself, which God designed, is not a sin. It’s the misuse of sex that’s sinful. God instructs Adam and Eve in Genesis that they should, as a married couple enjoy their sexual relationship and be “fruitful and multiply”(Genesis 1:27,28).

The problem occurs when something designed for our good is used selfishly and wrongly. Sexual immorality contributes to the high divorce rate in the modern world and, surprisingly, even those who profess to follow the Bible divorce at roughly the same rate as those who have no Christian connection (“New Marriage and Divorce Statistics Released,” Barna.org). Also because of the wrong use of sex almost half the women of childbearing age in the United States and many other western nations will abort at least one baby at some point in their lifetimes.

God’ Word, the Bible, is very frank about sex, and God inspired the recording of certain wrong examples of sexual behavior: King David committed adultery with Bathsheba; Lot had a wrong relationship with his daughters; Samson had a wanton eye and lustful attitude toward women, which cost him his eyes and his life. These stories illustrate the severe consequences that can come as a result of sex outside of marriage.

God gave sex to mankind not only to procreate, but to build a strong marriage relationship as a sacred union—a special and unique physical relationship illustrating for us the mystery of the relationship between Christ and those in His Church (Ephesians 5:30-32). Why profane something so beautiful and holy?

The world sells a message of unrestricted sex and teaches it is not sin. Don’t buy into it! Reject films, shows, comedy or other entertainments that glorify illicit sex or that ridicule marriage and family and, if you are engaged in wrong sexual behavior— stop. Remember God will forgive us when we repent and sincerely desire to change.