Sex: What if the Bible Is Right?

Every year, I ask my college students in my class on contemporary culture the following question:

“What would the world be like if everyone followed the Bible’s teaching on sex? 

Better?

Same?

Or worse?”

Ok, I can almost hear many of you saying, what does an ancient book have to teach me about sexual ethics today?

Fair enough. 

Stay with me. 

First, I have to explain what the Bible says about the topic. 

Simply put, from Genesis to Revelation, the Bible teaches that God designed sex to be experienced between one man and one woman — who become “one flesh” — in a loving, committed relationship for life. 

While it’s true that the Bible is full of people who fail to follow this teaching — and sadly, experience the consequences of their choices — the Bible holds that sex is a sacred gift meant to be experienced within monogamous marriage.

With this in mind, let’s return to my question. 

After much discussion and a lot of hemming and hawing, here’s what my students typically say:

There would be no pregnancies outside of a loving, committed marriage.

There would be no pain and devastation from adultery or divorce.

There would be no absent fathers.

There would be no domestic violence.

There would be no sex trafficking, sexual abuse, or sexually transmitted diseases.

My students have to admit that a world without these evils, a world in which kids are raised in a stable home with parents who love and cherish them, would be far better than the world we currently inhabit.

In contrast, the Sexual Revolution has largely brought psychological pain, disillusionment, and brokenness. 

Why? 

Because it is rooted in at least three falsehoods:

Lie #1: Sex is merely a leisure activity with no deeper meaning. 

This is the central thesis of the Sexual Revolution. 

Sex is just a biological function.

And of course, it’s fun.

And what’s wrong with having a little bit of fun? And with birth control, there’s no downside, right?

But everyone knows this is not the full story.

We all know there’s more to sex than merely having a “good time.”

Why, for instance, do movies now have an intimacy coordinator for sex scenes? They don’t have a dinner coordinator for dinner scenes. Even in progressive Hollywood, they acknowledge that sex is in a category of its own. 

Hollywood might not call sex sacred, but they recognize its power, its significance, its meaning, which if you think about it, is not too far from the Biblical view. 

Lie #2: Men and women are interchangeable. 

Your great-grandmother would have fallen out of her chair laughing at this one. But today, this obvious truth often gets lost in our confused world. 

Consider the fact that well over 9 out of 10 sex offenders are male. If men and women were interchangeable, it would be 50-50. 

The obvious reason it’s not is because men and women are different.

They have different sex drives. 

They are biologically different, and they even think differently. 

This, too, the Bible affirms. 

Lie #3: Consent alone makes sex moral. 

While consent must be given for sex to be moral, consent alone does not make it right or good. You can harm someone and dehumanize them with their consent. 

Wouldn’t you rather be with someone who cherishes you rather than someone who is focused on simply getting you to say yes? Of course you would.

That’s the Biblical view as well.

In contrast to the message of the Sexual Revolution, people with a lifetime sexual partner — the Biblical design — report the happiest marriages.

According to British author Louise Perry, in her book, The Case Against the Sexual Revolution, the “monogamous model,” is “spectacularly successful.” When society adopts this model, according to Perry, it results in less child abuse and domestic violence, lower crime rates, and positive economic growth.  In short, people flourish in their lives and relationships.

Again, these conclusions line up with the Bible. 

When Moses delivered God’s Law to the Israelites, he entreated them to follow the Creator’s commands, which he said are for their good [Deut. 10:12-13]. God’s design for sex is clear: it is to be experienced between one man and one woman — who become “one flesh” — in a loving, committed relationship for life.

So, let’s revisit my opening question: 

“What would the world be like if everyone followed the Bible’s teaching on sex? 

Better?

Same?

Or worse?”

I think you know the answer. 

Whether you choose to live it…

Well, that’s up to you. 

I’m Sean McDowell, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, for Prager University.