What's Best For Us

@Chris B

Again, good questions.

The response I gave was only an outline, and only hit a few points.

From a Christian perspective (already assuming some fundamental Christian beliefs) there really is a simpler, over-arching answer:

God knows what's best for us, and God intends what is best for us.

It is God's design that man and woman be joined, and become one, within a marriage. (What God has joined, let no man put asunder.) When man and woman are married, they are no longer separate, but become one. (That's the language the Bible uses, not something I'm making up.)

God intends for sex to be reserved for use as a "glue" that holds the marriage bond together.

It's against God's design to use that special "glue" for other purposes.

Let me offer a really weak analogy:

A flashlight is designed to give light. We can choose to use the flashlight for its intended purpose, or we can choose to use the flashlight for something else, like driving nails, using it as a hammer.

While a flashlight may work suitably as a hammer, it's not what the flashlight was designed for.

While sex may work suitably outside of a marriage, it's not what God designed sex for.

Using sex for a purpose other than what is was intended for is akin to using a flashlight as a hammer.

(I know that's a really weak analogy, but it's what I've got right now.)

And I know this answer isn't going to make much sense outside of a Christian worldview... it assumes fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith...

But maybe it helps explain a little better how Christians view the issue of sex and marriage.

HTH

spencer7593: And I know this answer isn't going to make much sense outside of a Christian worldview... it assumes fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith...

But maybe it helps explain a little better how Christians view the issue of sex and marriage.

This does explain how Christians view sex and marriage, thank you. However, I wasn't asking so much what Christians think as what Christians believe God thinks (and why).

Even with all of the explanation you've been kind enough to offer, it still doesn't make sense to me why God would feel the need or desire to create such strict and arbitrary rules deciding which sexual encounters are spiritually rich bonding experiences of love, and which are dirty, sinful, shameful sins; indeed, I don't see why any sexual relationship between informed, consenting, mutually loving adults should be considered the latter. And I especially don't see why such issues are of concern to God when the world is so full of violence, war, hatred, poverty, sickness, etc.

That having been said, thank you very much for your response.

@Chris B

Yes, I understand the difficulty.

A lot of the strife in the world (hatred, violence, war) is due to the sin nature of man. We live in a fallen world.

We understand that morality is important to God, and for people saved by God, it's important to them as well.

It is within God's power to define sexual morality. It's within his power to define it as he sees fit.

Could God define sexual morality differently, such that sexual relations between mutually consenting, informed adults would be considered moral? I think that is within God's authority and power, God can do anything that does not go against his nature.

God is the author of morality. It's is God's authority alone to determine right and wrong.

I believe I am given a conscience, and I am given light. I have the capacity to know enough about God, to choose to be obedient to him. I make decisions on what is right and what is wrong, in accordance with my understanding of God.

As for the some of the problems in this world, they are the result of man' sin nature. And the only solution to man's sinful heart is for that sinful life to be put to death. And in its place, a new life in Christ.

Because of the life of Christ that is now within me, my soul longs to be obedient to God's will.

Not that I have a complete understanding of everything of God. But I do have sufficient understanding, and guidance from the Holy Spirit within me.

I choose to obey what God has shown me. As I pray for more light, that light is most often shined on areas of my life where I am not yet in total obedience. Why should God give me more knowledge, when I am not yet obedient to the knowledge I already have.

But I do understand your difficulty. Sex is a wonderful, beautiful thing. So why is it that it should be reserved only for marriage?

The only answer I can give you, from my understanding, is that marriage is of the utmost importance to God.

That is, the strict rules concerning sex are more about the importance of marriage than they are about sex.

What I understand from God's word concerning the morality of sex:

Sex between a man and woman that are married to each other: MORAL.

Any other sex is a perversion of God's design, and is IMMORAL.

HTH