Explain what Roman Catholics and other Christians believe about sexual relationships outside of marriage as well as within marriage. Use bible passages and Christian teaching and practice to support your answer.

This also shows that the church has a positive view on sex. Marriage provides security for a sexual relationship, where the couple can trust each other and is a stable environment to raise children. This means that there should be no artificial contraception or need for an abortion. Also, that a relationship is enriched through sex, it is a unique way of showing love. ‘A man should fulfil his duty as a husband, and a women should fulfil her duty as a wife, and each should satisfy the other’s needs.’ (1 Corinthians 7:3)

Sex before marriage (fornication) and adultery both break the exclusivity of marriage, as one of the couple is breaking the vows of marriage. Also, sex outside of marriage is not as meaningful as inside of marriage. This is because when you have sex outside of marriage you do it for pleasure and lust, but inside of marriage you do it as a sign of deep, meaningful love. Although not all Christians believe this; some think that once you are in a committed relationship, with a plan to get married, then it is all right to have a sexual relationship.

If you have sex before marriage then you are breaking the vow of faithfulness for your future husband/wife. Also, that the sacrament hasn’t taken place, so God’s love isn’t there and present.

At a wedding, the greatest gift that you can give to you future husband/wife is your body. This means that you save your virginity for your husband/wife so you are pure for them. This also means that you only have one sexual partner.

When people start to have ‘casual sex’ or ‘one night stands’, the person may start to feel used, or as a sexual object. This also causes many unwanted children and this is the position where people start to have abortions.

Some Christians go against ‘no sex before marriage’; they say that if a couple are engaged, then they are entitled to a sexual relationship, but only if the commitment is there. This could go wrong though; for example if a couple go through a tough time whilst engaged and break up, then if the couple have already had sex, then they cannot marry in the eyes of God. This is because it would be seen as adultery and would be very unfaithful to your future husband/wife.

If someone commits adultery whilst married, then it can be very hard to be set right again. Adultery can be seen in many different ways, for example in the bible it says that if you look lustfully at someone then that could be seen as adultery. ‘You have heard that it was said, “Do not commit adultery”. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.’ (Matthew 5:27-30)

It is also adultery if you have a sexual relationship before you get married and then decide to get married latter on in life. This is seen as adultery because you are breaking a vow in advance, that you won’t have sex outside of marriage. Having sex outside of marriage is also known as fornication. This also means that you can’t give you purity/virginity to your future husband/wife. This is because you have already lost your virginity so once you have lost it to that one person then you can’t lose it again for your husband/wife.

Another form of adultery is when you get re-married after being divorced. This is adultery because you have only divorced legally, but in the eyes of God you are still married. If you re-marry and have sex, you have committed adultery against your first husband/wife, who you are still married to in the eyes of God.