Why should 'fornication' be discussed?

The issue strikes at the heart of many believers who might be struggling to live by a 'rule' which seems to have no other logic than to curb their natural inclinations to use their God-given 'incliners'. This makes the fornication 'rule' similiar to the Order that Adam and Eve were not to eat of the forbidden fruit. (Another reason to believe sex was the forbidden fruit?) Some have chosen to abide by the 'rule' whether willingly or not. Others deviate from the 'rule' on grounds such as: disbelief that it is a 'rule'; belief that God never made any rules; belief that we are no longer under the law; belief that it is up to what YOU FEEL is right or wrong, all under the auspices of the Holy Spirit; belief that nothing is wrong so long as you're having sex with the one you love; and blatant disobedience.


In the face of all this to-ing and fro-ing it is clear that the Bible finds 'fornication' to be abominable. http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=fornication&t=KJV

Additionally, it can be regarded as a sin (sin is the transgression of the law - the wages of sin is 'death') in light of the fact that fornicators will not inherit the kingdom of God 1 Corinthians 6:9:

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind,

Despite the above Biblical statements, the debate is still raging in some quarters. Why? Because there might be some uncertainty over what the word means. If you think this issued is settled you kid yourself! "I kid you not!" - Vajanty

What is fornication?

Matt 5:32, 19:9, 1 Corinthians 5:1 and John 8:41 are all text that clearly define fornication in terms that are equal to adultery as we know it today. Clearly if fornication is adultery then Christians should not engage in it as Exodus 20:14 (among other scriptures) expressly commands against adultery. It therefore, would make sense why fornicators will not inherit the kingdom as it is a sin. Where, therefore, does the notion of fornication as pre-marital sex come from? If the Bible itself has not specifically mentioned pre-marital sex as a sin should we accept that pre-marital sex is a form of fornication merely because it is so listed in a secular dictionary or because we have grown up hearing it?

Some secular dictionary definitions define 'fornication' as all illicit sex acts. Illicit means unlawful. How can fornication which is an an unlawful act be defined by use of a word the same word? In other words, how helpful is it to say that unlawful sex is defined as all unlawful sex acts? Even if a list of unlawful sex acts is given for illustrative purposes that doesn't help our understanding as we still have to determine what makes those listed acts unlawful. The result is that we end up going in circles.

What is 'sex' as far as the Bible sees it? Is masturbation sex? Is maturbation fornication?

Any takers?