Leviticus 18
We have already established that God intended for the Israelites to be a distinct people as they made their way to and entered the Promised Land. We see yet another affirmation of that in the opening verses of today’s reading: “You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not walk in their statutes. You shall follow my rulesand keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God” (vv. 3-4). Likewise, God expects followers of Jesus to be in the world, but not of it (John 17:15-16), careful to maintain pure, holy lives instead of conforming to societal norms and standards (Romans 12:2). One way we do so is through engaging in sexual relations as God designed, and that is the focus of Leviticus 18.
Findings from a recent study suggest that almost half of Americans believe that open relationships are morally acceptable. Of those responding to the survey, 36 percent of women believe there is nothing morally wrong with open relationships, while 53 percent of men feel that way.[i] In another survey conducted by the Survey Center on American Life, roughly 40 percent of individuals report that their spouse has committed adultery. [ii] (Since this is a secular survey, I doubt they took into consideration Jesus’s words from Matthew 5:28 that declare anyone who looks lustfully at another would also fall into this category, so you can imagine the number, by that standard, is much higher.) Just over ten years ago, the Barna Group (a Christian-based organization) surveyed 500 adults and found that 35 percent of married men had had sexual affairs, while 17 percent of married women had cheated on their husbands. Those numbers rise even more when accounting for the viewing of sexually explicit material.[iii]
Suffice it to say, our nation, even many of those who claim to have made Jesus Christ the Lord of their lives, is succumbing to the temptation to stray away from God’s intent for this beautiful gift. As such, it would be helpful to remind ourselves, through the provision of the Bible, of His standards relating to this topic. To begin, we should note that nothing has changed since Genesis 1, when God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply once they joined together as husband and wife. God created the act of sex for a husband and wife to enjoy, and chapter 18 of Leviticus expounds upon this topic to address the many perversions of this God-given blessing.
As you read, it would stand to reason that God had to address these many distortions of sexual relations because they were occurring around (or within) the Israelites’ camp. And unfortunately, much of what God deemed as unlawful then has only been further corrupted today. Actions like incest, homosexuality, infanticide, and bestiality were addressed by God in chapter 18, but it is not uncommon for us to see these sinful behaviors and lifestyles on display in today’s culture as well. To that point, David Guzik comments:
Our modern culture often refuses to see any aspect of sexual conduct as defiling. The only measure is immediate pleasure, not right or wrong. But sexual sin does defile us, and it does harm us. God’s laws are given for our best, not in an attempt to merely test us or boss us around. Statistically speaking, married couples live longer, get more enjoyment out of sex, have more sex, and are happier than those who are not married — obviously, trends that show God’s way is the best way.[iv]
Why is all this important? Yes, submitting yourself to God’s design for sex will most certainly set you apart from the societal norms. Yes, as we have seen with God’s other laws, these provisions are for our practical good. But most importantly, as a member of the body of Christ (and thus, the bride of our Lord Jesus), falling under God’s intent for this beautiful gift is one way you reveal your devotion to the Bridegroom. Yes, my brothers and sisters, we point to a greater, Gospel reality when we live by God’s intent for our lives, especially in this area that has been particularly warped by the devil and this fallen world.
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· What do you think is at the root of the perversion of sexual activity in our world?
· Are you currently living under God’s design for proper sexual relations?
[i] Avvo. (2016). 2016 Annual relationship, marriage, and divorce survey: Final report. Retrieved March 16, 2021, from https://marketing-assets.avvo.com/media-resources/avvo-research/2016/avvo_relationship_study_2016_final_report.pdf
[ii] Cox, D. A. (2025, February 20). Is America experiencing an infidelity epidemic? Survey Center on American Life. Retrieved April 14, 2026, from https://www.americansurveycenter.org/newsletter/is-america-experiencing-an-infidelity-epidemic/
[iii] Proven Men Ministries, Ltd. (2014, September 11). 2014 Survey: Find out how many Christians are having extramarital sexual affairs and how porn is the igniting fuel. PR Newswire. Retrieved April 14, 2026, from
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2014-survey-find-out-how-many-christians-are-having-extramarital-sexual-affairs-and-how-porn-is-the-igniting-fuel-274742051.html
[iv] Study Guide for Leviticus 18. (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. Retrieved April 14, 2026, from
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/guzik_david/study-guide/leviticus/leviticus-18.cfm