The Lord takes sexual immorality very seriously. In fact, he calls any perversion and abomination. It is evident in this text that the Lord wanted it to stop. He commanded, “You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes.” (Lev. 18:3) Through a series of commands on what the Sons of Israel are not to do, we get a picture of what was going on in Egypt and Canaan. The Lord said, “Because of these abominations the land is defiled. (Lev. 18:27) The Lord warns that anyone who does these abominations shall be cut off from among their people. (Lev. 18:29) All of the commandments in this chapter are bookended with the statement, “I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 18:4, 30)
So, what was going on in Egypt and in Canaan? They were having sexual relations with their next of kin, their neighbors wives, men with men and with animals. All of these the Lord calls an abomination. Sex is holy because God created it to multiply his created beings on the earth; (Gn. 1:28, 9:1) therefore, any perversion is called by the Lord an abomination.
The Lord has not change in aspect to these being an abomination. Therefore, the Christian ethic is sexual purity and sexual purity is not abstinence but a man and woman who are not next of kin joined in holy matrimony. In this particular text of Scripture the Lord did not forbid polygamy; therefore, it was practiced in Israel. However, from the beginning it was not the Lord’s intention for marriage.
Referring to the creation account, Jesus repeating Genesis 2:24 said, “FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’?” (Mt. 19:5) Genesis 2:25 adds, “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” Jesus said, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Mt. 5:6)
God’s intention for human sexual relationship is one man and one woman who are not next of kin, joined together for life, to raise up children to the Lord our God. Anything else is a perversion from what he intended from the beginning and is, therefore, an abomination. When a man or woman begins to follow Jesus, he or she must repent from any and all sexual perversions. All sin can be forgiven because God is just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Rom. 3:26) However, you must repent (turn from sin) and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.
