How does Leviticus 18:11 connect with New Testament teachings on sexual morality? The Original Command: Leviticus 18:11 “You must not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.” Why God Gave This Boundary • Protects the sanctity of family relationships • Guards against confusion of roles inside the home • Reflects God’s design that sexual intimacy be reserved for marriage between a man and a woman who are not closely related (cf. Leviticus 18:6) A Thread Running Into the New Testament • Acts 15:20, 29 – the Jerusalem council instructs Gentile believers to “abstain from sexual immorality,” echoing Leviticus 18’s moral core • 1 Corinthians 5:1 – Paul rebukes a man for relations with his father’s wife, showing that incest remains sinful for the church • 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – “sexually immoral” (porneia) is listed among practices that bar people from God’s kingdom • Hebrews 13:4 – “Marriage is to be honored by all, and the marriage bed undefiled” Jesus and Sexual Purity • Mark 7:21-23 – Jesus lists “sexual immorality” among heart-level sins that defile a person • Matthew 5:27-28 – He deepens the command by addressing lust, not only the physical act Paul’s Teaching: Guarding the Community • 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 – God’s will is “your sanctification, that you abstain from sexual immorality,” treating one another with holiness and honor • Ephesians 5:3 – “sexual immorality… must not even be named among you” • Colossians 3:5 – believers are told to “put to death” sexual impurity, greed, and related sins Holiness, Honor, and Family Order • Leviticus 18:11 protects the dignity of siblings; the New Testament extends that reverence to the whole body of Christ, calling believers “brothers and sisters” (Romans 12:10) • Maintaining sexual purity preserves trust within both natural and spiritual families • God’s moral standards transcend covenants: ceremonial laws change, but core moral laws—like prohibitions on incest—remain constant Living It Out Today • Treat every family relationship, biological or blended, with the honor Scripture commands • Resist cultural pressures that blur God-given sexual boundaries • Pursue purity through the power of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16) • Encourage accountability and gentle restoration within the church when breaches occur (Galatians 6:1) |
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