The death penalty was enforced in the Old Testament for what we would consider “heinous crimes,” such as murder (Lev. 24:17); kidnapping (Ex. 21:16); killing unborn children (Ex. 21:22-23); bestiality (Ex. 22:19; Lev. 20:15-16); adultery (Lev. 20:10); homosexuality (Lev. 20:13); rape (Deut. 22:25); and witchcraft (Lev. 20:27).
God also condemned to death some acts in the Old Testament that we might consider to be “less severe” and “not major offenses,” such as leading others away from worshiping the one true God (Deut. 13:6-11); blaspheming the name of the Lord (Lev. 24:16); profaning or working on the Sabbath (Ex. 31:14-15; 35:2); being a false prophet (Deut. 18:20-22); cursing father or mother (Lev. 20:9); and rebelling against and disobeying parents (Deut. 21:18-21).
Deuteronomy 22:20-21 sets forth one of those capital offenses that some today might not consider that egregious. “But if…evidences of virginity are not found for the young woman, then they shall bring out the young woman to the door of her father’s house, and the men of her city shall stone her to death with stones, because she has done a disgraceful thing in Israel, to play the harlot in her father’s house. So you shall put away the evil from among you.”
That which is so commonplace today, so accepted in nearly every circle and considered to be as normal as going to dinner and a movie was outright condemned by God in the Old Testament. Our society may not see the importance or the necessity of saving one’s sexual appetites and pleasures for the marriage bed (and the marriage bed alone), but God most certainly did and does!
In the New Testament, God did not ease off the strong emphasis He gave to this matter or begin to condone that which He once condemned. While those who engage in sexual activities outside of marriage today may not be stoned to death, the consequences are even more severe. The New Testament teaches that fornication is a sin (2 Cor. 12:21; cf. 2 Tim. 1:10) and that fornicators defile themselves (Matt. 15:19-20), will be judged/condemned by God (Heb. 13:4), will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-5), and bring upon themselves the wrath of God (Col. 3:5-6).
God’s design has always been for men and women (boys and girls) to save themselves for marriage. If you’ve succumbed to temptation already, repent and determine to keep yourself pure (2 Cor. 12:21). Our marriages, our souls and our eternal destinies are dependent on our adherence to His will.