A Biblical Response to the Rising Support for Sex for Sale
Recently the Wall Street Journal published a piece discussing the rise in support for legalized prostitution. The article discusses institutional efforts in academia and politics to advocate looser legal restrictions on the marketplace of sex. These efforts are accompanied by cultural pressure to reduce stigma regarding what in many arenas has come to be euphemistically referred to as “sex work.”
What a world we live in.
Articles like the WSJ piece highlight policy, stigma, autonomy, and safety. Yet little attention is paid to the human cost in a society that accepts, or even seriously considers, the exchange of human beings—body, soul, or both—for money.
The Bible has a term for the vast array of errant activities used to pursue sexual pleasure and sensual lusts of the flesh: sexual immorality. This term is encompassing, referring to all manner of promiscuous endeavors from pornography to prostitution, erotica to the abhorrent practice of enslaving and trafficking young men and women, boys and girls.
Why Scripture Calls Us to Sexual Purity
The Apostle Paul admonishes the believer to “flee from sexual immorality” (1 Cor 6:18). Too often, Paul’s exhortation is characterized by the world as prudish, moralistic, and outdated.
This view is held by many—not only those in the world but, tragically, by many who claim the name of Christ. It is assumed that in our modern era of informed consent and safe sex we have inoculated ourselves from the ill-effects of God’s good intentions for sex gone awry.
We are a church, and a world, that has missed the mark in pursuing the call to sexual purity. We can see the repercussions in the proliferation of trafficked young girls and the shocking perception that being a “content creator’ on OnlyFans is a worthy career aspiration
But there is no escaping truth. When we set up societal structures based on falsehood, trouble follows. Always. When it comes to sexual immorality, there are two inescapable truths by which we know that no matter how culturally acceptable prostitution or pornography or sexual deviance may become, these practices can never be normalized, legislated, or regulated such that they run smoothly. They will always exploit people. They will never promote wellbeing. This is because such practices, no matter how common or widely accepted or justified or even celebrated, are based in falsehood.
The Falsehood That People Are Commodities
Prostitution feeds off the falsehood that people are things—that people are tools to be used and discarded, bodies to be traded for another’s pleasure. This is a wicked lie. It is a lie when a person enters prostitution by force or by choice. It is always a lie. People are not things, and no amount of equivocation or justification makes it otherwise. Shouting “empowerment” and “autonomy” does not excuse exploitation and desecration of the holy temple of God.
People are crafted by God to bear His image and live according to His purposes. That individuals do not all choose to submit and cooperate with His purposes for them does not negate what God had in mind when he knit them together in their mother’s wombs (Psalm 139:13).
When we buy the lie that what a person does with their body is of no consequence to anyone but the individual, we call God a liar, for Scripture reminds us that we have been redeemed by the very blood of Christ, set free to live according to the dignity inherent to our origins. We are instructed to glorify God in our bodies (I Cor 6:20), in keeping with our status as image bearers of the Almighty.
The Falsehood That Sex is a Commodity
In addition, prostitution feeds off the falsehood that sex is a commodity—that sex is a good like a sack of sugar or a service like a haircut performed by a skilled barber. This, too, is a wicked lie. It is a lie of omission to talk of sex as just another physical activity or to characterize it as a transaction.
Sex is the act of physical and spiritual unity, symbolizing and enacting the two becoming one (Gen 2:24). The fullness of its meaning is partly a mystery, yet Scripture reveals it is the gift God gives to husband and wife to enact the fullness of the selfless love and consummate sacrifice between the Lord Christ and His beloved bride, the Church.
By design, sex is a gift and a sacrifice at the same time–a declaration of oneness and, at its best, both the expression and reception of deep and abiding love. Its meaning is irreparably polluted when it is treated as an exchange.
Prostitution acts out an ugly demand: Give me what I want. But in its proper place and context, sex is a gift both bold and vulnerable: I am here to serve you.
Truth, Human Dignity, and the Christian Response
As time goes on, the attitudes and practices once relegated to dark corners will increasingly be brought to the light not for scrutiny, but for celebration. Many will join in that celebration.
The time will come when people will not put up with sound teaching, Paul informs Timothy, “but having itching ears will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim 4:3-4).
We need not be surprised by arguments defending prostitution as empowerment or strength. But we need not be convinced by them either. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21).
Truth matters.
Hold fast to it, that you might not be swept up in the false claims of the world’s latest cause.
Navigating These Conversations Through Christian Counseling
Conversations about sexuality, identity, relationships, personal values, and culture can carry significant emotional and relational weight. For many individuals, these experiences are connected to shame, confusion, broken relationships, trauma, loneliness, or spiritual conflict.
At Firm Foundation Family Services, we offer compassionate, Christian counseling for individuals, couples, and families seeking support through relationship challenges, emotional struggles, questions surrounding identity and faith, and life transitions.
Our faith-based counseling approach integrates evidence-based care with biblical principles to support healing, growth, and emotional wellbeing.
Learn more about our faith-based counseling services or contact our team to get started.
FAQs
What does the Bible say about prostitution?
The Bible consistently treats prostitution and sexual exploitation as contrary to God’s design for human dignity, sexuality, and relationships. Scripture calls believers to sexual integrity, purity, and honoring the value of every person as made in the image of God.
Can faith-based counseling help with sexual brokenness or shame?
Faith-based counseling can provide a supportive space to process struggles related to sexuality, relationships, shame, trauma, or identity through both clinical care and spiritual understanding. Counseling may help individuals pursue healing, growth, and healthier relationships.
Why do some Christians oppose the normalization of “sex work”?
Many Christians believe the normalization of prostitution and related industries reduces sex to a transaction and separates sexuality from its intended relational and spiritual meaning. Concerns often center around exploitation, objectification, emotional harm, and human dignity.
What does Scripture teach about human dignity?
Christianity teaches that every person is created in the image of God and therefore has inherent worth, dignity, and value. This belief shapes how Christians approach relationships, sexuality, justice, and care for others.
How can counseling help someone struggling with cultural or moral confusion?
Counseling can help individuals thoughtfully process difficult questions, emotional conflict, relationship struggles, and personal values in a safe and supportive environment. A faith-based approach may also help integrate spiritual beliefs into the healing process.