soma<\/em>).”<\/p>\nThis is not true. I Corinthians 6:16 uses the same Greek root ‘sorx<\/em>‘ speaking of the binding “one-flesh” between a man with a harlot.<\/p>\nReferring to both one flesh between the man and wife (which simply is \u2018woman\u2019 in Hebrew) and a man and prostitute. That\u2019s why Paul quotes Genesis 2:24 because the man and prostitute are binding unlawful marriage, but marriage nonetheless. Likewise, when a man binds himself to a previous married or divorced woman, he commits adultery because she is still one-flesh with her first husband. Though unlawful, the one-flesh relationship is still marriage nonetheless.<\/p>\n\t
Answer:<\/h2>\n
Transliterated Greek:<\/p>\n
e ouk oidate hoti ho kollomenos te porne hen soma<\/strong> estin Esontai gar phesin hoi duo eis sarka<\/strong> main<\/p><\/blockquote>\nLiteral Greek<\/p>\n
“Or not know you that the being joined to the harlot, one body<\/strong> is? Shall be for, he says, the two for flesh<\/strong> one.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\nThere are actually three “one”s in I Corinthians 6:15-17: one body, one flesh, and one spirit. In the context of the passage, Paul is addressing potential arguments for fornication. Here Paul is addressing the idea that someone can engage in fornication it won’t impact him.<\/p>\n
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, “The two shall become one flesh.” But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him<\/em>” (I Corinthians 6:15-17).<\/p><\/blockquote>\nNotice the progression:<\/p>\n
\n- Joining as one body (soma<\/em>) with a prostitute is temporary. There is no expectation of a continued relationship. And the joining itself is physically only for a few moments.<\/li>\n
- Joining as one flesh (sarka<\/em>) with a wife lasts the remainder of a man’s life. The joining includes the physical aspect of sex, but is so much more because the couple becomes<\/em> one flesh. It is an ongoing process of two people blending their lives to become a unit. Thus, marriage is a spiritual joining as well as a physical joining. But that union ends at death.<\/li>\n
- Joining as one spirit (pneuma<\/em>) with the Lord is an eternal union. It is totally spiritual.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
However, where does the fornicator put his emphasis? On the temporary physical act. But which has the greatest value? It would be the eternal relationship with our Lord. Why would anyone severe their eternal relationship with Christ for a few minutes of pleasure with a prostitute? For that matter, why would a married man damage his lifetime relationship with his wife for a few minutes of sex with a prostitute? Even though marriage is less important than a relationship with Christ both have far greater worth than sex with an immoral woman.<\/p>\n
Marriage is established by a covenant (Malachi 2:14). It is God who does the joining of a man and woman — not man (Matthew 19:4-6). That joining is established as the couple swears a covenant vow before witnesses to God. If it was the act of sex, as you claim, then it would be the man who does the joining since God is not involved, especially in an act of sin if a couple has sex without being married.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: Hi, You claim in “Immorality“, “Paul proves that sex binds the participants. It is not\u00a0a permanent or stable bond, but it is a bond nonetheless. Those who engage in sexual sins are physically coupled during the act. They become for the moment one body (the Greek word\u00a0soma).” This is not true. I Corinthians 6:16…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[728,190],"class_list":["post-26278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-i-corinthians","tag-translation"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":83738,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-pauls-thorn-in-the-flesh-his-bad-eyesight\/","url_meta":{"origin":26278,"position":0},"title":"Was Paul’s thorn in the flesh his bad eyesight?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In II Corinthians 12:1-10, Paul talks about his \"thorn in the flesh,\" which kept him from exalting himself, especially after entering paradise.\u00a0 Does Galatians 4:15 show his thorn in the flesh was his eyes? Also, did he see Paradise or just hear words he couldn't repeat? Answer: \"Boasting is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22959,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-paul-talking-about-destroying-the-body-with-food-or-sin-in-i-corinthians-316-17\/","url_meta":{"origin":26278,"position":1},"title":"Is Paul talking about destroying the body with food or sin in I Corinthians 3:16-17?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 13, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In I Corinthians 3:16,17, \"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye.\" Paul talks about the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":27298,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-would-someone-not-like-the-esv\/","url_meta":{"origin":26278,"position":2},"title":"Why would someone not like the ESV?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 20, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why would someone not like the ESV? What is wrong with the ESV? I saw \"Which Translation Should I Use?\"\u00a0concerning\u00a0I Corinthians 7:15: \"The ESV is the clearest that it is talking about slavery\" I Corinthians 7:15 seems to be talking about marriage to me, not slavery. Answer: \"But if\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":67720,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-you-explain-i-corinthians-616-17\/","url_meta":{"origin":26278,"position":3},"title":"Can you explain I Corinthians 6:16-17?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day I have a question and would like some advice. A bit of background leading to the question: I was a fake Christian, committed fornication, and knew it displeased God, but I didn't really know Christ at the time. But someone came and preached repentance. I decided to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":70896,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-paul-contradict-himself-regarding-division-in-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":26278,"position":4},"title":"Did Paul contradict himself regarding division in the church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi. I'm seeking clarification on why, in I Corinthians 1:10, Paul condemns division and pleads them to \"speak the same thing\" and be of the \"same mind and the same judgment.\" But ten chapters later, in I Corinthians 11:18-19, Paul seems to say that divisions are a \"must\" since\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36453,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/keep-the-unity\/","url_meta":{"origin":26278,"position":5},"title":"Keep the Unity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Download Audio Text: Ephesians 4:1-6 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The wedding day comes and a couple joins together in a covenant due to their love for each other. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The two become one flesh. They are united and now see everything from the same point of view. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Some of you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26278\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}