Bible Question: Can a person make love when fasting?

Bible Question:What scriptures teach that fasting and/or refraining from sex during a fast, and/or denying oneself lovemaking to your spouse? I am a newlywed and my husband told me that when a person fasts he/she cannot have sexual relationships. You must deny your flesh of all pleasures. Is it true? What scriptures back this up?

Bible Answer: There are two previous questions dealing with fasting that may be of interest. The first one is entitled, "When fasting, how often do you pray?" and the second one is, What does fasting include?" It is important to remember that fasting involved denying oneself only food and sometimes water.

Avoiding Sexual Relations. In both the Old and New Testaments, God never commands couples to avoid sexual relations. It is amazing that God has warned us to not do certain things, but He never warns nor commands married couples to stop having sex. In fact, the apostle Paul warns couples to do just the opposite. God wants couples to have sex.

Apparently, some Christians in the city of Corinth thought there was virtue in avoiding sexual relations with one' spouse. One of the spouses or maybe both thought it was good to regularly avoid sexual relations. God did not see this as being a good thing. Listen to what Paul had to say.

But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (NASB) 1 Corinthians 7:2-5

Notice that Paul says there is only one reason to not have sexual relations. It is for the purpose of prayer - for a short period of time. God does not want wives or husbands to regularly refuse to have sexual relations, and Paul says stop it! That is sin! God's message through Paul does not sit well with many today. The message is simple. Your body belongs to your spouse! You do not have control of it when it comes to sex. Today many talk about the right of doing with their bodies as they want, but God does not agree when it comes to sexual relations within marriage. A spouse does not have "authority" over his/her body. It belongs to his/her spouse. Now Paul does not mean that a husband or a wife can demand that the spouse "make love" from morning until evening or at anytime he or she wants. Paul is establishing a principle - an attitude of cooperation when it comes to sex. There is no place for sexual abuse, nor is there any room for excuses between spouses to avoid sexual relations. If one spouse is "not up to it" then that spouse needs to say when he/she will be ready for "love making." The other spouse needs to be understanding.

The Desire. Many believe that only men have a strong desire for sexual relations, but that is not true. Generally men do have the greater desire, but both men and women crave sex - some more than others and to greater degrees at different times in life.

When a man does not want sexual relationships, there is usually something medically wrong with him or there is an emotional situation with his wife. If a medical reason is suspected, your husband may want to see a doctor for a check-up, consultation, and help. Sometimes the issue is an emotional problem between the man and his wife. He may not enjoy sexual relations with his wife for one or more reasons. An open and frank discussion or a written letter between the spouses may help to bring understanding as to why he is struggling. This is a difficult subject for many couples to talk about and so it should be done with love, kindness, compassion, and tenderness. The goal needs to be, "Is there a reason you do not want to make love with me?" The answer can be difficult to accept. But both spouses need to be ready to change. Married couples need to remember that it is a sin to avoid sexual relations.

Conclusion:God wants married couples to have healthy, enjoyable, and satisfying sexual relations on a regular basis. He has told us in 1 Corinthians 7:2-5 that couples may avoid having sexual relations for the purpose of prayer but only for a brief period of time. Any spouse who frequently wants to "fast" or avoid sexual relations is disobeying God. Does God mean that a couple should ignore medical advice about having sexual relations or not avoid relations when one of them is sick? The answer is no. 1 Corinthians 7:2-5 is about abuse in marriage. To deny your spouse sexual relations without a biblical reason is another form of sexual abuse. God has said that a spouse does not own his/her body; it belongs to your partner! God designed marital sex!

1. Gleason L. Archer. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, Zondervan Publishing House. 1982. p. 37

2. Sir Lancelot Brenton. The Septuagint With Apocrypha, Henrickson Publishers. 1851. p. 710

3. Danker and Bauer. Greek-Lexicon of the New Testament, University of Chicago press. 1957. p. 725