One of the most striking features of modern Western culture is how common non-committal relationships have become. For many, sex and romance are treated as temporary arrangements rather than covenantal bonds. Dating apps, social media, and shifting cultural norms have made it easier than ever to enter into relationships with little expectation of permanence. What used to be understood as preparation for marriage is now often approached as entertainment, experimentation, or self-expression.
Sociologists have observed that this “untethering” of sex from lasting relationship has created a cultural landscape where intimacy is often viewed as a standalone experience.1 In this view, sex is about pleasure, personal growth, or even self-discovery, but not about covenant. While such attitudes reflect broader cultural currents, they stand in sharp contrast to the biblical vision.2
Genesis 2:24 presents sex not as a fleeting experience but as an expression of the “one flesh” bond. In Scripture, intimacy is never separated from commitment. It is the seal of a covenant, the visible sign of a man and woman cleaving to one another for life. Paul makes this point forcefully in 1 Corinthians 6:16: to be “joined” sexually is to become “one flesh.” That is why casual encounters are so destructive; they give the body without giving the covenant, offering a shadow of intimacy without the substance of lifelong faithfulness.
For Christians, this is not about being prudish or out of touch; it is about honoring God’s design for human flourishing. Casual unions may promise freedom, but they often leave behind scars of mistrust, comparison, and emptiness. By contrast, covenantal love offers security, depth, and joy, a place where intimacy is not consumed and discarded, but nurtured and cherished.
- Neil Gross and Solon Simmons, “Intimacy as a Double‑Edged Phenomenon? An Empirical Test of Giddens,” Social Forces 81, no. 2 (December 2002): 531–55, accessed 5 September 2025, PDF, 26 pages, University of Wisconsin, MIDUS Findings, https://midus.wisc.edu/findings/pdfs/273.pdf. ↩︎
- Centre for Christian Living, Podcast episode 121: Casual Sex or Sacred Sexuality? with Philip Kern, recorded 7 July 2024, accessed [date you accessed it], audio, 48:44, Centre for Christian Living (Moore College), https://ccl.moore.edu.au/resources/podcast-episode-121/. ↩︎