Ask the Pastor: Bible Translation; the "Right" Person; the Rights and Wrongs of Sex
by the Rev. Walter Snyder
Religion Columnist

Q: My wife and I were doing our devotion. We came across Prov. 26:10. The King James
Bible says, "The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth
transgressors." The NIV says, "Like an archer who wounds at random is he that hires a fool or
any passer-by." How do these translations seem so different when saying the same thing?

A: Here is a place where words that look the same to us have different meanings. The word
rendered as "archer" in most modern translations was translated as the "Great [God]" or as a "great
[man]" by some earlier scholars. Since only a few long vowels were written out, context determines
meaning of some words; this is especially true of verbs. Still, after I looked at the Hebrew, I had to
agree more with the moderns on this one (although this is not always the case). The second half of
the verse convinced me even more, because of the sense of the words and the type of comparison
each makes. Note that "transgressor" and "passer-by" have an overlapping root meaning, that can
make translating even more difficult. Finally, I looked at the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament)
and saw a passage that was different from both the Hebrew and from the English translations.

Q: I've met someone but don't know if this is the one God is sending. How do I know?
Can God send us that one right person we are meant to share our lives with? I never wanted the
divorce with my husband; I thought he was the right one. But he turned out to be abusive and I
couldn't bring up my child in a house like that. How could I have chosen the wrong one?

A: I only include part of your question, since this is the heart of the matter. God can send not
only what we need, but whom we need when the need is greatest. However, sometimes we and
God have different ideas as to what or who is needed. At other times, we ignore the right gift for
something that "feels" or "looks" right at the time. That plain, quiet guy or that woman we hardly
noticed may actually be the one who'll be the steadiest, most supportive, most loving spouse
imaginable---yet because we are caught up in a desire for romance, adventure, or satisfying certain
feelings, we forget that relationships are not established on emotions, but on knowledge, trust, and
interdependence. That's not to say that emotions are not to be part of the package, but that they
shouldn't override common sense or doing what is right.

Also, if you sinned by ignoring warning signs or by not being honest with yourself or God
when you chose your ex-husband, that sin is forgiven and God will bring healing to you. So keep
praying, and while praying, make sure that you and God don't have completely different ideas of
whom "Mr. Right" really is. And unless and until God decides that you are ready for a husband, pray
for the strength and patience to be the best Christian mother and single person you can be.

Q: What sorts of acts that may occur in a relationship are sinful? Are all sexual acts
sinful if the couple is not married? Are sexual acts by yourself sinful?

A: Let's go from last to first. If not absolutely sinful, sexual self-gratification at least shows a
weakness toward lust and sexual temptation. We might be stretching things to even call autoeroticism
"sex," since the only possible partner is one constructed in our own minds. Still, it would be
impossible to call such behavior beneficial and edifying.

When you involve another in non-marital sex, the testimony of Scripture and of conscience is
even stronger and clearer. Sex is intended to be with the same partner "until death do us part." It is
intended to be an integral part of the marriage of a man and a woman. If it is before out outside the
final, public pledge to live together as husband and wife, then it is not right. This is not only for the
sake of the one flesh relationship that is established, but because sex also is intended for procreation
and children suffer when brought up outside of a good marriage.

As for specific acts being sinful, if you are married, there's not much the Bible says. Mutual
agreement, mutual enjoyment, and keeping it between yourselves in a non-harmful manner are the
best guidelines. Just consider that whatever forms of "expression" you mutually choose, the norm is
still that which offers opportunity for procreation, since that remains a primary reason (although not
the only one) for having sex.

To Ask the Pastor, please write Ask the Pastor, PO Box 12, Emma, MO, 65327 or send
email to askthepastor@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Walter Snyder is the pastor of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Emma, Missouri and coauthor of
the book "What Do Lutherans Believe."