Sex before marriage

My boyfriend wants to have sex. I don’t want to lose him. What shall I do? Is marriage the answer to the temptation?

Every person develops a value system by which they want to live their lives. As a Christian, you have the right and the responsibility to live by the values you have chosen--values that are in keeping with the principles of Christ’s kingdom and your personal life goals.
When your boyfriend wants to have sex, tell him directly that you have decided not to have a sexual relationship with anyone until you are married. He will likely come back with many reasons why he wants you to have sex with him and why this is not a reasonable decision on your part. But remember, you have a right to decide for yourself, and no one else has the right to force to you to violate your values. Listen to him, let him know you understand his point and his feelings, but reaffirm again, “I have decided not to have a sexual relationship until I am married.”
Do not let anyone draw you into a defense of whether or not you have made a good decision. Your decision for abstinence outside of marriage is for you alone to make.
A good friend worth keeping as a potential marriage partner will respect and honor your decision. You would not want to be married to anyone who does not respect you and the values you represent. Marriage is about much more than sex. A sexual relationship with a marriage partner is wonderful. But sexual attraction alone is not a strong enough “glue” to bond two people together “for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health” for a lifetime. You do well to learn more and more about one another and to build a friendship in the time you are together.
You may want to read Proverbs 5, which speaks of the heavy consequences of a sexual relationship outside of marriage। You may also want to think of your sexual purity in the light of Paul’s reminder in Romans 6 and again in Romans 12. The apostle calls us to live a new life in Christ. This new life, Romans makes clear, includes using our bodies in ways that honor and glorify Him.