Sexual Morality

Subtitle: How to Glorify God With Your Body

1 Corinthians 7:1–5 ESV

1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Truth Statement #1

Sex in marriage is good (Your God-Honouring Marriage is Sexually Moral)

Why?

Because it helps against struggle of sexual temptation (v. 2)

Commands:

Satisfy one another’s sexual needs (v. 3)

You don’t have authority of your own body… your spouse does. (v. 4)

Don’t abstain for long (v. 5)

Satan will tempt you to sexual immorality. (v. 5)

Truth Statement #2

Singleness is good (Your God-Honouring Singleness is Sexually Moral)

Why?

You are devoted to pleasing the Lord, not your spouse. (v. 32)

Commands:

This is a gift from God (v. 7)

God gives the gift of celibacy for pure unhindered devotion to God.

Pursue singleness/devotion to the Lord (v. 8).

But if you have strong desires, get married. This is better than staying single (v. 9).

This too is a gift from God (v. 7)

Truth Statement #3

Unequally yoked CAN be good (Your God-Honouring Unequally Yoked Marriage is Sexually Moral)

Why?

The believing spouse makes the marriage/children holy (v. 14)

Commands:

If the non-believer is content, don’t divorce (v. 12-13)

This is a marriage that God recognizes and honours, including the children conceived (v. 14).

If the non-believer is not content, divorce (v. 15).

God has called you to peace (v. 15)

You can’t force them to become a Christian (v. 16)

The first way you can bring glory to God,

is by seeking to…

Glorify God in Your Marriage

Paul begins this section by addressing a statement it seems some of the Corinthians were using,

“It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”

Last week Jonah talked about those who were taking liberty to do whatever they wanted with their bodies.

This statement causes us to believe there were others in the church on the opposite end of the spectrum.

They thought avoiding physical intimacy all together was best.

Given Paul’s strong warnings against sexual immorality,

they may have thought the desire for physical intimacy in and of itself was wrong,

leading some to abstain even in their marriages.

But Paul shows them that physical intimacy inside marriage is sexually moral…

It is glorifying to God!

So Paul gives them some instruction on physical intimacy to address their concern.

EXPLAIN

Paul shows us that…

Physical intimacy prevents sexual immorality

1 Corinthians 7:2 ESV

2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

The desire for physical intimacy is something that God has created us for.

The desire is not wrong,

but seeking to fulfill that desire in sinful ways IS wrong.

If you missed Pastor Jonah’s sermon last week,

he addressed the sinful ways we can fulfil that desire.

I encourage you to go back and listen to it.

Paul here teaches us that pursuing that desire for physical intimacy in marriage,

is glorifying to God,

and prevents us from seeking to fulfil that desire in sinful ways.

Paul also shows us that…

Physical intimacy is mutual

1 Corinthians 7:3 ESV

3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.

What’s really interesting is that Paul first addresses the men,

and tells them that physical intimacy is a right they must give to their wife.

Last week Jonah mentioned that it was not uncommon for husbands to see their wives as useful for bearing children,

and seeking the fulfilment of physical intimacy from mistresses and concubines.

In this way they would have been cheating their wives of the physical intimacy that was rightfully theirs.

Paul also commands wives that physical intimacy is a right they must give their husbands.

Physical intimacy is a mutual benefit.

Paul goes on to tell us why…

1 Corinthians 7:4 ESV

4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Again, Paul shockingly goes against the culture of his day.

They would not have been surprised to hear Paul say the man has authority over the woman’s body,

but they would have been surprised to hear him say the woman has authority over the man’s body!

If you are a follower of Christ,

you are not your own, you are Christ’s!

You can’t do whatever you want,

but must obey Him and seek His will.

If you are married, in regards to physical intimacy,

you are not your own, you are your spouse’s!

You have become one flesh.

You can’t do whatever you want,

but must seek their benefit.

For this reason…

Paul shows us that…

Physical intimacy should not be withheld

1 Corinthians 7:5 ESV

5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

This leads us to believe that Paul is specifically addressing certain people in the Corinthian church,

who believed it was better to abstain from physical intimacy,

so they were withholding from their spouses.

Paul says they have no right to make that decision on their own!

They could agree to abstain to devote themselves to prayer,

but this should only be a limited time,

and then you should come back together,

so that Satan doesn’t tempt you to sin.

Section Summary

Paul shows us that physical intimacy in marriage is glorifying to God!

It prevents sexual immorality…

Is mutual… and

Should not be withheld.

ILLUSTRATE

One of the things I get to do as a pastor is premarital counselling for those seeking marriage.

During the counselling we have them fill out an assessment.

They answer 200 questions about themselves and their relationship.

In the section is on physical intimacy,

they are asked to rate their desire out of 10.

As you can imagine, it’s always high… between 8—10.

Maybe you remember yourself at that age and can remember how high your desire was!

Maybe your desire is still that high! Lol

They also have to answer a question about how often they expect to have physical intimacy,

and it too is high…

sometimes they say they expect to have physical intimacy once a day!

Point

It is common to have those desires,

and for those desires to grow as you get closer to marriage!

APPLY

Think back to when you were dating your spouse…

What would you have rated your desire?

Has that waned since then?

Maybe something from your past makes you feel like physical intimacy is wrong, or sinful.

It’s not!

Physical intimacy is a God-given outlet for God-given desires

It pleases God, and helps us stay pure!

For that reason, we must pursue a mutually satisfying physically intimate relationship in marriage.

We should not withhold from one another,

but should willingly give ourselves to one another!

Song of Solomon 6:3 (ESV)

3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine

Two people who love, care for, and desire one another do not do this as an act of drudgery or duty,

but a willing desire to give themselves to one another!

Find ways to pursue one another,

and rekindle romance in your marriage.

This is good and pleasing to the Lord.

You’re likely not going to do it once a day.

Studies show that the average married couple with have physical intimacy twice a week.

This is “normal”.

Ultimately it’s up to you,

but you need to be enjoying it together regularly for your purity.

SATAN WANTS TO STOP YOU FROM FULFILLING YOUR DESIRES IN A GOD-HONOURING WAY,

AND INSTEAD HAVE YOU TRY AND FULFILL THEM IN A SINFUL WAY.

We need to be aware of his schemes.

I realize there are a lot of factors that go into why a couple does or does not have intimacy more.

There are mental and physical issues,

and I’m not claiming to know your situation.

You may need to seek spiritual or medical help…

But God’s design is for a married man and woman,

to bring glory to Him,

by fulfilling their God-given desires for physical intimacy with one another.

The next way you can bring glory to God,

is by seeking to…

Glorify God in Your Singleness

Right after showing that marriage is good,

and brings glory to God,

Paul goes on to talk about singleness.

And he shares his heart a bit,

by saying in verse 7…

1 Corinthians 7:7 (ESV)

7 I wish that all were as I myself am.

And then he addresses the unmarried and widows

1 Corinthians 7:8 ESV

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.

Paul’s mission in life was fulfill God’s calling,

and spread the gospel where it had not been preached.

This led him all over the place,

being mocked, beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned…

this would not have worked with a wife and kids at home.

He sees singleness as being a great blessing,

whether you have never been married, or are a widow,

since a single person can serve the Lord wholeheartedly in ways a married person can’t.

EXPLAIN

But Paul recognizes that…

Singleness is a gift FROM God

1 Corinthians 7:7 ESV

7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

Paul sees the benefit of someone remaining single,

but recognizes that it is a gift from God.

Here Paul is saying that both singleness and marriage are gifts from God.

The reason it is a gift from God has to do with what he says in verse 9…

1 Corinthians 7:9 ESV

9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Those who have strong desires for physical intimacy should seek marriage,

but there are those who have the gift from God,

who do not have those same strong, uncontrollable desires…

They should seek to glorify God with the gift of singleness they have been given.

Paul also shows that…

Singleness is a gift FOR God

In verse 32 Paul gives his reasoning for why he prefers singleness over marriage.

He says…

1 Corinthians 7:32 (ESV)

32 The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.

God gives the gift of singleness to some,

so that the consuming motivation of their lives is seeking how to be faithful to the Lord!

Since they are single, they don’t have any dependants to worry about,

they go wherever, and

do whatever they feel led to do,

without needing to consider how it affects a spouse/children who need you.

Section Summary

ILLUSTRATE

APPLY

Glorify God in Your Unequally Yoked Marriage

EXPLAIN

ILLUSTRATE

APPLY