8 Unity In Marital Relationships

Introduction

Chapter 6 wound up with a word on sexual immorality. Our bodies belong to Jesus (bought/paid for) and we are united with Him by Spirit. What we do with our bodies matters. Your body is a temple – dwelling place of God’s Spirit (and collectively we are the temple). Glorify God in your body.

Paul started in 1:10 by addressing division among the church and is dealing with the issues causing division. Tolerance of an inappropriate sexual relationship violates community boundaries (5:1–13), consorting with prostitutes violates the unity of the body of Christ (6:12–20), and conflicts in marital relations (ch. 7) disrupt the household of faith. Nighswander, Dan. 1 Corinthians. Ed. Douglas B. Miller et al. Harrisonburg, VA: Herald Press, 2017. Print. Believers Church Bible Commentary.

Paul provided teaching on sexual immorality because of the practices of the church in Corinth and because of their pagan background in this type of immorality and idolatry. He leads that into their question on marriage and physical unions. Apparently some were teaching complete abstinence for all.

Points

What Jesus Taught

Matthew 5:27–28 NIV

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

lust is a heart issue and sin just like the physical sin.

Matthew 5:31–32 NIV

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

divorce causes adultery, remarriage is adultery.

Also refers back to Genesis 2 – man leaves parents, unites with wife to become one flesh.

Paul refers back to and paraphrases Jesus’ teaching in v.10-11

Hebrews 13:4 NIV

4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

Paul teaches in Hebrews 13:4 honor marriage, bed undefiled, God judges immoral

This teaching is clear, but doesn’t cover every situation. God’s people come together to understand the clear teaching and appropriately apply it to each situation.

Married People

1 Corinthians 7:1–7 NIV

1 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

7:1-7 to married men and women – you asked about a man not having sex with a woman, but since sexual immorality is occurring men and women must be faithful to meet their spouse’s needs. Only stop as a temporary fast to devote to prayer.

1 Corinthians 7:10–16 NIV

10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

7:10-16 to married – do not leave/separate or initiate divorce. The Lord’s command to not divorce also means to not remarry. But, if your unbelieving spouse leaves, let them go. You are not bound. (you are not driving them away)

Not Married People

1 Corinthians 7:8–9 NIV

8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

7:8-9 to un(formerly)married (divorced/widow(er)) – better to remain unmarried and celibate, but not wrong to remarry to prevent sexual temptation and sin.

Not Yet Married People

1 Corinthians 7:17–24 NIV

17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

7:17-24 Remain as you were when God called you. Several examples of other situations: circumcision, enslavement, gender (see Galatians 3:27-28) irrelevant to believers as ethnicity, class, gender. Keeping God’s commands is what matters, and you belong to Christ. I see this as meaning far more than circumcision and enslavement. Holiness and belonging.

So, in marriage, remain as you were when called – married, divorced, widowed, single, married to an unbeliever. 3 times stated reinforces statement.

1 Corinthians 7:25–40 NIV

25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. 29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. 36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better. 39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

7:25-40 26 Because of present crisis 29 time is short 31 world in its present form is passing away. There was more of an urgency to the advice Paul gave regarding those who are not yet married. Perspective here is more about the man and whether he should marry. But in the context of the timing.

Marrying means divided concerns and focus. Unmarried focuses on the Lord, married on spouse and Lord. Paul’s advice is that it’s better to not marry but not wrong to marry. His own experience is fully devoted to serving the Lord.

Conclusion

Paul’s final comment is that he believes he has the Spirit of God – wisdom from the Lord.

Summary of it all?

It seems the original question was about abstinence within marriage which must have been taught in the Corinthian context. Asceticism. Paul taught to treat each other properly.

Paul reinforces the teaching of Jesus regarding marriage – one man and one woman, no sex outside marriage, no initiating separation or divorce. But he goes further into situations that Jesus did not specifically speak to. Sex (physical union), remarriage.

Sex (physical union) in marriage – question of not having sex in marriage, but it was causing temptation and sinful practices. Be faithful to each other in marriage, taking care of each other’s needs.

Remarriage – celibacy better, but marrying is ok. This seems to conclude that person is widow(er) or unbelieving spouse left, because believing spouses would do what is right.

Big Idea: Paul’s marriage advice is to be devoted to God first, devoted to caring for spouse, and live at peace with others.

There are definite commands and principles in place, but in each situation it is best to get the godly advice of spiritual leaders to help walk through the application of Scripture.