Honoring God With Our Sexuality
As disciples of Jesus Christ we ‘GET’ to obey God, by the power of HIS Spirit.
This is to include every aspect of our lives, as we grow in understanding God’s will.
We have to live for God while we live in the midst of a society that disregards God.
How do we acknowledge the reality of temptation we face & still walk with Christ?
In all such matters it is critical to have the ‘Why’ solidified in our beliefs.
Why do we want to Honor God with our sexuality?
Last Week: 6:19-20
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Once we have the ‘Why’ settled we can work on the how…
The crucial message contained in today’s text is when done God’s way, sex or celibacy can be humanly fulfilling AND God honoring…the KEY is ‘done God’s way’.
In all of our relationships, as disciples of christ, we get to obey and put others 1st.
And that is what we are called to do when it comes to sex: do it God’s way!
1st Corinthians 7:1-11
Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”
- We believe this is a response to a question
- Best solution is not to have sex become an idol, not have it lead you around…
- It is not necessary, through God’s gifting, allowing you to focus on other things
- But there is a way to honor God and have sexual relations…Marriage!
But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
- Since people are living based on their urges and since the temptation exists
- The only way God designed this level of intimacy is in a marriage covenant
- Marital Duty: this is about caring for the other and being committed to them
- In Christian Marriage we treat our spouse as Christ treats us
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.
- ‘One Flesh’ is how God desires a woman and a man to be in marriage
- 1st we have with Christ: ‘You are not your own, you were bought at a price
- We can honor that by relinquishing ourselves to each other
- The level of union is meant to be ‘Other-Centered’
- Absolute equality in the marriage relationship as revealed in scripture
- Loving consensus is how couples are to set expectations
Let every man, says he, have his own wife, and every woman her own husband; that is, marry, and confine themselves to their own mates. And, when they are married, let each render the other due benevolence, consider the disposition and exigency of each other, and render conjugal duty, which is owing to each other. For, as the apostle argues, in the married state neither person has power over his own body, but has delivered it into the power of the other, the wife hers into the power of the husband, the husband his into the power of the wife.” ~ Matthew Henry
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.
- Provide for each other, don’t let depravation happen…
- Example of putting sex on lower priority than seeking God
- Each should sacrifice their own personal preference on an equal basis
- Every couple should see themselves as a team fighting temptation together
- ‘Your lack of self control’… basic human condition
I say this as a concession, not as a command. 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.
- ‘This’ refers to the agreed upon hiatus in sexual relations (not to be the norm)
- He wishes they were blessed as he is with singleness
- but he is not who hands out gifts…
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
- If this is what God has for you then make the best of it
- But if you are not gifted to be single and so you don’t struggle with lust…
To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
- This is a call to see marriage as God does: permanent / One Flesh
- One Flesh will always seek to be reconciled to itself
Application Questions:
Why & how might you cultivate and practice a more ‘Biblically Informed View’ of Sex?
Why is healthy, fulfilling sex in a marriage important to God?
How can ‘Others Focused Intimacy’ protect your spouse from temptation?
What can help you have open, honest conversations about sex with your spouse?