God's Word About Sex, Divorce, & Singleness Series

1 Corinthians

God’s Word About Sex, Divorce, & Singleness

1 Corinthians 7

March 9, 2003

Intro:

A. [Citation: Ben Merold, Pastor of Harvester Christian Church, in St. Charles, MO.}

Ben Merold, Pastor of Harvester Christian Church in St. Louis, Mo., tells of two Christians, a man and a woman, who came to him with a problem.

They were “living together” but each was married to someone else.

They tried to impress him with the fact that they would marry each other when their divorces were final.

They also stated that their relationship was led by God.

Pastor Merold had to remind them that God does not work contrary to His Word and that the Word of God stated that they were living in adultery.

They scoffed at his viewpoint and left.

And Merold summarizes this story with this statement: It is always this way with those who put feelings and emotions ahead of Scripture.

B. Last week we studied in chapter 6 where the apostle Paul implored the Corinthians with a barrage of questions to get them to understand that they should view everything in life and in the world differently than unbelievers.

1. Today in the seventh chapter of 1 Corinthians, we see the apostle Paul telling them (and us) that we should view sex, marriage, divorce, and singleness differently than the world does.

2. This is the first of several topics that the Corinthians had asked Paul some questions about in a previous letter.

3. There will be some who are shocked to hear that this kind of stuff is in the Bible and some who are surprised that I would preach it—but I’ve always said if its in the Word it should be preached!

4. There will be some that will be very happy about having the preacher say some of this stuff J!

5. If you have children, you may choose to have them go to Jr. Church—but I believe that it will be good for them to hear it from me and then you discuss it with them at home.

3. Today we want to see what God’s Word is about sex, marriage, and singleness…

I. God’s Word About Sex (1-9)

A. Paul begins by saying that singleness is not a bad thing.

1 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV), Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.

1. We put a lot of emphasis on growing up and getting married today just as they did back then, but Paul begins by saying that you don’t have to get married.

2. You don’t have to get married in order to be happy in life.

3. There are advantages to being single and Paul will list some later in this chapter.

B. But in verse two, Paul says that if a person cannot control their sexual desires, it is better to get married than to get involved in sexual immorality.

1 Corinthians 7:2 (NIV), But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.

1. Sex before marriage is wrong; I don’t care if people think they’re in love or they are going to get married some day or what.

2. There is no situation that excludes a person from the Bible’s teachings against having sex outside of marriage.

3. If you are tempted to get involved in some sexual immorality, then it is better to get married in order to control yourself.

4. Verse two also stipulates that marriage is reserved for a man and a woman.

5. “It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.”

6. Marriage is a gift from God designed by Almighty God to bring a man and a woman the joy of love and companionship throughout this life.

7. A person should marry who desires this and cannot control their sexual desires.

E. Now notice verses 3-5.

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 (NIV), The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except 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.

1. Now the Church has historically had some pretty strange views about sex.

2. There was a time when people who had partaken in the “beastial” act could not partake of communion the following Sunday.