Sermon Central
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Is God Against Sex, Fun And Pleasure? Series
Contributed by Brian Atwood on Nov 28, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: Why I should draw the line where God does in order to lead a fulfilling life and properly respresent the Christ following life to the unchurched.
“Now, getting down to the questions you asked in your letter to me. First, ’Is it a good thing to have sexual relations?’" 1 Corinthians 7:1 (Msg)
The KJV says, “Is it good for a man not to touch a woman?” This is a euphemism, a polite figure of speech, but from Paul’s response we see the question of the Corinthians was not just about touching. It was indeed about having sex.
Among the false religions in Corinth, there were 1,000 temple prostitutes. Sex was actually integrated into the practice of their false religion.
These new Christ followers at Corinth wanted to know how they were supposed to live in contrast to false religions. What was the place of sex in the life of a Christ follower? Is sex good?" Evaluate Paul’s answer.
"Certainly—but only within a certain context. It’s good for a man to have a wife, and for a woman to have a husband." 1 Corinthians 7:2 (Msg)
This tells us that God’s plan for marriage is heterosexual, not homosexual.
Paul continues...
"Sexual drives are strong, but marriage is strong enough to contain them and provide for a balanced and fulfilling sexual life in a world of sexual disorder." 1 Corinthians 7:3 (Msg)
People are looking for fulfillment in their sex lives and here the Bible tells us it comes from marriage. Surveys have overwhelmingly shown that the most satisfying sex is married sex.
Next Paul describes how to have a marriage with a fulfilling sex life.
"The marriage bed must be a place of mutuality—the husband seeking to satisfy his wife, the wife seeking to satisfy her husband. Marriage is not a place to ’stand up for your rights.’ Marriage is a decision to serve the other, whether in bed or out. Abstaining from sex is permissible for a period of time if you both agree to it, and if it’s for the purposes of prayer and fasting—but only for such times. Then come back together again. Satan has an ingenious way of tempting us when we least expect it. I’m not, understand, commanding these periods of abstinence—only providing my best counsel if you should choose them. Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me—a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others.” 1 Corinthians 7:4-7 (Msg)
There’s a lot of good biblical advice here but let’s just look at the big picture for the sake of today’s topic.
And please keep in mind that we’re not talking about guilt from sins in your past. If you have asked for and received God’s forgiveness for past sins then the message today is not to condemn your past but to protect your future.
Is God against sex? Or, as the Corinthians asked in their letter to Paul, “Is it a good thing to have sexual relations?” In regard to God’s command that sex is just for heterosexual marriage partners, is He trying to keep us from other sexual experiences that will bring us more joy in life? The answer?
1. Sex is a good thing in my life as long as I practice BALANCED FULFILLMENT in heterosexual marriage.
