Maintaining God’s Intent For Marriage(& Singleness)-5

MAINTAINING GOD’s INTENT For MARRIAGE(& Singleness)-V—1Corinthians 7:1-9

(Making Marriage(& Singleness) Worthy of its Creator)

Attention:

Excuse Me Driver:

A guy in a taxi wanted to speak to the driver so he leans forward & taps the plexiglass separator.

The driver screamed, jumped up in the air & yanked the wheel over.

The car mounted the curb, demolished a lamppost & came to a stop inches from a shop window.

The startled passenger said, “I didn't mean to frighten you, I just wanted to ask you something.”

The Taxi driver said, “It's not your fault sir. It's my first day as a cab driver.

It’s just that I've been driving a hearse for the past 15 years!”

The new taxi driver’s competence was wanting.

If we are careful to nurture God’s Intent in our marriages, then they will NOT end up ‘on the skids’ as do ~50% of worldly AND Christian marriages!

Paul answered the inquiries & clarified the concerns of the Corinthian Christians regarding marriage.

Christians maintain God’s intent/design for marriage.

How do/can Christian couples maintain God’s intent for marriage?

6 focal points for Christians regarding marriage.

We have found that Maintaining God’s intent for marriage(& singleness) demands a concentration upon...

1. His DIRECTIVES(:1)

2. His LIMITATIONs(:2)

3. His AFFECTION(:3)

4. His AUTHORITY(:4)

5—Maintaining God’s intent for marriage(& singleness) demands a concentration upon...

His COMMITMENT(:5-6)

Explanation:(:5-6) Attention

:5—“Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting & prayer; & come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

Marriage is a decidedly spiritual matter.

“Some of the Corinthians had apparently become celibate at their spouse’s expense.” This “explains why he insists”...“that abstinence cannot be imposed on a spouse but must be a decision reached by mutual consent” & only for the specific & limited purpose of “prayer.” Christians must “channel” their sex drive “in proper, healthful ways that do not harm the individual, the individual’s salvation, the marriage, or the community.”—BECNT

As is said, Old taboos[heartless legalism] put the wild animals into cages, where they live still, are dangerous, & remain a threat to the captor.—BECNT

“May give yourselves to”

The Greek word behind “Give” here is not the most commonly used word. It is only used 2X in the Bible—here & in Mat. 12:44. It means to be at total leisure upon entering into a season of fasting & prayer. Thru mutual “consent” there will be no hindrances...there will be total freedom on the part of husband &/or wife to enter a season of focused spiritual endeavor.

There is an exception to the SIN of mutual or individual sexual deprivation in marriage. The exception is by mutual agreement only(“with consent”), & that only for the purpose of unhindered fasting & prayer, & that only for a limited time. Again, there is never to be celibacy by choice(the will of man) in marriage!...

Having said that, please keep in mind that there are ‘physical’ problems that can arise, things you don’t intend, that can prevent sexual activity in marriage. That is NOT Paul’s concern here! Yet it still speaks to it, in that the Holy Spirit thru Paul is giving direction on how to willfully maintain God’s intent in marriage. Paul is answering questions which dogged the Corinthian church.

Again, marriage & it’s resulting sexual activity are decidedly spiritual matters. In Judaism, the husband only needed to inform his wife of his decision for abstinence regardless of her input.—BECNT

Even during ‘a season of prayer’ both must come together again[sexually] because ‘forced’ separation opens a couple up to Satanic temptations.

“Lack of self-control” makes a person vulnerable to temptation. Your commitment to Christ or lack thereof, affects your self-control. The Holy Spirit empowers the Christian to submit his/her control of ourselves—the what, when, where, why, & how—to God!

Gal. 5:19-25—“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, & the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions & desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Paul’s instruction by default “excludes spiritual unions” as well as any individual spouse’s implementation of celibacy upon the couple.—BECNT

“Do Not/Stop/Not”(See :5)—mh—Particle—1) No, not lest. Strong—a primary particle of qualified negation(whereas ou, ouk, ouc expresses an absolute denial); adverbially--Not, conjunctionally--Lest; also(as an interrogative implying a negative answer[whereas ou expects an affirmative one])--Whether.