Married With Purpose Pt 2 Series

1. Selfless commitment between one man and one woman (Marriage)

For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

Leave / Cleave/ One flesh

No one flesh until leaving and cleaving are established. Unless there is both private and public (legal) declarations of commitment, there is not marriage. God reserved sexual privileges for committed marriage. Commitment is the protective context for physical intimacy. Sex is not for recreational exercise but reflective expression. Sex is to be practiced within a treasured marriage relationship. Let marriage be honorable.

“precious, valued, most precious, honored, revered, venerated, held especially dear, of great price, estimated highly and valuable”

Destructive Border Crossing

Sex outside of marriage “pre-marital sex” “fornication”

The price of Holland's famous "free-love" lifestyle is often an unhappy sex life, according to a survey of more than 1,000 Dutch singles. The poll, conducted by the online journal My life, found that less than one-fifth of Dutch singles said they are happy with their sex lives and two-thirds said married couples are happier. About half of Dutch single men and a third of Dutch single women reported having regular one-night stands. (From World Magazine October 2, 2004 page 11)

Sex with same sex. “homosexuality”

Sex with other than spouse. “adultery”

Outside God’s protective borders, sex becomes diminished and even dangerous.

2. Purity

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4

The marriage bed is to be undefiled. This again includes un-marital sexual focus -- fornication.

Undefiled = “free from that by which the nature of a thing is deformed and debased, or its force and vigor impaired.” We are to stay clear of anything that would deform, debase or impair the vigor of sexual oneness with our spouse. Comes from the word to defile, color pollute, stain with sin, contaminate, soil.

Crossing the Border

Mentioned especially here are “fornication” and “adultery. Fornication is sex outside of marriage. Also a word used for homosexual activity. Adultery is sex with someone other than one’s partner. One can go out of bounds without physical contact with another.

"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY'; but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:27-28

“Look” look, watch, guard. “Lust” strongly desire, covet, crave. Meaning: Look with the intent to have for one’s self or enter into sexual activity. To go out of bounds effects marriage commitment brings personal consequences. To introduce impure literature or pictures into the sexual oneness violates the boundary of purity as well as the next boundary of purpose. If there is impurity, there will be insecurity and damage. Impurity will be sensed by the partner. We also open ourselves up for demonic interference and bondage when this border is crossed.