MAINTAINING GOD’s INTENT For MARRIAGE-IV—1Corinthians 7:1-9
(Making Marriage Worthy of its Creator)
Attention:
I have seen many who want a ‘church wedding’ despite their never ‘darkening the door of any church house.’ They want God’s blessing upon their marriage, without any commitment on their part to the God who provides the blessing! Such people ‘make’ God act on their terms rather than the other way around...They have made God in their own image. He is their personal puppet with a magic wand.
If we are careful to nurture God’s Intent in our marriages then, our marriages will NOT suffer as do worldly marriages!—& statistics tell us that divorces are roughly the same percentage for both secular & 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—Maintaining God’s intent for marriage(& singleness) demands a concentration upon...
His AUTHORITY(:4)
Explanation:(:4)
:4—“The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”
“Authority”(*exousiazw) is translated in 6:12 as--“Brought under...Power/Mastered/Brought under...Control.
A “wife” does not have sole “authority” “over her own body” to the exclusion of her husband. This is true because the mere fact that she is a “wife” means that she voluntarily, willingly, & lovingly surrenders the “authority” over her own body to her “husband.”
*That is one big reason why you need to consider marriage very seriously before you ‘tie the knot.’
Likewise, the “husband”, due to the mere fact that he has committed himself to his spouse through marriage, he thereby also voluntarily, willingly, & lovingly surrenders “authority” of “his own body” to his “wife.”
Paul’s argument assumes that sexual fulfillment(enjoyment/pleasure) is at stake as well as procreation. Thus the bodies of “husband” & “wife” are mutually for pleasure as well as for procreation.
No aspect of sex is to be entered without God’s perfect vision of & for it. If you cannot ‘invite God into the bedroom’ then the pleasure is based upon pure fleshly self-indulgence or self-centered desire. Our sexual pleasure is ultimately to be God-centered...Therefore it must be mutual. If it is one-sided then it is not mutually loving.
Procreation(making babies) is of particular concern for a wife in regard to how her body is to be uniquely employed in pregnancy as well as in nursing & nurturing. Pregnancy makes her physically vulnerable in ways in which a husband is not.
And many may not realize it, but pregnancy also makes the husband vulnerable. Thru childbirth he is not so vulnerable physically, but his responsibilities become elevated or magnified! The husband now has to consider himself not only as his wife’s main provider, but he now has the added responsibility of providing for their child also!
These are things to consider in marriage. Things which our society encourages us to marginalize & side-step.
“Wife”2X(See :2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 27, 29, 33, 39)—gunh—Noun Fem.—1) A woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow; 2) a wife—2a) Of a betrothed woman. Strong—A woman; specially--A wife.
“Not”(See :10, 15; :1, 4, 5, 10—mh)—ou, ouk, OR--ouc—Particle—1) No, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer. Strong—a primary word; the absolute negative [compare mh] adverb; No or not.
*“Authority Over”2X”—exousiazw—Verb—1) To have power or authority, use power—1a) To be master of any one, exercise authority over one, 1b) To be master of the body—1b1) To have full & entire authority over the body, 1b2) To hold the body subject to one's will; 1c) To be brought under the power of anyone. Strong—To control. Used 4X.?From—exousia—Privilege, i.e. subjectively--Force, capacity, competency, freedom; or objectively--Mastery; concretely--Magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token of control(wielding delegated influence).?*exousiazw is translated in 6:12 as--“Brought under...Power/Mastered/Brought under...Control.
“Her own”/“His own”—tou idiou——idiov—Adj.—1) Pertaining to one's self, one's own, belonging to one's self. Strong—Pertaining to self, i.e. One's own; by implication--Private or separate.
“Body”—swma—Noun Neuter—1) The body both of men or animals—1a) A dead body or corpse, 1b) The living body; 3) Is used of a (large or small)number of men closely united into one society, or family as it were; a social, ethical, mystical body; 4) That which casts a shadow as distinguished from the shadow itself. Strong—The body(as a sound whole), used in a very wide application, literally or figuratively.
“But”2X(See :7, 10)—alla—Conjunction—1) But—1a) Nevertheless, notwithstanding, 1b) An objection, 1c) An exception, 1d) A restriction, 1e) Nay, rather, yea, moreover, 1f) Forms a transition to the cardinal matter. Strong—neuter plural of allov[else, i.e. different]; properly--Other things, i.e. adverbially--Contrariwise(in many relations). RWP—Perhaps, "nevertheless," in spite of the difference just noted.
“Husband”2X(See :2, 3, 11, 10, 13, 14, 16, 34, 39)—anhr—Noun Masc.—1) with reference to sex—1a) Of a male, 1b) Of a husband, 1c) Of a betrothed or future husband; 2) With reference to age, & to distinguish an adult man from a boy; 3) Any male; 4) Used generically of a group of both men & women. Strong—A man(properly as an individual male).
“And”(See :3, 4; :2—“Nevertheless/But”)—de—Conjunction—1) But, moreover, and, etc.. Strong—a primary particle(adversative or continuative); But, and, etc..
“Likewise”(See :3)—omoiwv—Adverb—1) Likewise, equally, in the same way. Strong—Similarly. Used 30X.?From the base of—omou—genitive case of omov (the same; akin to ama[properly--at the "same" time, but freely used as a preposition or adverb denoting close association]) as adverb; At the same place or time.
Argumentation:
Gen. 39:1-23—“Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. And Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, & he was a successful man; & he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him & that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, & served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, & all that he had he put under his authority. So it was, from the time that he had made him overseer of his house & all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; & the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had in the house & in the field. Thus he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, & he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form & appearance. And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, & she said, “Lie with me.” But he refused & said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, & he has committed all that he has to my hand. There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, & sin against God?” So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, & none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, & fled & ran outside. And so it was, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand & fled outside, that she called to the men of her house & spoke to them, saying, “See, he has brought in to us a Hebrew to mock us. He came in to me to lie with me, & I cried out with a loud voice. And it happened, when he heard that I lifted my voice & cried out, that he left his garment with me, & fled & went outside.” So she kept his garment with her until his master came home. Then she spoke to him with words like these, saying, “The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came in to me to mock me; so it happened, as I lifted my voice & cried out, that he left his garment with me & fled outside.” So it was, when his master heard the words which his wife spoke to him, saying, “Your servant did to me after this manner,” that his anger was aroused. Then Joseph’s master took him & put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were confined. And he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph & showed him mercy, & He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners who were in the prison; whatever they did there, it was his doing. The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the LORD was with him; & whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.”
Jn. 16:13-15—“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; & He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine & declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine & declare it to you.”
You may never had considered this, but as a Christian the Holy Spirit was & is with you in everything you do, even in your sexual exploits! Possibly many of you should reconsider your exploits & seek your Lord in prayer!
1Thess. 5:1-10—“But concerning the times & the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace & safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light & sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch & be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, & those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith & love, & as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”
Heb. 12:1-2—“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, & the sin which so easily ensnares us, & let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author & finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, & has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Illustration:
Local family-owned business/Those within the family who have ownership of the business, work together to present authoritative particulars to that business that guide it’s overall workings—The focus of the business—ice cream, tile, pizza, commercial electrical supplies, flip-flops, new cars, shorts, tops, charter fishing, etc../His AUTHORITY
Stringed Puppets/The puppet does exactly what the puppeteer desires/The puppet INVOLUNTARILY submits itself to the puppeteer/The husband is not to make or force his will upon his wife—sexually or otherwise—He is not his wife’s puppeteer!...Likewise, the wife is not to force her will upon her husband—sexually or otherwise—She is not her husband’s puppeteer!/Thru their willing commitment to one another under God’s authority, husband & wife belong to each other for the other’s betterment & benefit!/His AUTHORITY
Application:
?Is the focal point of your Marriage upon God’s AUTHORITY?
?Does your Marriage Maintain God’s Intent??
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Many who want a ‘church wedding’ want God’s blessing upon their marriage, without any commitment on their part to the God who provides the blessing!
Action:
Maintaining God’s intent for marriage(& singleness) demands a concentration upon...
4. His AUTHORITY(:4)
1. His DIRECTIVES(:1)
2. His LIMITATION(:2)
3. His AFFECTION(:3)
Pt#s 4 only! presented 02/03/2019am to:
FBC C’belle
206 Storrs Ave. SW(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
