November 8th, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Living with Our Sexuality

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Lord God, give me a real hunger for Your Word so that I may discover the joy of understanding its meaning.

Read 1 Corinthians 7:1-16

[1] Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” [2] But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. [3] The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. [4] The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. [5] Do not deprive each other except perhaps 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. [6] I say this as a concession, not as a command. [7] I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. [8] Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. [9] But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. [10] To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. [11] But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. [12] To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. [13] And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. [14] For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. [15] But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. [16] How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

“In the light of the sheer difficulty of living out the Christian ideal of marriage, and the appalling effects it has on others when Christian marriages fail, celibacy should come back into careful consideration as a live alternative to marriage” (Michael Green). That’s an interesting thought, and it is advocated by Paul!

Think Further

I write this in a time when our country (and even some of our churches) is discussing the nature of marriage and whether it should be restricted to a man and a woman. How should we think about marriage and how should we live out Christian marriage? Paul views it as a provision of God which expresses love, faithfulness and submission (1-5). That includes sexual relations, marriage being the God-given place for physical expression of our sexuality. Paul is realistic about sexual appetite and the temptations that accompany it. He shows none of the embarrassment that seems to assail us! We are all beings with sexual thoughts, feelings and longings, some of which are difficult to control. Our teaching and support must reflect that context.

Marriage mirrors the covenant commitment of God to his people with its intimate, patient and unfailing love (see Psa. 86:15; 89:1-5). It is that covenant faithfulness that Paul applies when he comes to speak about divorce and mixed, Christian/non-Christian, marriages. Divorce is very much a last resort because it challenges the very basis of faithfulness and mutual submission on which marriage is based. And it is God’s covenant love that extends to those who are associated with God’s people, i.e., unbelieving husbands or wives and children (Num. 15:14,15). They are somehow made holy; in a special place to hear, experience and respond to the love of God in Christ. Like Peter, Paul sees (16) the intimacy of marriage as a place where the Gospel can be truly incarnated (1 Pet. 3:1,2).

Paul elevates the place of singleness (6-9). Not everyone who is single views it as a “gift” (7), at least not as a gift they wanted! Paul commends it as a sacrificial lifestyle choice, but no guilt attaches to getting married (9): that too is a gift from God.

Apply

How have your ideas of sex been skewed? How do you need God’s help?

Closing prayer

Father God, help me straighten out my distorted thinking about sexual matters. Break strongholds of sinful thinking and living. I desire to glorify You in all things.

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