"Marriage Between the Advents," 1 Corinthians 7:1-16, Dan Claire

But we're working our way. Through the book of first.

Corinthians, the first half of it this summer, and today's

lesson is from Chapter 7, and you can find that in the Church

Bible on page 898. You're going to want to turn

there and follow along. We'll be working.

Through it very carefully, verse by verse.

It's about boring. Stuff sex.

And marriage and divorce and stuff.

I'm sorry. There's a lot here, really, for

all of us. Though and.

I encourage you to. Pay attention and follow along

regardless of your marital. Status.

So let's pray as we. Begin.

We thank you Almighty God. For the gift of your word.

Thank you that you. Speak to us through it.

Pour out your spirit. Upon us that we would hear from

you and understand what you were saying and then.

Give us the courage. And strength to live faithfully.

According to what you. Teach us in Jesus name Amen in

about 49 AD. Paul St.

Paul travelled to. Corinth in Greece, cosmopolitan

city, seaport city. And he lived.

There by himself for. 18 months and he shared.

Jesus with the people. There, and he started a new

church there and then after those 18 months he returned to

his sending church in Antioch, and he stayed in touch with the

Corinthian church through the mail and about.

Three years later, Paul. Heard disturbing reports about

what was happening in the church that he had started in Corinth.

They were fighting with one another.

He was hearing about the quarreling.

He also heard. Something very scandalous that a

young man was sleeping with his stepmother and was proud of it,

and So what? Paul did was he wrote to.

Them admonishing and exhorting them about these matters.

That he had heard about the reports that he had received.

About them that. Is what we have covered so far.

In First Corinthians chapters 1 to 6 now Chapter 7, today we

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

turn the corner. We start a new section, and in

this section Paul is responding to something different.

That he has heard he has received a letter directly.

From the leaders of the church in Corinth.

With a list of. Questions.

Things that have come up. Over the last three years.

Theological Ethical. Questions that have emerged in

their doing life and church together.

Questions like what about? Sex.

We know that it's wrong for it to happen outside of marriage.

Should we just give it up all together?

Another question, what about divorce and remarriage OK or not

OK? What about believers?

Who are married to unbelievers and on there are many questions

that they raised. There is no narrative arc to

these questions. I'm sorry.

Guys is a list. And what we're going to work

through. Is the first part of that list

today. In Chapter 7, we're going to

work through verse 16 and. As we do, I will.

Highlight seven principles about marriage and sexual intimacy

from first Corinthians 7. I'm from the.

South, I talk slow. I'm going to try to talk fast.

It's hard for me, but we're going to work.

Through this. And will you?

Please take out a. Pen and take notes.

This is ordinary time. This is a time when we are

learning from the Lord and ordering our lives accordingly.

So I encourage. You.

To pay attention as we work through what?

Paul has to say about. Marriage and divorce sex.

The rest of it we will. Try to cover next week where

Paul says more about singleness as we begin one more

clarification and that is as Christians, we believe that what

St. Paul.

Has written to the Corinthians is for the entire church in all

places, in all times. This letter was written to be

copied and circulated. Followed by all churches.

And that's what has happened over the last 2000 years.

At the same time, we remember, or we should remember, that

First Corinthians 7 is not the only place that Paul talks about

these matters. He talks about them a lot in

Ephesians and in Colossians and other places.

And so, and it's not just Paul talking about these kinds of

things, but the. Whole Bible speaks to these.

Sort of ethical questions. And so our work is to integrate

what we're reading. Here with the full.

Witness of Scripture and that's what I'll try to be doing and

with all these things in mind now let's.

Look at Chapter 7. Verses 1 and 2 where Paul writes

now concerning the matters. About which you wrote.

And the Greek. Here could say.

Is it a question or? It is good for.

A man to have not to have sexual relations with a woman.

But because of. The temptation to sexual

immorality. Each man should have his own

wife and each woman her own husband.

Here's the first principle. God made marriage to be the

union of one man and one woman. God made marriage to be the

union of one man and one woman. This is evident from verse 2

where Paul says that each man should have his own wife and

each woman her own husband. Both here and elsewhere he

describes marriage as the union of one man and one woman, man

and wife. And this isn't unique.

To Paul it is. Consistent through the entire.

Bible The Bible. Uniformly and overwhelmingly.

Shows. That God made marriage to be the

union of one man and one woman. Genesis to Revelation second

principle. God designed sexual intimacy for

the marriage bed. God designed sexual intimacy for

the marriage bed. Look at verse one.

The Corinthians knew. That sex outside.

Of marriage was forbidden, so they asked.

Paul, if it would be better if. Everyone abstained completely.

They wrote it is or is it? Good for a man not to have

sexual relations with a woman. Paul is quoting what they have

written to him and his response is no, don't abstain.

Sex isn't evil. See verse 2 where?

He says each man should. Have or that is sleep.

With his own wife and each wife the same with her husband.

And what Paul is doing here is he's affirming scripture from

the very beginning. What?

Has what God has. Designed in marriage sexual

intimacy for the marriage bed now of course western culture

mainstream western culture sees things very differently right we

live in a very. Different world where casual sex

as it's called. Is encouraged outside of

marriage. Hooking up is no big deal in our

culture. But for us as.

Christians, it is a. Very big deal, It's a very big

deal. First Corinthians chapters 5 and

1 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

6, which we've. Covered over the past few weeks

is where? Paul condemns sexual intimacy

outside of marriage. He does this 3.

Times very strongly in the last. Couple of chapters.

And Paul's teaching, once again, is consistent with the entire

witness. Of Scripture.

Especially the Old Testament where sex outside of marriage.

Is usually a capital. Offense.

So why is? Sexual fidelity in marriage so

important. For us as Christians, it's

because of a. 3rd principle and that principle.

Is that? Sexual intimacy is Sacramento.

Sexual intimacy is Sacramento. It's not a sacrament.

I'm not saying that it's sacrament, ish.

It is Sacramento. It is an icon.

That tells a spiritual story. In a visible physical.

Way always. Sex outside of marriage.

Does this. It tells a story.

Among consenting unmarried persons, it offers a mirage.

Of false Of false gospel. Promising everlasting pleasure

without commitment among non consenting persons.

Rape. Sexual abuse also tells a

spiritual story. A much more diabolical 1,

ultimately picturing Satan, not Christ, having his.

Way with the Church. And then there's the real thing,

sex within marriage that tells A.

Story as well. Within the permanency of

marriage, sex becomes an icon. Of the joy that will truly last

forever. Humanity's eternal union with

God. Through Christ our Lord for us

as. Christians, there's no such

thing as casual sex. Because sex is always.

Sacramento And that's why sex remains such a serious matter.

For us as. Christians and why?

If you are. Presently seeking sexual

fulfilment outside of marriage. You must stop it right now.

Do so no longer. Your sin is harming you and it's

harming others. Especially because it.

Proclaims a false gospel it. Paints a false picture.

It is a mirage and it betrays. The Lord.

If you've fallen into. This grave error.

I am very sorry, I know. That our culture.

Dominates the airwaves and it teaches something that.

Is very different, it tells us. Over and over again in

countless. Ways that sex is no big deal.

Come to the. Clergy, we wait.

To meet with you. To offer.

Forgiveness, healing, restoration and to help you live

a different. Way we are eager to help restore

you. In this area so that you can

make a. Fresh start.

This is important. That you.

Find a way. To live a holy.

Life in this area from this day. Forward for the rest of your.

Life Now on the other hand, for those of you who are married,

God has made you one flesh. He blesses your lovemaking, for

it points to the consummation of all things.

Because sex is always. Sacramento It always paints a

picture. It tells a story that is either

true or false. And it is true in the marriage

bed. Now take a look at verses 3 and

4. The husband.

Should give to his wife her conjugal rights.

What a terrible. Translation and likewise.

The wife to her. Husband for the wife does not

have authority over her own body, but the husband.

Does likewise the. Husband does not have authority

over his own body, but the wife. Does the Greek.

Does not say conjugal rights. It says nothing like that it.

Speaks. Of our mutual indebtedness one

to the other. Husbands and wives are indebted

to one another, and it speaks of enriching one another.

Through the gift of love through the gift.

Of one's body. And This is why spouses must.

Steward their their partner. 'S body.

Well, listen to this. This is an important principle.

Don't miss this, especially if you have been.

Privy to the debates about. Egalitarianism and

complementarianism both. Sides are partially correct.

There's no doubt that in creation God made man and woman

in his image. And they have men and women have

complementary roles. But in marriage within marriage,

we discover a fourth principle and that.

Is this, Paul says. That married couples exercise an

egalitarian stewardship of one another.

'S bodies because God. Made the husband and the wife

one flesh. Here's the principle again.

Couples Married couples must exercise an egalitarian

stewardship of one another's. Bodies.

Because God made the husband and wife one.

Flesh, Paul will later say, just as your.

I cannot say to your hand I have no need of you in the same way

he says it. Later.

I say it now, just as the the I cannot say to the hand I have no

need of you, neither May 1 spouse unilaterally end.

A couple's sexual. Union, because they're one

flesh, they're one fleshness, is nurtured and strengthened

through regular sexual intimacy. And this egalitarian

stewardship, this, this ownership of one another's

bodies extends far beyond sexual intimacy.

It extends to the stewardship. This is what Paul is talking

about. Stewardship of one another's

bodies entirely so if your. Spouse has.

Type 1 diabetes then together you and your.

Spouse have responsibility to care for that body.

To make sure. That that body receives the the

right dosage of glucose of sugars.

And has the right amount of insulin on a daily basis.

That's the kind of. Stewardship that spouses have.

Over one another. And that is because God has made

you one flesh. Now of course, this mustn't be

interpreted to condone tyranny of one over the other.

And there are legitimate reasons from time to time for abstinence

within marriage. Look at verses.

Five and six do not deprive one another.

Except perhaps by. Agreement for a limited time

that you may. Devote yourselves to prayer.

But then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt.

You because of your. Lack of self-control, Paul adds

now as a concession, not a command.

I say this essentially, Paul is advocating a kind of fasting

here that like what we do during Lent and Advent.

Married persons, May, he says. May.

Take a break. From sexual intimacy for a

season if it draws them nearer. To the Lord.

But this is an option, Paul says.

It's not an order, and it's only for so long as it is beneficial.

To both persons. Because there are many.

Perverse forces out there. Out in our culture that are

trying to. Tear couples apart.

And so sexual intimacy is a remedy against that.

Now at the beginning of verse 7, Paul reminds them that he

himself is unmarried and. Celibate, but the way.

That he's written so. Far the 1st 6.

Chapters and up until this point in Chapter 7 really strongly.

Suggests that Paul was. Married earlier in his life and

that he has become a. Widower at this?

Point Remember, Paul had been a. Leader of the Pharisees.

And there is little to no historical evidence at all.

Of. Pharisees who were unmarried.

So it is likely that he was. Married at some point.

In any case, now he is not married and he is celibate, and

he sings. He sees his singleness as an

advantage. To his.

Calling listen again to verses 7 and 9, he says I wish.

That all were. As I myself AM.

But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of

another to the unmarried and the.

Widows, I say. That it is good for them to

remain single as I am, but if they cannot exercise

self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than

to burn with passion. Look particularly at verse. 7

and notice the. Word.

Gift that word. Is charisma the same word that

Paul is going to use in First Corinthians 12 over and over

again to. Talk about spiritual gifts.

Here in verse 7 of Chapter 7. Paul says that God calls.

And. Gifts us.

To a particular marital. Status as well.

Whether married or single and. Celibate.

These are gifts. From God and by the way.

The fact that he. Uses gift in this.

Way here totally. Undermines the modern mistaken

notion that all charismatic gifts must be spontaneous.

Not at all. Now Paul evidently saw his

singleness as having pragmatic benefit.

For his work. As an apostle, as an example, he

had the freedom to move from Antioch to Corinth for 18 months

and start a church. There to work there.

Night and day, sharing the good news and planting this church.

As an apostle and a church planter, Paul longed for other.

People to have that. Kind of freedom for Christian

mission. But at the same time, Paul also

recognized the Christian benefits of marriage.

So at the end of the day, both Christian marriage and Christian

singleness offer freedoms to follow.

And serve the Lord. Just in different ways now,

Paul. Liked his way best.

He makes that. Clear through the chapter, but

he has the. Good sense not to insist on his.

Way for everybody. That comes out.

As we read it, so here. Then is 1/5 principle related to

this and that is? God's.

Gift in verse 7 isn't really. Marital status per SE.

It isn't really either marriage. Or celibacy, the gift.

In verse 7. Is the gift of.

Contentment. The gift of contentment, whether

in marriage or in celibacy. The gift of contentment.

For the sake of. Mission again.

God's gift is. Contentment, whether in marriage

or in. Celibacy for the sake.

Of mission. If you are a.

Christian Whether you're ordained or not, God plans.

To use you for the rest of your life.

In mission, as his ambassador wherever he sends you.

That is his. Plan from what Paul is saying in

verse 7. My sense is that.

If you lack. Contentment in your current

marital state, then you ought to.

Ask God to give you that gift, that gift of.

Contentment so that you might be more useful to him in mission.

The way that you. Are then if he doesn't.

Give you this gift. Then my recommendation is that

if you continue to lack contentment in your current.

State Share This. Burden with your brothers and

sisters in the church and let us.

Pray with you. About a remedy, I remember years

ago when I was in college, I was attending a different church at

the university, and there was this brainy single guy who.

Was very. Discontent in his singleness,

and he would stand every time the.

Church gathered to pray. He would stand and he.

Would pray. Lamenting his state, sharing his

broken heart and asking that God would give him a wife.

And this went on week. After week after week for well

over a year. And then one day in she came and

they got married. And sure enough, his mission,

his ministry as a layman in that church and in that city

multiplied tenfold. God answered his prayer the way

that God answered Hannah's prayer in Shiloh, in First

Samuel. And remember.

God blessed her because she was. Willing to pray in this way.

With God's people, God will bless you as you share this

prayer with others. And as you seek him and this

this seeing this work in that church worked in.

Everybody's life. To convince them more and more

of the power of the living God to answer prayer.

Now I've got to keep moving this.

Is such a full passage? What about divorce?

Look at verses. 10 and 11, Paul says to the married.

I give this charge. Not I but the.

Lord, the wife should. Not separate from her husband,

but if she. Does she should?

Remain unmarried. Or else be.

Reconciled to her husband, and the husband should not.

Divorce his wife. Here's a 6th principle.

Jesus forbids divorce except. Under exceptional circumstances,

when Paul writes not I but the Lord in verse 10, he's pointing

us. To the Gospels.

The witness of what? Jesus has said.

And that's where we find Jesus's direct instruction, where Jesus

says what God has joined together, let no one.

Separate the four. Gospels may not have been in

circulation when Paul wrote, but certainly.

Paul had access to. Luke and to Mark and he had

access to the things. That Jesus had said.

In in what they were collecting. And certainly Paul, the former

Pharisee, knew the old. Story of the.

Pharisees who came to test Jesus, asking him.

Is it lawful? For a man.

To divorce his wife. Now, back in the Old Testament,

divorce was permissible under certain rare circumstances like

adultery, abandonment and abuse. But the Pharisees had

reinterpreted this in. Liberal ways and they were.

Practicing something like. Our no fault divorce.

Today and so Jesus rebuked them, pointing back to the first

marriage in Genesis chapter 2 and the two became 1 flesh and.

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

Jesus said what God? Has joined together, let no one

separate and then for his. Disciples.

Jesus went on to. Say what Paul quotes in verses.

10 and 11 the wife mustn't divorce her husband and remarry,

nor should the husband divorce his wife.

And so the church down through the centuries.

Has always held. This same position, the same

position as we find in the teachings of the Old Testament.

Divorce is forbidden apart from these rare circumstances of

adultery, abuse or abandonment, and even then only.

As a last resort after all. Attempts at reconciliation have

failed to save a marriage. That's headed for disaster.

Both wife. And husband should humble

themselves, confess their sins and be reconciled.

And just as importantly, husbands and wives.

Should live together. With mutual love and respect so

that their marriage never gets to the point where divorce is

contemplated. Now look at verse. 12 where we.

Find one of the most frequently misunderstood verses in the

entire Bible. Paul writes to the rest I say I.

Not the Lord. And readers often misunderstand

this to mean that what Paul says next is just his kind of

personal opinion and it's not scripture anymore.

That's not what Paul means. Rather, this is his way.

Of saying I'm done quoting Jesus from the gospels and now I'm

moving on with new answers to your questions.

From our perspective, it would have been much.

Easier if Paul had used. Quotation Marks and if he had.

Put a little. Footnote at the bottom of the

papyrus and said something like. This is what the Lord Jesus.

Said attributing it to. Jesus with the date.

That Jesus said it and all those sort of conventions that we

have. Today but.

They didn't have these things in Koinet Greek.

They had not invented footnotes yet.

They had not invented quotation marks yet.

And in fact. The way that they wrote.

Was to mash. Words together.

To mash sentences together. To mash paragraphs.

Together they wrote just letters across the page.

Saving space and. All of this stuff.

Came later and so the. Way that Paul does the closed.

Quotation mark is when he says I not the Lord does that make

sense and this. Leads us to a. 7th principle

Then if you're married, then your marriage is part of your

mission. If you're married, then your

marriage is part of your mission.

Verses 12 and 13. Paul.

Addresses. Christian brothers and sisters

who find themselves in marriages with unbelievers.

He is not here condoning dating and marrying someone who is not

a Christian. That is not what he's talking

about here. That would be a.

Foolish mistake at Cross. Purposes with all the rest of

what he's talking. About in this chapter, what Paul

is doing here is he's speaking to those individuals who

converted during his time in Corinth or have.

Converted over the last three years.

And whose spouses have not converted and they find

themselves in a mixed marriage. And he says to them, stay

married, stay married so long as your.

Spouse is. Cooperative and doesn't hinder

you from following the. Lord, because it's possible that

through your fidelity to the. Lord, and through the.

Rich tapestry of life. That you enjoy in the church and

all of these other benefits that your spouse may yet come to

faith. And so if you find yourself

married to an unbeliever, have a mercy on your.

Spouse, just as the Lord has had.

Mercy on you because your marriage is part of your

mission. But to be clear, if you're.

Married Doesn't matter who you're married to, your marriage

is part of your mission. Regardless.

Mission, by the way. Is about a lot.

More than making converts, verse 14, Paul highlights one benefit

that a believer brings into a family and that is a sanctifying

effect. Before the coming of Christ,

back in the first creation in the Old Testament time, remember

that uncleanness was contagious. You touch a dead.

Body that that uncleanness. Sticks to you you.

Touch someone who's bleeding, Their uncleanness sticks to you.

But along comes Jesus and the Gospels, and he's reaching out

and touching people, and His Holiness goes to them, right?

His cleanness is contagious, and it's been that way ever since

those of us. Who are filled with the Holy

Spirit. Have this same gift we bring

cleanness. Wherever we go.

And so this is a benefit within marriage, within a mixed

marriage. Like this, Paul says it's OK for

a believer. To remain married to an

unbeliever. And one of the reason is because

this cleanness, this holiness spreads from those.

Of us who are. Christians and it's the same.

If there are children that are born in a mixed marriage, they

also have the same protection. See verse 14.

The children aren't made unclean by the unbelieving.

Spouse rather the Holy Spirit. Protects and preserves them.

Too, but verse. 15 Paul. Says if your spouse.

Leaves or tyrannizes? You because of your.

Faith, let them go. God is giving you a gift.

It's a hard gift, but it's a gift.

All the same. That gives you that.

Greater freedom for mission that Paul enjoyed 4 verse 16 you

cannot. Save your spouse, that is not

your job, that's Jesus job. So entrust your spouse to God.

Rest in the peace and companionship.

Of the Lord. And use your time.

And resources to further. The coming of His Kingdom.

We have just made it through verse 16.

Have a nice day. This is a list.

The list. Continues There are more

questions we'll. Take up the the.

Next set of questions. Next.

Week let me just. Remind you of the seven things

that we've seen in this passage, and then I will pray.

First, God made marriage to be the union of one man and one

woman. Secondly, God designed sexual

intimacy for the marriage. Bed.

Thirdly, sexual. Intimacy is always Sacramento.

4th couples exercise an. Egalitarian stewardship over one

another's. Bodies, because God.

Made them one. Flesh 5th God gives us the gift.

Of contentment, whether in marriage or in.

Celibacy for the sake. Of mission and. 6th Jesus

forbids divorce. Except in very unusual

circumstances. And 7th if you're married, then

your marriage is part of your mission.

Let's pray, Lord, we're no longer our own, but yours.

We pray that you would. Use us as you will place us

with. Whom you will, and bless us with

marriage and family as you will. We.

Freely and fully surrender all things to your glory and

service. And now, a wonderful and holy

God, Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer, you are ours and we

are yours. Through Jesus.

Christ our Lord, Amen.