“Anything Goes”
1 Corinthians 6:9-7:9
Sermon Series: “Flesh”
Introduction: Last week, we talked about the fact that anything doesn’t go when it comes to sex. God has designed sex only for monogamous, heterosexual marriage. However, within marriage God says anything (as long as it is mutually acceptable and doesn’t violate some biblical principle) does go. Let’s examine what the Bible has to say about this subject, and then we will talk about singleness when we get to the end of the passage.
I. Our Attitude Toward Sex
1. Sex is a gift from God. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage
is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” After Solomon and his bride consummated their marriage, God spoke and said, “Eat, O friends! Drink, yes, drink deeply, O beloved ones!” (Song of Solomon 5:1b). I think the following is a biblical attitude toward sex. Sex in and of itself is a beautiful and holy gift from God. It is not taking something dirty and making it holy by placing it in marriage, but it is taking something holy and defiling it by using it outside of marriage.
2. Sex is a gift from God with particular purposes.
- Picture of our spiritual unity (Gen. 2:24)
- Physical expression of intimacy (Gen. 2:25)
- Procreation (Gen. 1:26-31)
- Pleasure (Proverbs 5:15-23) [see Song of Solomon]
- Protection [from temptation] (1 Cor. 7:1-9)
II. How To Live This Out Practically In Marriage
2. 3.
exception is by agreement for a specified time for
the purpose of prayer and fasting].
The Basis: The wife’s body belongs to her husband,
and the husband’s body belongs to the wife (notice the equality here).
The Reasons For This:
A. It is literally robbing each other when couples deprive one another.
B. It gives Satan an opportunity to bring temptation into the marriage.
1.
The commands
- The husband is to give his wife the affection he
owes her, and the wife is to give her husband the
affection that she owes him (v. 3).
- Husbands and wives are not to deprive (literally
means rob) one another sexually (v. 5) [the only
III. Advice For Singles
Paul talks about singleness at the end of this passage. He says that it is a good thing if you are gifted by God for it. If you are not gifted and are tempted sexually, then you should get married. How do you know if you have the gift (which means a spiritual gift) of singleness or celibacy? I believe there are three criteria: contentment, a sense of calling, and a lack of sexual temptation. If you do not have this gift but are currently unmarried, what should you do? Well, the Bible is not explicit on this issue, but this would be my pastoral counsel (and some of it is opinion so you can take that part for what it is worth).
1. Don’t settle for Mr. Right Now but wait for Mr. Right.
2. Work toward marriage.
3. Pray, pray, pray.
4. Prepare yourself
5. Guard your heart and date very carefully.
6. Remember that you are not ready to date/marry
until you are ready to not date/marry.
7. Listen to wise counsel.
8. Look at the core of the person-not the trappings. 9. Know your purpose and realize that satisfaction
comes only in the worship of Jesus.
10. Be sexually pure. Steven Furtick says, “Sex prevents
good relationships and prolongs bad relationships.”
