teaching notes : 1 cor. 7:1 - 7:6
theme : sex
understanding
introduction :
our secular obsession with sex...
dale and alex's slogan :
vote for uS
dalE
and aleX
sex...
1. fun outside of marriage, boring inside of marriage
(note : marriage sex usually more fulfilling (u chicago study))
2. fun for men, duty and power for women.
3. sexual people vs. non-sexual people
tone of the passage
gentle and encouraging
there is a contrast between this passage and some of the earlier sections...
- paul is sharp when confronting rebellion
- paul is gentle and encouraging with confusion
(intent difference between the two; one well intentioned and incorrect, one malintentioned)
pragmatic
a general working out of principles...
text :
7:1 Now with regard to the issues you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to
have sexual relations with a woman.”
7:2 But because of immoralities, each man should have his own wife and each woman
her own husband.
7:3 A husband should give to his wife her sexual rights, and likewise a wife to her
husband.
7:4 It is not the wife who has the rights to her own body, but the husband. In the
same way, it is not the husband who has the rights to his own body, but the wife.
7:5 Do not deprive each other, except by agreement for a definite time, so that you
may devote yourselves to prayer. Then resume your relationship, so that Satan
may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
7:6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.
v.1 - a likely quote
"it is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman" may be a quote
(i would argue that it is)
v.2 'becuase of immoralities'
if sex is going to be a cause of sin, find a spouse.
remarkably simple advice.
v. 6 - concession, not command : what is being conceded?
i think the only thing that makes sense is v.5 - abstaining from sex 'for a definite time'
principles / problems
1. sex is dirty
much of church history has condemned sex not for purposes of procreation as
either sin or as less valid.
ironically, this seems to be the very attitude paul is attempting to move the
corinthians away from.
augustine's condemnation of sex
(from augustine's
on the good of marriage)
because, the better they are, the earlier they have begun by mutual consent to
contain from sexual intercourse with each other: not that it should be
matter of necessity afterwards not to have power to do what they would,
but that it should be matter of praise to have been unwilling at the
first, to do what they had power to do.
- sex, as a passion of the flesh, is depraved
- v.3 is expressed as 'because of immoralities', not as a statement
which explains normal living.
the point we disagree with is that sex is depraved
- we have plenty of precedent to say that bodily desires are not necessarily evil...
the lord's supper...hunger and thrist are passions, food is a fulfillment..
though we can also say (chap 6) that fleshly passions aren't necessarliy good.
- the bible celebrates sex as an expression of love, not procreation (song of solomon)
those who enjoy sex pursue it for their own enjoyment
we treat sex as self-gratification.
2b. sex is for the man only
this is the cliche male attitude.
it has gotten better since the 60's, but it has come with licentionsness...
correct sexual attitudes :
1. a clean and holy expression of love and unity
designed and created by god, celebrated in scripture.
therefore, it should be undertaken with a joyful heart, and
not associated with guilt or depravity.
2. it should be undertaken with the same consideration and love as the
rest of marriage.
all of the principles we apply to the other areas of marriage should
apply to sex
honesty/communication
consideration
gentleness
patience
etc....
likewise, the principles of 'other first' elucadated here apply
to all areas of marriage
eph 5:28 In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their
own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
5:29 For no one has ever hated his own body but he feeds it and
takes care of it, just as Christ also does the church,
5:30 for we are members of his body.
3. an area of marital equality
a. paul puts man and women on equal footing
7:3 A husband should give to his wife her sexual rights, and likewise
a wife to her husband.
7:4 It is not the wife who has the rights to her own body, but the
husband. In the same way, it is not the husband who has the rights to
his own body, but the wife.
the man must render to his wife (even declared first) in the same manner as
the woman to the man.
b. this is an area in which man and women are on equal footing
i believe there are areas in which the wife is subordinate to the husband
(while the man is charged to love 'as christ loved')
that does not negate or deny the fundamental sameness of man and wife
gen. 2 describes her (woman/eve/wife) as a companion and helper.
nowhere is woman described to be man's slave or inferior.
4. sex as a microcosm of the relationship
sex is shared by the husband and wife.
sex is an opportunity for mutual enjoyment.
like couples who say that "we love to watch basketball together" or something...
sex is an opportunity for mutual service; both work to please the other.