Twin City church of Christ Blog
“Apr 5, 2024 - Married People Are Not Their Own”
Categories: 2024 Reading DevotionalsMarried People Are Not Their Own
Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:1-5
The Corinthians have written Paul asking his advice on certain topics, including marriage. “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman’”(1 Cor 7:1). I believe that Paul is quoting the Corinthians’ letter here. Apparently they think that abstaining completely from sex is virtuous, even for the married. Paul does not agree. “But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband”(1 Cor 7:2). Complete sexual abstinence will not be possible for all people (1 Cor 7:7) and marriage should not be disdained just because it involves sex. The Corinthian perspective of total abstinence goes too far.
But Paul also wants to advise married people about the nature of their sex lives. “The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, 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”(1 Cor 7:3-4). When we give ourselves to another in marriage, we belong to them in a unique way. They now have authority over our body, and we theirs. This has implications for the willingness to have sexual relations in marriage. “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”(1 Cor 7:5). Refusing to have sex with our mates—unless by temporary mutual agreement—violates our promise to them and may lead to temptation.
Paul has argued that “you are not your own”(1 Cor 6:19) because we have been bought with a price. Married people are especially not their own. Their bodies belong to Jesus and to their mates. Marital sex strengthens the bonds of our commitment to one another and reduces the temptations of Satan.
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One Thing to Think About: Why might the Corinthians have thought complete abstinence was best?
One Thing to Pray For: Willingness to cede my rights to Jesus—and my mate
