1 CORINTHIANS 7

Question:
What is the strongest human drive?
    – Hunger.

Question:
What is the 2nd strongest human drive?
    – Sex.

Question:
What are some modern day phrases relating to sex?
    – If it feels good, do it.
    – Free love.
    – Sexual revolution.
    Question:
        Free?
            – Not under the control or power of another.
        Love?
            – Strong affection for, or attachment to someone.
        ‘Free Love’
            – Contradictory statement?

Question:
Revolution?
    – Overthrow of a government or social system with another taking its place.

    Question:
    What system was the sexual revolution overthrowing?
        – God’s.

Question:
What are some negative results from the use of sex?
    – Teenage pregnancies (fornication).
    – Increase of venereal diseases.
    – AIDS.
    – Marriage failures.
    – Legalized abortion (murder).
    – Adultery.
    – Pornography (leads to child abuse and “snuff films”).
    – Sexual confusion.

Question:
Who benefits from the sexual revolution?
    – Satan.
    – Abortionists.
    – Pornographers.
    – Brothels.

Question:
Who suffers from the sexual revolution?
    – Children (actually everyone).

Question:
Who is the sexual aggressor in the teenage years?
Why?

    Note:
        Boys play at love (which they are not emotionally ready for)
        in order to get what they want, which is sex.

        Girls play at sex (which they are not emotionally ready for)
        in order to get what they want, which is love.
        Note:
            Teenage girls have been ranked as the loneliest people.

Question:
What are some positive results from sex within marriage?
    – Ultimate expression of love.
    – Sensitivity to others needs.
    – Devotion.
    – Children.

Question:
How is sex misused in our society today?
    – Commercials.
    – Movies.
    – Adultery.
    – Pornography.
    – Entertainment.

1 CORINTHIANS 7:
A strong movement had developed that insisted any sexual contact was evil.

The movement proposed several ideas for Christian behavior:
    – Truly religious people could not marry.
    – To marry was to yield to the desires of the flesh.
    – The person who was already married
      had to refrain from sexual relations.

The Corinthians wrote to Paul with many questions
pertaining to marriage and sex.
    – Paul was responding to their questions.

VERSE 1:
Paul says that it is better not to marry.

Question:
Why do you think he would say that?

VERSE 2:
Paul is stating that there is no place for premarital sex.

Question:
What is the real name for premarital sex?
    – Fornication.

Paul says if the temptations are too strong,
then marriage should be a consideration.

VERSE 3:
Question:
‘Benevolence’?
    – Kindness.

We have a responsibility for attending to the needs of our spouse.
Question:
What needs?
    – Support.                   – Love.
    – Comforting.            – Affection.
    – Conversation.        – Advice.
    – Listening.                – Sex.

Question:
Ingredients of a healthy marriage?
    – Love.                                   – Compromise.
    – Friendship.                        – Communication.
    – Trust.                                   – Commitment.
    – Priority of God.                 – Sex.
    – Financial budgeting.       – Allow individuality.

VERSE 4:
Wives and husbands have an authority with each other that
no one else has – each has a voice in the use of the other one’s body.

A spouse should respect the sexual needs of their husband or wife.
Question:
Why?

VERSE 5:
Refers to abstinence.

Question:
What are the qualifications for abstinence?
    – Mutual consent.
    – Substitute fasting and prayer.
    – Short specified time.

Question:
What is the danger of prolonged abstinence?
    – Satan’s temptations will become stronger.

Question:
What could rejection of sexual advance from a spouse lead to?
    – Adultery.

Question:
‘Incontinence’?
    – Without self-restraint, especially in regards to sexual activity.
    – Another word for “lack of self-control”.

VERSE 6:
Question:
‘This’?
    – verse 5 (husband and wife practice abstinence,
                      then come together again).
    NOTE:
        This is permitted, but not a commandment.

VERSE 7:
Paul says he wishes everyone could remain single (like himself),
however he realized some did not possess the special gift of being
able to live as an unmarried person.

VERSE 8:
Paul says there is nothing wrong with being single.

VERSE 9:
We see that Paul is a realist.

He realizes that some do not have the gift of the single life;
some had strong sexual urges that were difficult,
if not impossible, to overcome;
these people would be better off to marry.

Question:
Should that be the basis for marrying?
    – No.
          – No commitment.
          – Selfishness.
    Note:
        Marriage should be based on love and a desire for companionship.

VERSE 10:
Some who were already married when they became
a Christian concerned;
should they go back to the single state
in order to be faithful to God.

Paul says that not only he, but the Lord also states,
that the wife should not leave the husband.

Question:
Why was he addressing the women;
could it be that they were leaving more than the husbands were?
    – We don’t know.

VERSE 11:
Now Paul says that if she has left her husband, she should not
marry anyone else, or, she should be reconciled to her husband.

Paul then addresses
the husbands – they should not divorce their wives.

Question:
If a person is divorced and re-married, and later
becomes a Christian, or becomes aware of the
bible’s stance regarding this, should they divorce
and be reconciled to their first spouse?

Question:
Why or why not?

VERSE 14:
Question:
“Sanctified”?
    – Set apart.

Question:
What does this verse mean?
    – Both husband and wife would be able to enjoy the blessings
      from the Lord because one of them was a believer?

VERSE 17:
When we are saved, we have to deal with
our circumstances at that time.
Example:
    Someone is divorced and married someone else.
    When they are saved, should they divorce again
    and return to their first spouse?
    Paul says, “No”.
    As a new Christian, they are now following God’s
    guidelines, so divorce would be wrong.

    Note:
        Verses 18-20, He expounds on this principle.

VERSE 28:
Question:
Meaning of this verse?
    – He explains later in verses 32-35.

By the way, guys:
    When we ask our wife, “what’s wrong” and they
    respond with, “Oh nothing”,
    then we know they mean, “Oh something”.
    Then they disappear into the bathroom
    for an hour (what do they do in there?).

VERSE 40.
Paul was saying,
    “I believe the Spirit is guiding my thoughts”.

SUMMARY:
– We have the choice of being single or married;
  both are honorable before God.

– The Christian life has no room
  for sexual activities outside of marriage.

– Marriage involves sexual relations between husband and wife.

– Abstinence should be with mutual consent and for a specified time.

– Married Christians have an obligation to remain married.