You started off saying marriage is not ONLY about sex, which is a truism. But you ended with "That's what's important" as if to say "sex is not important." This is a very subtle but frequent deception. First you knock down the strawman argument of "marriage is only about sex" which no one is asserting. Then you gradually work your way to the position that marriage is essentially not at all about sex.
The word consummation is defined as:
"the action of making a marriage or relationship complete by having sexual intercourse.
"the eager consummation that follows a long and passionate seduction"
- the point at which something is complete or finalized.
"the consummation of a sale"
synonyms: completion, accomplishment, achievement, attainment;
Sex is the act of marriage. To reduce sex within marriage to an optional activity solely for the purpose of selfish pleasure is to slander one of the most profound and meaningful gifts from God. Marriage and sex are bound together to the point where one does not morally exist without another. An unconsummated marriage is not simply grounds for divorce, it is grounds for an annulment with remarriage as a moral option.
For
@Dave-W who thinks we should be using Augustine or St. Jerome as our apostles instead of Paul:
1 Corinthians 7:5
"Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency." (KJV)
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." (ESV)
The Bible was written in the context of a Jewish culture that had rigorous accountability structures in place to prevent sexless marriages. The term
mored was given to a man who refused to fulfill conjugal relations with his wife. There were punishments given to him if he went more than 4 sabbaths without fulfilling his duties. Likewise, a wife could get declared
moredet for refusing to fulfill her conjugal duties to her husband after four sabbaths. After one year of this, the Jewish leaders would grant a divorce.
Rather than damaging marriage by allowing divorce in cases of sexual refusal, the Jewish leaders understood the real threat came from sexless marriages, which if allowed to go unpunished, would lead to rampant immorality similar to the pagan Canaanite practice of temple prostitutes. Paul's admonishment to the Corinthians is reflective of his awareness of this danger. We should not be so cavalier in our responses to this person's situation that we lose sight of basic moral discernment.
