The Bible and Sexual Immorality

[FaithT]

I have the NIV Life Application Study Bible and came across this verse, 1 Corinthians 7:1-2.
My Bible says.......Now for the matters you wrote about: “it is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife and each woman with her own husband.

This 1st Scripture sounds like all sexual relations are wrong in God’s eyes, including marital relations, except then it goes on to say marital relations are okay.
What does God mean? Does He think marital relations are sinful too, but better than unmarried relations? Or was marital sex not a gift to a married couple from God but all sex is immoral then God lightened up on those in marriage or what?

As most of you know, I was raised Catholic and I think intimacy is supposed to be for making babies. If a disabled man wants to marry in the RCC and can’t have children, they won’t be allowed to marry there.
So, in the LCMS is marital intimacy only for procreation and a sin otherwise?
Sorry, lots of questions.....

@Daniel9v9

 

[Carl Emerson]

It seems Paul was commenting on matters that were occurring in the life of his congregation.

The fact that he is aware of members falling to the sin of fornication does not mean sex is somehow the problem.

He is stressing that sex was meant for a married relationship between a woman and a man.

He also encourages those who can accept it that to be celibate for God's work is a good choice (knowing the pressure and persecution the church was under)

 

[RBPerry]

What Paul is really saying is if someone is single, they should remain that way. If their sexual desires are so strong they should marry and only have relations with their spouse. Read the entire chapter.

 

[FaithT]

What Paul is really saying is if someone is single, they should remain that way. If their sexual desires are so strong they should marry and only have relations with their spouse. Read the entire chapter.

So, marriage is supposed to only be for those whose desires are very strong and not for love?

 

[St_Worm2]

Hello @Hope1960, I believe that the Apostle answers all of your questions in the balance (context) of Chapter 7, though a careful reading of the entire Chapter will probably result in more questions (as there is a LOT that is packed into Chapter 7 ).

God bless you!

--David
p.s. - as for your last question above, Paul is not comparing a marriage that is built on lust to a marriage that is built on love, rather, Chapter 7 sings the praises of (lets call it) Option #1, which is to remain a single virgin throughout your life as the best way to go (Paul gives us the many reasons why it should be considered option #1 in Chpt 7). He then lists the alternative and perfectly acceptable Option #2 (which is marriage) for the majority of us who would be miserable if we chose Option #1 (single virgin). The idea is for each of us to choose the option that best enables us to remain as faithfully devoted to God as possible.

Option #1 is clearly the best way to do that (be devoted to God) ~IF~, and only if, you are able to handle it, so there is Option #2 for most of us who cannot because, as the Apostle tells us, "it is better to marry than to burn with passion" .. 1 Corinthians 7:9 for the rest of your life.

 

[FaithT]

So Paul basically says it’s good for a man to not have sexual relations with a woman because it would be better for him to be celibate and serve God, but since few men will do that, marriage is the alternative?
It sounds to me that Scripture is saying that relations even between a married couple is wrong, or at least less than ideal.

 

[Carl Emerson]

So Paul basically says it’s good for a man to not have sexual relations with a woman because it would be better for him to be celibate and serve God, but since few men will do that, marriage is the alternative?
It sounds to me that Scripture is saying that relations even between a married couple is wrong, or at least less than ideal.

No he is not saying that, not at all... The advice was in the context of the church being under severe persecution. For that time starting a family might not be the best option.

 

[St_Worm2]

It sounds to me that Scripture is saying that relations even between a married couple is wrong, or at least less than ideal.

The Apostle Paul neither says, nor insinuates that (in 1 Corinthians 7 or elsewhere), quite the opposite, in fact. Consider (for instance) what he says in 1 Corinthians 7:3-5.

Go back to Chapter 7 and take it verse by verse (as well, the Chapter as a whole, of course), and you'll understand what he's saying. He tells us that marriage/having a spouse and children, will cause our interests/focus to be divided (between our spouse/family/the cares of this world ~and~ our devotion to God), and that a person who is single (~IF~ they are able to handle being single w/o sinning) can devote their entire life to God/have a "singular" devotion to Him alone.

It's all in there. Enjoy

--David
p.s. - this is a case where the "ideal" is not a possibility for most of us (as he tells us plainly in 1 Corinthians 7:2, and gives us the reason why). But there are some who are called to a life of singular devotion to God, and for those who are so called/enabled by God, the Apostle praises the single life and the advantages of such a life for their sake.

 

[Daniel9v9]

Hey, thanks for the invite!

So, the first thing I would say is that God instituted sex as a good thing. Sex is not a result of the fall into sin, but it is a gift from God — that a man and a woman has been given the gift of creating human life through love with God. That is, sex is not only a matter of procreation, but children are given as a gift through love, and they are wonderfully made in both our own image and in God's image, and that's something very profound. So, it's a wonderful gift and it's not sinful in and of itself. But like all good gifts that God gives, they are often abused and distorted, and then become sinful. So, the marriage between one man and one woman is good, but anything outside of that is sin.

What Paul is explaining here is that while being married is good and holy, being single is also good and holy. Both are equally good before God. But it's better for people to marry than struggling to be single. Celibacy is a gift from God and not something everyone can bear, so God gives some people the gift of celibacy and others the gift of marriage, but both are good.

Paul then goes on to say that whoever is able to live single should not seek marriage — not because marriage is sinful or forbidden — but because the time is short for the work they're doing. A single person (like Paul) is more able to dedicate his whole self to the preaching of God's Word and building the Church. But that does not imply that married people are less effective or less valuable, for Peter, for example, was married.

The point, in short, is this: God simply wants to unburden people. Don't be burdened by celibacy on one hand, neither be burdened by the affairs of the world on the other.

I think if we read all of 1 Corinthians 7 and compare it with Ephesians 5-6, the meaning should become clear.

Very quickly: The Roman Catholic doctrine of denying people the right to marry is bad and against the Bible. In 1 Timothy 4 we see that the forbidding of marriage is a mark of the devil.

 

[RBPerry]

So Paul basically says it’s good for a man to not have sexual relations with a woman because it would be better for him to be celibate and serve God, but since few men will do that, marriage is the alternative?
It sounds to me that Scripture is saying that relations even between a married couple is wrong, or at least less than ideal.

Hope, I don't understand how you coming up with your conclusions. Do you have issues with a normal sexual relationship between a husband and wife?

 

[FaithT]

Hey, thanks for the invite!

So, the first thing I would say is that God instituted sex as a good thing. Sex is not a result of the fall into sin, but it is a gift from God — that a man and a woman has been given the gift of creating human life through love with God. That is, sex is not only a matter of procreation, but children are given as a gift through love, and they are wonderfully made in both our own image and in God's image, and that's something very profound. So, it's a wonderful gift and it's not sinful in and of itself. But like all good gifts that God gives, they are often abused and distorted, and then become sinful. So, the marriage between one man and one woman is good, but anything outside of that is sin.

What Paul is explaining here is that while being married is good and holy, being single is also good and holy. Both are equally good before God. But it's better for people to marry than struggling to be single. Celibacy is a gift from God and not something everyone can bear, so God gives some people the gift of celibacy and others the gift of marriage, but both are good.

Paul then goes on to say that whoever is able to live single should not seek marriage — not because marriage is sinful or forbidden — but because the time is short for the work they're doing. A single person (like Paul) is more able to dedicate his whole self to the preaching of God's Word and building the Church. But that does not imply that married people are less effective or less valuable, for Peter, for example, was married.

The point, in short, is this: God simply wants to unburden people. Don't be burdened by celibacy on one hand, neither be burdened by the affairs of the world on the other.

I think if we read all of 1 Corinthians 7 and compare it with Ephesians 5-6, the meaning should become clear.

Very quickly: The Roman Catholic doctrine of denying people the right to marry is bad and against the Bible. In 1 Timothy 4 we see that the forbidding of marriage is a mark of the devil.

Ok that makes sense.

 

[FaithT]

Hope, I don't understand how you coming up with your conclusions. Do you have issues with a normal sexual relationship between a husband and wife?

No, I’m just reading what Paul said and that’s what I understood it to be. Daniel9v9 cleared it up for me.

 

[FaithT]

Hey, thanks for the invite!

So, the first thing I would say is that God instituted sex as a good thing. Sex is not a result of the fall into sin, but it is a gift from God — that a man and a woman has been given the gift of creating human life through love with God. That is, sex is not only a matter of procreation, but children are given as a gift through love, and they are wonderfully made in both our own image and in God's image, and that's something very profound. So, it's a wonderful gift and it's not sinful in and of itself. But like all good gifts that God gives, they are often abused and distorted, and then become sinful. So, the marriage between one man and one woman is good, but anything outside of that is sin.

What Paul is explaining here is that while being married is good and holy, being single is also good and holy. Both are equally good before God. But it's better for people to marry than struggling to be single. Celibacy is a gift from God and not something everyone can bear, so God gives some people the gift of celibacy and others the gift of marriage, but both are good.

Paul then goes on to say that whoever is able to live single should not seek marriage — not because marriage is sinful or forbidden — but because the time is short for the work they're doing. A single person (like Paul) is more able to dedicate his whole self to the preaching of God's Word and building the Church. But that does not imply that married people are less effective or less valuable, for Peter, for example, was married.

The point, in short, is this: God simply wants to unburden people. Don't be burdened by celibacy on one hand, neither be burdened by the affairs of the world on the other.

I think if we read all of 1 Corinthians 7 and compare it with Ephesians 5-6, the meaning should become clear.

Very quickly: The Roman Catholic doctrine of denying people the right to marry is bad and against the Bible. In 1 Timothy 4 we see that the forbidding of marriage is a mark of the devil.

So according to the LCMS, if a couple should marry or is already in a marriage and one of them is unable to procreate it’s not sinful for them to have intimate relations?

 

[Daniel9v9]

So according to the LCMS, if a couple should marry or is already in a marriage and one of them is unable to procreate it’s not sinful for them to have intimate relations?

Oh, not at all! Relations within marriage is not a sin, but a good thing and a gift from God. It's love for our spouse.

 

[FaithT]

Oh, not at all! Relations within marriage is not a sin, but a good thing and a gift from God. It's love for our spouse.

I don’t know for sure what the RCC would say about that but I have an idea. After I learned about their stance on not marrying a wheelchair bound person who’s unable to procreate I’d believe almost anything.

 

[Daniel9v9]

I don’t know for sure what the RCC would say about that but I have an idea. After I learned about their stance on not marrying a wheelchair bound person who’s unable to procreate I’d believe almost anything.

I believe our Roman Catholic friends would say that a disabled person who cannot have sex is not allowed to marry because that person cannot consummate their marriage. Whereas sterile people may be OK because they can, even if they can't procreate. Though I'm not sure what different priests or councils would say. Their understanding may perhaps vary a bit. This is an area of theology I'm not terribly familiar with, sorry.

The Lutheran understanding, however, is simple: If a man and a woman wish to marry, they are free to do so and God will bless their union.

Marriage is not only a sexual union, but also a complementary union in life until death. That is, in Genesis, in the Hebrew, there's a kind of play on words that expresses that man and woman are the same but opposite. Or complementary in the sense that they fulfil each other, and this is in a way that goes beyond sex. It's a special holy union that God has created; He created man for woman, and woman for man. And this institution is still upheld after the fall. So that, even if someone suffers a disability, providing the other person can bear with it in love and faithfulness, I don't think we have the right to deny marriage. Impotence and sterility, like any sickness or disability, is a consequence of the fall into sin. But in marriage, we make a commitment before God to love each other in sickness and in health, until God calls us through death and restores all things.