1 Corinthians 7 - Paul Teaches on The Appropriate Expression of Sexuality

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Concerning Married Life

Paul now turns to the practical matters of sexuality and it's role in the different seasons of singleness, engagement, marriage, and widowhood. Since sexual immorality was so rampant in the Corinthian culture, believers were wondering what healthy sexuality looked like. If Jesus was going to come back soon should they even get married? Paul saw that a healthy sex life was important ingredient in a healthy marriage. We don't hear many sermons on this, which is probably why most people struggle with this issue. 

Paul teaches with the context of marriage, a man and a wife should offer their bodies to each other. This is done out of love not obligation or coercion. Some men have abused this passage demanding sex from their wife because it is their wife's duty to please them. But Paul teaches it is both the man and woman who should offer themselves to each other physically to maintain sexual intimacy in the relationship. 

If couples were to have a period of abstinence from sex in their marriage, they shouldn't go for too long a period of time for that would open the door for temptation. Paul himself felt he had the gift of "celibacy", so he did not feel the desire to have to get married, but he did not project this onto anyone else.

Paul affirms that marriage is a covenant before God, which should not be terminated by either the man or the woman. As a concession, if someone were to choose to separate or get divorced they were not to marry again. Interestingly, Paul taught that if a person became a believer and their spouse was not a believer, they should not separate. Then he says something very interesting. He states, 

"For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy."

"For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.  For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy." - Guzik

Concerning Change of Status

Since a person is justified by faith not by works, Paul teaches that if person was uncircumcised when they got saved, they shouldn't get circumcised. If a person was a slave when they found Christ, they could get freed if possible, but if not it was okay to live out their calling as a slave. Jesus Christ has given us ultimate freedom so that we are not slaves to any person, but in live they are to serve as if we were slaves of Christ. 

Concerning the Unmarried

Because Paul thought that Jesus' return was eminent, he urged the men to not get married so they would be able to devote themselves wholeheartedly to the Great Commission. But, he did not make this a rule. If a person was married they should stay married. If they were engaged they should carry out their commitment. 

Paul even points out that if a couple is together and the man thinks he is acting dishonorably toward his girlfriend/virgin, he should get married. But if it is okay if he does not get married too. Generally speaking Paul seems to favor staying single, but this is again because of the urgency he felt to get the gospel out to the world because the end was near.  But this doesn't mean that Paul denigrates marriage and/or women in any way as some suggest. 

This chapter shows us that sex is a gift from God to be enjoyed in the covenant promises of marriage. Paul doesn't get legalistic here, but urges people who "burn with passion" to get married, so they can express it properly within a loving marriage. Paul's teaching here avoids two extremes.

1. Sexual Immorality where a person should be able to do whatever they want with whoever they want. 

2. Legalism which puts unnecessary burdens on men and women regarding their sexual desires. There is nothing evil about sexual desire because God has made us to have these desires. They perpetuate the human race. 

Sex should be a beautiful expression of the union of a man and woman in marriage.  In the course of a marriage both partners will offer their bodies to each other as an act of love and also meeting their partner's sexual needs.