1 Corinthians 7:1-7
1: Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2: But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.
3: The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
4:The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
5: Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6: But this I say by way of concession, not of command.
7: Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.
Paul answered questions here that the Corinthians had previously written to him about. He first addressed marriage and said it was good for a man not to touch (marry) a woman. In verse 26 of this chapter, he refers to the present state of distress—the persecutions which believers were beginning to experience at that time—and that is why he said here that was good, or you could say better, not to marry. Marriage is not wrong by any means. The first commandment to mankind was to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28) that involved marriage. Paul was simply answering their question and addressing marriage in light of current events.
However, Paul said to prevent sexual sins, if one could not restrain himself, go ahead and marry. In addition, he said that a husband and wife should not deprive each other from sexual relations or think they had the right to engage in sexual relations apart from their spouse. In Paul’s perspective, the only reason to abstain from marital relations was if both husband and wife agreed to it for a time of prayer. But they were to resume relations again, so there was no temptation to sin--their lack of self-control leading to sexual sin.
Paul remained unmarried and of course kept himself from sexual sin. His answer to their question was that marriage may not be the best thing at the moment, but engaging in immorality or sexual sin of any type was worse. If they were tempted, then they should marry, and once married remain faithful to their spouse, not depriving him/her sexually.
2: But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.
3: The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
4:The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
5: Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6: But this I say by way of concession, not of command.
7: Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.
***
Paul answered questions here that the Corinthians had previously written to him about. He first addressed marriage and said it was good for a man not to touch (marry) a woman. In verse 26 of this chapter, he refers to the present state of distress—the persecutions which believers were beginning to experience at that time—and that is why he said here that was good, or you could say better, not to marry. Marriage is not wrong by any means. The first commandment to mankind was to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:28) that involved marriage. Paul was simply answering their question and addressing marriage in light of current events.
However, Paul said to prevent sexual sins, if one could not restrain himself, go ahead and marry. In addition, he said that a husband and wife should not deprive each other from sexual relations or think they had the right to engage in sexual relations apart from their spouse. In Paul’s perspective, the only reason to abstain from marital relations was if both husband and wife agreed to it for a time of prayer. But they were to resume relations again, so there was no temptation to sin--their lack of self-control leading to sexual sin.
Paul remained unmarried and of course kept himself from sexual sin. His answer to their question was that marriage may not be the best thing at the moment, but engaging in immorality or sexual sin of any type was worse. If they were tempted, then they should marry, and once married remain faithful to their spouse, not depriving him/her sexually.
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