Marital Relations

Marital Relations
1 Corinthians 7:1-5 KJV
Sunday, October 7, 2018

The Greek city of Corinth was a prosperous harbor community catering to foreign sailors, merchants and visitors.  It was also home to a thriving culture that embraced prostitution in social and religious realms.  The Apostle Paul addressed the questions from the Corinthian Church members concerning marital relations and Godly morality.  His response was to clearly state God’s design consisted of two options for physical intimacy: a chaste single life or a chaste married life.  Fruitful, fulfilling and enriching conjugal relations between spouses happens when the Fruit of the Spirit is present in the husband and wife.  If the Spirit and soul are not right, intimacy will not be right.

Intimacy Is An Act Of Charity. When couples come together, they are to ‘be charitable’ with their affections, conversation and attitudes.  They are not to be selfish, resentful, frustrated or disinterested, but generously giving more than is expected.  This is pleasing to both the spouse and God.

Intimacy Is An Act Of Cheerfulness. God loves a cheerful giver, and so does a spouse.  That attitude brings joy and a depth to the intimacy that strengthens the relationship.

Intimacy Is A Mystery. Marriage is a mystery, or an alternate translation, a sacrament. The covenant is consummated and renewed by the conjugal act. Holy things are veiled, and the intimacy within marriage is veiled within privacy, confined between the couple, and honored as a sacred priestly sacrifice of one towards the other.