1 Corinthians 7:1-7

It is up to the individuals in a marriage to consider the other above themselves. That is love! 

As it was in the Old Testament it continues in the culture of america. divorce is as high in Christians marriages as it is in the general population. divorce was never allowed, unless there was sexual immorality, knowing all the pain and violence that it invites. 

Thank you Jesus that in you we have grace and forgiveness for our past.

1 Corinthians 7:1-7

7 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:

It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, 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 the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. 7 For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that.

The precise nature of the Corinthians’ first question is unknown. Paul’s response suggests that the inquiry was broadly related to matters of marriage and sexual relations. The Greek text here uses an idiom to refer to having sexual intercourse with a woman; it may not imply marriage. 

Some married believers in Corinth deprived their spouses of sexual relations  on the basis of this slogan. While Paul acknowledges the benefits of celibacy, he asserts it is not an option for those who are already married. Thus, married couples should enjoy sexual relations and only abstain from them when both parties agree to do so.

Paul’s perspective assumes a framework in which a godly, loving husband does not take advantage of his wife.

Paul is advising, not commanding, the Corinthians.

Paul evidently was unmarried. He considered his ability to remain celibate a gift from God. For Paul, singleness allowed him the freedom to do God’s will without consideration for his own well-being—he didn’t have a spouse or family to care for. Even when one of the spouses is a nonbeliever, Paul never encourages seeking this type of freedom once people are married. Faithlife Bible.

There were two extreme positions in the Corinthian church. Both groups falsely separated the physical and the spiritual, believing that neither affected the other. One group was hedonistic. This group claimed that sin only had to do with the physical body, and that believers could sin in their body without any consequence to their spiritual lives. Paul corrects this misunderstanding. The other group believed that all things spiritual are good, and all things physical are bad, and that in order to be truly spiritual a person has to suppress every physical desire. Proponents of this view claimed that celibacy is the only proper lifestyle. Paul corrects their misunderstanding here and explains that while sexual relationships in marriage are good, he chose celibacy in his own personal situation. NKJ Bible.

Exodus 21:10 If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marriage rights.

Matthew 1:6  and Jesse begot David the king.David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.

Mark 10:19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’ ”