Spirit Led Marriage
1 Corinthians 1-7
Now, I have to admit that writing about marriage does not come easy to me. Not because I don't have a good marriage, because I have a great marriage, but because I have a failed marriage behind me. To many of you this will disqualify me from saying anything on the subject. To me, by the mercy, grace and forgiveness of God it only makes me more humble to talk about the subject.
Paul starts out by saying that it is good for a man not to marry. A curious thing to say at the start of a discertation on marriage. As an Apostle, always on the go and fully dedicated to the cause of Christ, he knows that for him and anyone called to that ministry it would be difficult to balance the demands of ministry and marriage. For those able to, it is better to remain single. However, for the vast majority of us Paul recommends that we take the plunge wisely. In fact, he warns against anyone prohibiting marriage in 1 Timothy. This chapter is written as a result of some query that the Corinthians had regarding marriage beacuse of the depravity and lack of respect for marriage in Corinth. People were having sex outside of marriage and going in and out of marriage like changing their clothes. To counterbalance that, some within the church were making it a requirement for virgins to stay virgins and not marry. Paul's point is that we have to be Spirit led when it comes to marriage as with anything else in life. His preference would be that those called to the kind of ministry he was called to, to remain single so that they can dedicate themselves fully to ministry. While that would be his desire, he recognizes that most would not be successful at this and would be better off marrying. In fact, he makes it a requirement for elders in the local church.
The other practice Paul is addressing is the holier-than-thou requirement that married couples abstain from sex. Paul sees the danger in this as couples who do not fulfill their marital obligations with each other will soon start looking to satisfy their hunger elsewhere. No, God created man and woman to complete each other. In Genesis chapter 2, after being pleased with the rest of His creation, he says "it is not good for the man to be alone." Her created man and woman for each other. In my estimation, when a man makes love to his wife, it is one of the highest expressions of worship to Lord as it signifies then union of Christ to his bride.
Now, I have to admit that writing about marriage does not come easy to me. Not because I don't have a good marriage, because I have a great marriage, but because I have a failed marriage behind me. To many of you this will disqualify me from saying anything on the subject. To me, by the mercy, grace and forgiveness of God it only makes me more humble to talk about the subject.
Paul starts out by saying that it is good for a man not to marry. A curious thing to say at the start of a discertation on marriage. As an Apostle, always on the go and fully dedicated to the cause of Christ, he knows that for him and anyone called to that ministry it would be difficult to balance the demands of ministry and marriage. For those able to, it is better to remain single. However, for the vast majority of us Paul recommends that we take the plunge wisely. In fact, he warns against anyone prohibiting marriage in 1 Timothy. This chapter is written as a result of some query that the Corinthians had regarding marriage beacuse of the depravity and lack of respect for marriage in Corinth. People were having sex outside of marriage and going in and out of marriage like changing their clothes. To counterbalance that, some within the church were making it a requirement for virgins to stay virgins and not marry. Paul's point is that we have to be Spirit led when it comes to marriage as with anything else in life. His preference would be that those called to the kind of ministry he was called to, to remain single so that they can dedicate themselves fully to ministry. While that would be his desire, he recognizes that most would not be successful at this and would be better off marrying. In fact, he makes it a requirement for elders in the local church.
The other practice Paul is addressing is the holier-than-thou requirement that married couples abstain from sex. Paul sees the danger in this as couples who do not fulfill their marital obligations with each other will soon start looking to satisfy their hunger elsewhere. No, God created man and woman to complete each other. In Genesis chapter 2, after being pleased with the rest of His creation, he says "it is not good for the man to be alone." Her created man and woman for each other. In my estimation, when a man makes love to his wife, it is one of the highest expressions of worship to Lord as it signifies then union of Christ to his bride.
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