Marital Intimacy
1. Marital Intimacy protects the marriage (v.1-2)
1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.
2. Marital intimacy strengthens the marriage (v.3-6)
3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of control. 6 Now as a concession, not a command I say this.
3. Martial intimacy completes the marriage (v.7-9)
7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
1 Corinthians 7:32-33: 32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife,
8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
1. Pursue regular marital intimacy
Hebrews 13:4: Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous
2. Aim to out-give each other in marriage
Ephesians 5:21: submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Ephesians 5:28: In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
3. Treat physical/hormonal challenges with grace and understanding
1 Peter 3:7: Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered
4. If you struggle with temptation, seriously consider marriage
Proverbs 18:22: He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
5. Whether single or married, live with devotion to Jesus
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
