The big picture: Jesus – Knowing him and following him. Caring about what he cares about…

• Verse 29 - Time is short, so focus.
• Verse 32 – Minimize earthbound concerns.
• Verse 35 – Free and clear for Jesus

  Nature of sex:

• Meant to be a good thing
• Usually overemphasized culturally
• Not a need, but indeed a driving force
• It is a gift not to be constrained by sexual or relational desires (v 7)
• The average person can control themselves.

  What about relational reasons for marriage?

• vv 8 & 9 – Better to marry than to burn with passion.

  Submission and authority in marriage

• The biblical approach is one of mutual submission, one to another.
  • • Consistent/regular mutually enjoyed and engaged sex is the recommended standard within marriage (under normal circumstances).

Abstinence may be advantageous or necessary at times and should be mutually understood. Self-control is necessary regardless of marital status   Address to men.

• Are your expectations and desires reasonable?
  • • What would your standard be if this was anything else?

• What does your mutual submission look like to your wife?
  • • Are you doing your part to make sure she is also enjoying the experience? Are you making it a chore for her?
    • Are you considering her nonsexual needs/wants?

When’s the last time you rubbed her feet? Took out the trash? Watched the kids for a night? Do you even know what she needs/desires and how is your body (self) submitting itself to those needs?   Address to women

• If your sex life is out of balance, ask yourself why?
  • • Is it something that can be resolved, and are you making inroads to doing so?

Are preferences being communicated? Is past trauma affecting your desire? Are you seeking healing? Is he doing something wrong or harmful? What are you doing to hold him accountable or help? Do you need help? Is it a control thing or a punitive thing? Are you reasonable?   A concession and not a command

• Though singleness may not be considered a favorable position, it is an advantageous one.
  • • If you can at all help it, consider singleness.
    • Revel in what you have now

Live life now Get help now Grow, move, and plan now.

Don’t compromise. It always, always, always makes things worse.

• Let’s stop discrediting those who’ve made the higher choice and capitalize on our navy seals of Christianity.
• 1 Cor 7:35- I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

   

I.  1 Cor 5:1-5 Paul breaks it down 5 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. ² And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? ³ For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. ⁴ So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, ⁵ hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,^[a][b] so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.  

1. The Issue
2. How to address it
3. What the hope is

 II.  1 Cor 5:6-8 The problem with the Corinthian church’s existing approach ⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? ⁷ Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸ Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

1. Why should they change?
2. What should they embrace?
3. A point to ponder for all of us.

III.  1 Cor 5:9-13   The focus of discipline ⁹ I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰ not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. ¹¹ But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister^[c] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. ¹² What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? ¹³ God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”^[d]

1. A matter of practicality
2. A matter of jurisdiction
3. Conclusions

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Footnotes

1. 5:5In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit.
2. 5:5Or of his body
3. 5:11The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family; also in 8:11, 13.
4. 5:13Deut. 13:5; 17:7; 19:19; 21:21; 22:21,24; 24:7