Bible Passage: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18 ESV)
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; 1 Corinthians 7:1-40
Remember how Genesis 4:1 in the Old Testament showed us that the first thing in our fallen world was sexual relations in marriage, pointing to a future spiritual union between God and mankind?
Well, the first thing that happened in the New Testament was, in fact, spiritual union between God and mankind.
It’s significant that, in the Nativity story, Scripture highlights that before Mary became intimate with Joseph, she was impregnated by the Holy Spirit.
This sets in motion the New Testament reality that every mention of sexuality prioritizes the Lord over sex. His design is that our desires point to spiritual satisfaction in Him before pursuing sexual experiences.
1 Corinthians chapter 7 gives the most explicit New Testament instructions on sex in marriage; however, the two chapters preceding it provide important context for understanding.
In 1 Corinthians chapter 5, Paul tells the Church to be completely intolerant of sexual immorality, and then in chapter 6, he gets to work restoring us to proper stewardship of sexuality and our bodies.
Amazingly, he doesn’t say that our bodies are for sex, marriage, or even our spouses. He doesn’t even highlight that we were made for reproduction or pleasure.
He says our bodies are for the Lord and the Lord for our bodies and that our bodies are members of Christ.
Only then does he progress to godly sex in chapter 7, because chapter 6 has already led us to being fully intimate with God in spirit. When we are spiritually united with God, our approach to sex displays the character of Christ at work in our covenant.
Many men and churches essentially skip 1 Corinthians chapter 5 by tolerating sexual sin, neglect the message of chapter 6 that our sexuality and bodies should lead us to spiritual unity with God, and then we hope for the best in chapter 7 by desiring bliss in our married sex lives.
It is life-changing when we allow sexual desires to lead us to contentment in Christ before the pleasure of sex itself.
Prayer: Father, You are amazing! Everything that I am is for You. Enable me to renew my mind around sex and teach me to live a life filled with Your presence. Fill me, Holy Spirit, so that Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control will flow through my life, and may sexual desire lead me to fullness in You above all. Amen.
Reflection: When you have sexual desires from now on, what will it look like for you to experience His presence before pursuing sexual experiences?
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