What the Bible Says about Sex and Marriage

Notes: What the Bible Says about Sex and Marriage

Ephesians 5

Pastor Greg Laurie

Series: Live, Love, Fight

Thursday, May 28, 2015 — 7:00 p.m.

Quotes from an article about marriage that Greg read say that many young people don't believe that marriage will work for them.

Studies show that couples that live together before marriage have a much higher chance of divorce.

Song of Songs 8:7 NLT

[7] Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned.

BIBLE acronym Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth

Why do people obsess about weddings and put no thought to marriage?

Ephesians 5:31-33 NLT

[31] As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." [32] This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. [33] So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

God invented marriage, so we should do it.

A family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family.

The purpose and objective of marriage can be summed up in two words: Leave and Cleave

You must leave all other important relationships behind. You are now in a more important one.

Your best friend should be your husband or your wife.

Malachi 2:14 NLT

[14] You cry out, "Why doesn't the LORD accept my worship?" I'll tell you why! Because the LORD witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.

How well do you know your spouse? Do you know their favorite color, movie, food, place and activity?

1 Peter 3:7 NLT

[7] In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

You give a lot of things maintenance. Cars, houses, your body...but do you give your marriage maintenance?

You must work at it, maintain it, and pay attention.

Ephesians 5:25 NLT

[25] For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her

If husbands did their part then marriages would probably be a lot stronger today. We can do our part and change everything.

Cleave means to adhere to or stick to or to hang on for dear life.

We should be so united that it could hurt to tear us apart.

Part of this union can be expressed through sex in its proper place, in marriage.

Marriage is the only place for sex that God will bless.

Fatherless homes account for many, many of the social ills we face today.

Hebrews 13:4 NLT

[4] Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

Sex is given by God to be enjoyed by a husband and wife to enter into oneness.

These standards are from God for our own protection.

Standards are from God like how traffic laws are for the road. These rules are to protect us.

1 Corinthians 6:16-18 NLT

[16] And don't you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, "The two are united into one." [17] But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. [18] Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.

This scripture refutes the ideas of a one-night stand. Sex is not for recreation.

1 Corinthians 7:2-5 NLT

[2] But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. [3] The husband should fulfill his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband's needs. [4] The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. [5] Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

What does the Bible say about same sex attraction?

There have been eight major studies that have shown that there is not a gay gene. They show that it is a result of environment. They were based off of identical twin studies.

The Bible says we are all born sinful. The Bible calls us all not to sin.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NLT

[9] Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, [10] or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people-none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

We are not defined by our sins because it is God that defines us.

It is very problematic to have friends that are of the opposite sex when you are married.

Communication is the lifeblood of a healthy marriage.

We need to know how to fight healthy.

It was said that good marriages consist of two good forgivers.

Don't ask, "Can they make me happy?" Ask, “How can I make them happy?"

God uses marriage as a picture of His love for us.

We need to ask God for His help in our marriage.