1 Corinthians 7:5,14 – “Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control… 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.”
Chapter 7 of today’s New Testament One Year Bible Reading deals with family matters. Verse 5 deals with the subject of sexual intimacy between husband and wife. Verses 3 and 4 talk about each spouse fulfilling their “marital duty” to each other. Paul contends that our bodies, once again (6:19), are not our own. Rather, our bodies also belong to our spouse. Therefore, we do not have control (huge word) over our bodies, but our spouse does. The idea is that we, as believers, are to live totally unselfish lives. This is especially true in marriage.
When we withhold our bodies from our spouse we are depriving them according to verse 5. I believe that the proliferation of the porn industry has a lot to do with the deprivation of the “marital duty.” If there is abstinence from intimacy, it should only be under the following conditions mentioned by Paul: 1) Mutual “consent.” Both parties must agree to it. 2) “For a time.” It’s not indefinite. There must be a time frame. 3) There must be a reason, in this case for spiritual devotion. Listen to Paul’s warning in verse 5, “Come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” Satan’s temptations succeed because of a lack of self-control.
Verse 14 deals with marriages between believers and unbelievers. Children are holy through a believing parent, which sanctifies the marriage. Anything holy in scripture is special to God. Tell your children today that they are special, not only to you, but to God.