Marriage
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7. Should there be sexual temperance in marriage? |
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Yes, there
should be sexual temperance in marriage, because the fruit of the Spirit is
temperance (Galatians |
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It is
beyond doubt that too much sex is bad for husband and wife, even doctors say
this. Obviously God guides husband and wife, so that they might distribute
wisely their energies in their sexual life. |
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Now I want
to tell you something about sex between husband and wife. It is mandatory and
not optional because Paul says to the Corinthians: “Let the husband render to
his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And
likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife
does” (1 Corinthians 7:3-4 – NKJV). Therefore if a man does not want to have
sex with any woman, he must not marry. Why should a man marry and refuse to
render to his wife the affection due her, with all the evil consequences of
such a conduct in that this behaviour of the husband will frustrate his wife,
on whom it will be imposed a situation she did not choose? It is different,
instead, if husband and wife decide not to have sex for a certain period of
time, for this is lawful because Paul says: “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” (1 Corinthians 7:5 – NKJV). |