Intimacy In Marriage Genesis 1:28-31

Who do you look to as an authority about sexuality?

Is it God and His word or is it the world and our corrupt culture?

Sex is a gift from God and not Satan or the world!

Genesis 1:27-28 “For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” (Romans 1:26–27, ESV)

What can we do to ensure we enjoy the intimacy in marriage God intended?

God’s Plan For Intimacy In Marriage Intimacy In Marriage - Genesis 1:28-31

James 1:17

Hebrews 13:4

Sexual intimacy God’s way is good, righteous, holy, and clean.

What were God’s purposes for intimacy in marriage?

Procreation

Genesis 1:28 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4, ESV)

Recreation & Pleasure

Proverbs 5:18-19 “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth! For your love is better than wine; your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you.” (Song of Solomon 1:2–4, ESV)

Affirmation of Love and Affection

Genesis 2:18 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” (Genesis 2:24–25, ESV)

1 Corinthians 7:3-4 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:25–33, ESV)

“within the context of the marital covenant, the husband and wife are free to express love for each other, experience pleasure, and join in the procreative act of sexual union. This is pleasing to God and is not to be a source of shame.”

Sexual intimacy God’s way is good, righteous, holy, and clean.

Some Principles For Intimacy In Marriage Intimacy In Marriage - Genesis 1:28-31

Focus on Love, Affection, Friendship, and Companionship

Genesis 2:23-24

Song of Sol. 2:16 “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me.” (Song of Solomon 7:10, ESV)

Focus on Being Selfless and Serve One Another

Philippians 2:3-4 “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (Romans 15:2, ESV)

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 “But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” (1 Corinthians 7:9, ESV)

Focus on Openness, Honesty and Communication

Ephesians 4:15, 25 “Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9, ESV)

Focus on Patience and Encouragement

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14, ESV)

Sexual intimacy God’s way is good, righteous, holy, and clean.

What if we don’t enjoy intimacy in marriage as God intended?

Intimacy Outside of Marriage (OT) Incest – Lev. 18:6-18 Homosexuality – Lev. 20:13 Adultery – Lev. 20:10 Rape – Deut. 22:22-29

Intimacy Outside of Marriage (OT) Prostitution – Lev. 21:9 Bestiality – Lev 20:15-16 Other – Deut. 22:13-24

“for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous “for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Hebrews 13:4)

What if we enjoy intimacy in marriage as God intended?

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled.” (Hebrews 13:4)

Are you looking to God as your source for intimacy in marriage?

Intimacy In Marriage Genesis 1:28-31