1 Corinthians 7:5
Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Passionate love is difficult to control. Paul reminds the Corinthians here that there is something even more important than passion expressed through eros love. The highest priority is our fellowship with God. But Paul was a keen observer of people and knew that people can be tempted sexually. We must realize that we are not dogs in heat but are made in the image of God. We have control over our sexual desires. Anytime they control us, we must seriously look at how important God is to us. Our hormones come and go, with our situations in life, physical health, and age. But, our walk with God cannot come and go. God has designed us physically to desire to mate in order to continue the human race. But that is not the highest value for us as humans. Sexuality is a blessing best fulfilled in married where a couple give one another totally to the other person with the desire to help that person achieve his or her full potential.
These are not easy topics to talk about in a church. They can be embarrassing to some people. But the voices from the world are so influential that a proper understanding of sexuality has been lost and distorted. Satan is winning the war in many areas. Holiness and self-giving love in marriage must be taught and emphasized, especially among young people who may find themselves under the strongest temptation because of the deceit of the world. This chapter of 1 Corinthians is not easy but it has some important and hard words for us to consider.
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