I'm not sure how you felt and what things struck you as Ryan read through 1 Corinthians 7 this morning. I, throughout the last couple of weeks or so and even standing here now, feel like I'm treading on eggshells to a certain extent. But I don't want to wrap God's Word or us up in cotton wool. Sometimes those eggshells need to be crushed, even if it's gently, and our foundation needs to be something other than something so fragile, doesn't it? Even this morning as we were out praying, the wonder that God has actually pledged himself to us came through to me afresh. That Christ has bonded himself to us in his blood as our bridegroom, and our marriages, our relationships with one another, but especially in marriage, are an expression and a reflection of what Christ and His Church, that relationship there. That's the foundation by which we read and hear this morning God's Word. Not eggshells, but a sure foundation of God's love, Father, Son and Spirit. For us, a relationship and love of mercy, of grace and holiness to which we've been called into. So far Paul has been telling the Corinthian church what should not be happening among them. There should not be divisions among you. You shouldn't be boasting in worldly wisdom. You should not be tolerating gross sexual misconduct which was going on within their fellowship. Public lawsuits between one another shouldn't be happening and sexual immorality of any kind should not be happening. Here in chapter 7 he actually kicks off by addressing a statement of the church about what they think should not be happening among them, that is sexual relations. And Paul says a resounding, no, that should be happening. After all these should nots, he's saying no, that should be happening regularly in your marriage. Nowhere else, he's already stated that quite clearly. But in your marriages, that's the right and proper place for those relations to go on. Throughout the chapter he then addresses a variety of situations, all of which were likely among the Corinthian church. He instructs them how to go on about their lives of faith in the context of their relationships, particularly the close and intimate ones regarding marriage, betrothal and singleness. All of that in a context of a present distress which we don't know much about, but it has quite a pivotal point influence on Paul's teaching and instruction here. The goal of all of Paul's instruction here can be found in verse 17 and verse 35. That each person can lead the life to which God has called them. That each person can lead the life to which God has called them. Not what others think they should be doing, but the life to which God has called them. To do that without increasing the risk of immorality among them, as a number of verses state, and then in verse 35, to promote good order among the church and undivided devotion to the Lord. This chapter is all about our devotion to God and to one another. The message this morning will be a little bit different perhaps than others. This one is going to be a little more instructional and with a bit more explanation of what Paul is saying here rather than I guess a proclamation or exhortation. I want to systematically work through the chapter. I could have sort of picked the main themes, although it's hard to just grab a main theme from ten verses or so and go through three or four points. I didn't want to do that because I would have had to leave out detail that Paul addresses here. Paul himself had to write four letters to the Corinthian church because there was misinterpretation, there was more encouragement needed, there was definition needed. So I want to cover some of the details that Paul addresses here. So it will be a little different, but I pray that it will be an enriching time for us. An instructional one, not just instruction as in, okay, tick the box, this is what I should do, but an instruction of love and grace on that foundation that I mentioned before of Christ and his church. As we come to this chapter together, we need to be sensitive to our own situations, our own relationships, our own marriages, our singleness, engagements, our history, our background. But we also need to hear God's word to us this morning. Not filtered through the framework of our individual or corporate circumstance, It's all too easy to read the scriptures through the lens of our own understanding and our own history and background. But as much as possible we actually need to set some of that aside. It's not that that's separate from God's word, but God's word needs to come through primary, as it's stated simply and clearly, and then applied to our lives, not the other way around. And I think it's just a wonderful grace of God that we have a gracious Father who isn't squeamish when it comes to these things. He treads on the eggshells, speaks quite clearly to us, and gives instruction on things such as sex, marriage, relationships, and how we are to live our lives in the purposes and calling that he's given us. We also need to acknowledge this morning, without, as I said, wrapping ourselves up in cotton wool or dulling the edge of God's word, who was here with us this morning? We had some young people with us here this morning. Parents, if you're here with them, you may need to follow up after this morning and share with them some of the things that have been shared. Many of us here are married. Some of those marriages haven't always been wonderful. There's been rocky ground. Many of us not married, for whatever reason. Perhaps some of us are looking, are longing for God to bring that someone special into our life. Perhaps it's not even on our agenda. All of those things Paul covers here. There's some of us here who have been married, perhaps lost a lifelong partner through death, perhaps divorce, perhaps remarried. And we need to just say up front and acknowledge that there are different views on some of those things and different views among us here. Paul has already spent four chapters saying let there be no division among the church. My prayer is that that stays with us this morning, that there be not division. The judgements that Paul speaks of in chapter 5 are to avoid situations. What he says here in chapter 7 is to remain as you are, devoted to God and devoted to one another. in the way that you are as you come to cross. This is not a time to judge one another. I think it would be fair to say that in the areas of sex, marriage, divorce and remarriage, our theology and our biblical understanding together with our conscience and our experience, they don't always come together easily, do they? They often confront each other. Personally, my own convictions in regards to some of these areas have developed over as I've grown up, as I've been married, as I've had to deal with and relate to different situations, different people. And my own response has changed, my conscience has changed along the way. My prayer is that whilst I remain consistent with God's word, that my heart is one of love towards his people and towards God. And again, that's my prayer for us today. I also hope that when our theology and our experience or conscience don't always seem to go together, as we make decisions, I know I've made plenty in the past, maybe some poor ones, with brothers and sisters in Christ and even in my own family. And relationships matter. If anything comes through in chapter 7 here, relationships matter. As I said, four chapters on letting there be no division among the Church. My prayer again is that we make this a time for judgement on other people's present situations, but actually hear God's word for ourselves, for our own situations. And most of all, whatever our situation, as Paul states clearly here, that we remain with God where we are today, to lead the life that God has assigned to us and to which he has called us. So, open up your Bibles if you haven't already to chapter 7. Paul's responding here to a question or comment from the Corinthian church and he does that for the next few chapters. 7 verse 1, concerning the matters about which you wrote. Verse 25, concerning the betrothed. Chapter 8, now concerning food offered to idols. Chapter 12, concerning spiritual gifts, all these matters that have most likely popped up in a letter Paul has received from the Corinthian church. And this one in chapter 7, he's starting off by addressing a statement that they wrote to him and wanted some clarification on perhaps. It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. Literally it means it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But it's a euphemism for sexual relations. If you have an NIV Bible, it will say it is good for a man not to marry a woman. That's a misinterpretation, a misunderstanding of the text. It's not saying marry. It's a different word. Some have actually done a more recent study to try to work out what that word to have sex relations or to touch a woman has meant in different contexts. And in some places it seems to be that that word actually means to take, this is someone's definition, to taking one's fill without honouring the disposition of the soul of the beloved. In other words, selfishly gratifying yourself at the sake of another. Now whether it refers to general sexual relations or more selfish motivation behind that, Paul provides two helpful solutions for married people. to actually avoid the immorality that he's just spoken about in chapter 6. It's good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. That's the statement he's addressing. And he says, but because of temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. Most of us here would own a computer, if you're sensible. Especially if you have a Windows machine. And Phil, I know you probably wouldn't put sensible and Windows together in the same sentence. But you will have some sort of protection against viruses and unwanted cookies and bugs and trojans and all that. Yes? The virus scanner or the protection doesn't eradicate the bugs. They're still there. They still float around. And they can still attack. But they lose their potency. And they're detected before they hack their way into your computer and do serious damage. Without that protection, your computer may end up worthless. You lose everything. Now it may be a poor and far less holy illustration. That's okay because I borrowed it from someone else. But Paul here is saying that our bodies and our marriages should likewise be protected from sexual immorality. And that protection is actually installed by God in our marriages. Regular sexual relations contribute to that protection. That's what Paul is saying here. The temptation will still be there, desires will still be active, but where those desires are appropriately satisfied within the marriage, then there's less chance of it looking for it elsewhere. And in this case, whether you've got a Mac or a PC, it makes no difference. Together with the spirit, And the fruit of the Spirit, particularly in self-control, for those of us who are married, our best defence against the call and temptation of Corinth or Babylon, of the world, of our sinful flesh and the devil, our best defence in regards to sexual morality lies right next to us each night. As we go through this, we need to understand and keep in mind that this issue that Paul is addressing has not arisen because some folk, men or women, are not content with their sexual relationship with their spouse. All too easy for us to go home and use this passage as leverage, especially the fellas out there, but ladies too. This is not a passage nor a sermon you can take home and say, see what God says? You have to give me what I want, when I want it, however I want it. You don't own your body, I do. That's not the context nor the reason Paul is addressing this matter. There is actually an element of truth in that argument, but it's not the thrust of the argument. It's not the heart of what Paul is saying or instructing here. This is not about making demands on somebody else, nor is it about fulfilling your own fantasies and desires. This is about giving to and fulfilling. your marriage partner. Paul is not addressing marriages where men and women are not content. He's addressing a comment the church has made that it's good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman. More than likely it's actually come out of an early form of Gnosticism. It wasn't fully developed by now in the 1st century. It was more the 2nd or 3rd century. But Gnosticism by definition is where evil conduct was excused on the supposition that the body is evil. Do what you like with your body. The body is evil, but the spirit is good. That's what lasts, so it doesn't matter what happens in the physical. But at the same time, the flip side of that was there were others who encouraged self-discipline and asceticism, physical discipline to promote and attain spiritual purity. What you did with your body got you higher up in the heavenly realms. On the one hand, some went to licence, with the idea that sin of the body could not touch the soul, and others promoted extreme asceticism. The statement Paul is addressing here is one of the latter, where it was thought that sexual relations would make one impure and ungodly, and so it was considered good to abstain from them even in marriage. And perhaps later on, as he's talking about separation and divorce, that some were even considering that would make them even more pure and holy. And Paul and God together say a resounding no to that argument. I don't know about you, but I'm glad that Paul says a resounding no, and that God says a resounding no to that argument. God's given us one another in marriage to enjoy physically, emotionally, spiritually, in every way. in the right and proper context of marriage. He says quite loud and clear, each man, verse 2, should have his own wife, and that word have again is a euphemism for sexual relations, have his own wife and each woman her own husband. Why? Because of the temptation to sexual immorality. This passage and Paul's imperatives, his commands, are because he knows the fallen human nature. He knows the tenancy of the flesh and he's not trying to weave around it, he goes straight through it. He knows how easy it is for us to look anywhere but our marriages for fulfilment. How easy it is for us to do anything but wait for marriage to express that part of life. And he didn't even have the internet to worry about. The fact of the matter is, today the internet's not the problem. The problem is twofold. A lack of self-control, whether single or married. And a lack of fulfilment and right relating, yes physically but not only that, all aspects of intimacy, within marriage. And this second one I believe has a lot to do, it's not just for the marrieds out there, but it's actually how to do with how we manage ourselves and treat others before we're married. Young singles out there, listen to this. Whilst I don't believe the internet is the problem, it's definitely a problem. But so is advertising, music videos, lifestyle magazines, you've only got to go get your hair cut to be reading them. The things that we look at, the images, the stories, the movies that we immerse ourselves in, without us even being aware of it, they develop expectations in our heads, in our hearts and even biologically in our bodies. Expectations as to how our relationships should be. and then we drag those expectations into a marriage relationship and unfairly place them on another person. Even if we're doing the right and godly thing and waiting until we're married to experience all of that, the preconceptions that we take into our marriages are difficult to avoid. Especially if we immerse ourselves in today's consumable pop culture view of sexuality. We've still got 38 verses to go, so I'll keep moving on. Come and talk to me later. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife doesn't have authority over her body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. You are not your own. You are not your own. You've been bought with a price. End of chapter 6, you belong to God. And once married you belong to another person as well. So give yourself to God and to one another in marriage and do it wholeheartedly. Husbands and wives are to recognise that their spouse actually has a greater claim on them than they do on themselves. But that's a claim that's in a context of love, isn't it? And each of us in our own marriage relationships need to work through this tenderly, with love, with understanding and with patience. No wonder Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 13 in this letter. Love is patient, love is kind, love keeps no record of wrongs. But the fact that you are not your own, you belong to God and then to your marriage partner actually also implies that No one else is yours. And you belong to no one else. Not your boyfriend, not your girlfriend, not even your fiancé. You belong to no one other than God and your marriage partner. So hands off. It's not your property. Without making it too blunt and impersonal, Paul is basically imposing, and rightly so, a property ethic here. Don't steal, don't commit adultery, They go hand in hand. 5. Don't deprive one another. Again, the resounding no to deprivation, to celibacy within marriage. Except yes, there is a sub-clause. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time. And during that time of agreement, what's the reason? That you may devote yourselves, there's that word again, to prayer, but then come together again so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. There is a mutuality to happen within a relationship, isn't there? In consent as also in restraint, for a limited time. Paul knows the nature of sin, but he also knows just the God-given desires and bodies that he has given us. And he never condemns those desires in this chapter. He upholds them and instructs us in the right and proper way in which to express and fulfil them. So, don't deprive one another, accept by agreement for a limited time that you may pray and then come together again so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. And again here, Paul is not blaming Satan, He is simply acknowledging his ploys, the underhanded exploiting of our lack of self-control. Paul instructs that asceticism in the marriage bed, the practice of trying to keep one's body pure and holy through certain disciplines, and in this case celibacy in marriage, is not only an improper interpretation of our bodies and holiness and marriage, it's actually dangerous and can tear things apart for individuals, for marriages and for salvation and for the Church. He now leaves that primary issue, responding to the Corinthians first statement and goes on to write about devotion in another sense. But the principles of devotion and self-control provide the basis of what he goes on to say. He upholds here both marriage and singleness and frames them in the context of God's gifts. Verse 6 says, A concession, not a command, I say this, I wish that all were as I am myself, that each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am, But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it's better to marry than burn with passion. Now I've heard it said on this passage, and I'd like to go back and ask the fellow whether he meant it or whether he's just trying to raise our attention, that the only reason Paul gives here for marriage is for sex. Now Rob stated quite clearly, as he quoted from the Anglican Prayer Book, that that's not actually what it's saying. In verse 9 he's effectively saying, if you cannot control yourselves then get married, because that's how you need to express those God given desires. But this is not the only passage Paul talks about marriage, is it? There's a profound mystery in Ephesians 5, the giving of one another to each other, the love and submission, the reflection, the expression of Christ in his church. Regarding singleness, Paul here seems to be saying that singleness is a grace gift from God. Others suggest maybe the gift that he's talking about here, some are given one gift, others are given another, is the sense of devotion that one can put aside those natural desires and devote oneself to God. It could go either way. But whichever way it falls, it's given by God if it's a gift, isn't it? This is not something we need to come on, grit our teeth and get on with it. I'm single now so God must have given me the gift of singleness and I'll just have to grit and bear it. If it's a gift then we receive it. We don't have to work at it. It doesn't mean it's not a battle. But Paul is upholding both singleness and marriage. And he says you do well either way. To be single is not a self-discipline, it's not an ascetic discipline that brings one closer to God, neither is marriage. Nor do I think we can say simply because I'm not married yet, God's given me the gift of singleness. But instead if we know that God has given us that gift, then we won't get married. The other way around. Gifts differ, Paul says. Not all believers receive the same gifts. But later on he says that gifts are for the building up of the body of the church. So in our singleness and in our marriages, it's not for our own status or glory, but for the encouragement and building up, the edification of one another. To the married, in verse 10, I give this charge, not I but the Lord, So he is quoting or paraphrasing Jesus. The wife should not separate from her husband, but if she does, she should remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband, and the husband should not divorce his wife. Full stop. No conditions added, no sub clauses. Marriage is lifelong. When Christ died for the Church, He gave his life, and that bond will never be broken. It's a profound mystery, and we too are to love one another. Marriage is a life long covenant. This section here is closely linked to verses 39 and 40 at the end. A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord, only marry another believer. Yet in my judgement she is happier if she remains as she is, and I think that I too have the Spirit of God." Paul goes on to address the situation which may have happened in the Corinthian church, it wouldn't have happened in Jesus' day because there weren't people called Christians in Jesus' day. It wasn't until after his death and resurrection. but where someone has come to faith in Christ but their marriage partner already married and their marriage partner does not. So he says if a brother has a wife who is an unbeliever and she consents to live with him he should not divorce her and vice versa for a woman with an unbelieving husband. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Note Paul is not saying here that the unbelieving partner is saved but that they are made holy. The fact that they are not saved is clear because in verse 16 he says how will you know that you will not save your husband or save your wife? So what does it mean for the unbelieving partner to be holy? Well to be holy in this sense is to be set apart for God's purposes with the potential of salvation But the prime purpose here that Paul states is that your children may be holy and clean, for the sake of the children. That they too may grow up with the purpose of God in their lives, set apart to know him. And again, that they too may grow up in a personal faith, a relationship with Christ. Now in the middle of that is verse 15. If the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. Some see that verse as grounds for remarriage. But the described situation here is a very particular one, isn't it? It's a marriage relationship where one partner has come to Christ while they're married and the other person has not. So that's the situation Paul's addressing here, it's not a global principle. As well as that, he's framed it with verse 10 and verse 39, saying the wife should not separate from her husband nor the husband divorce his wife. In verse 39, a wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives, with a lifelong covenant of marriage. Within this chapter I can't see any grounds, for what some see as grounds for remarriage. As I said, we don't have time without going through other areas to give a full systematic view or presentation on that. We may have to leave that for another time. There are other passages. Just encourage us in those things, to read God's word, to love one another, Read the first three chapters of Hosea and just see the devotion of God to his people. We are made in his image and our marriages are a representation of Christ and his church. Even with the whoredom of Israel at the time of Hosea, God says, I will pledge myself to you. that as I began, this chapter is not all about sex and marriage. It's actually about what matters underneath all that, which is our devotion to God. It works its way out in our relationships, doesn't it? Because when it's not right in our marriages, then we're going to be completely distracted from our relationship with God as well. And here in one sense we see Paul being the model for all good and most likely bad advertising agents who know that sex sells. Now that he's got their attention, he tells them what they really need to hear. Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, verse 17, and to which God has called him. In the end this is a matter between each person and God. Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him into which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches." He goes on to talk about circumcision, Jew, Gentile, married, single, divorced, remarried. Verse 23, you are bought with a price. Do not become slaves of men. However you are, whatever you are, You have been bought, you have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. Not to become enslaved by men, not even men's judgement, not by our desires, not by the world, but by God. Luther wrote an article called The Freedom of a Christian. which is written and the argument revolves around two basic principles. That the Christian is perfectly free, Lord of all, subject to none. But at the same time he is perfectly dutiful servant, subject to all. And that's the tension that we live in. A glorious tension because we are free in Christ, but we are bound in love to one another. We belong to God and we belong to one another. So verse 24, whatever condition each was called, let him remain with God. Whatever condition, whatever status, whatever situation you were in when you came to Christ, remain in that, but remain with God. Before believing, you were in a job, you might have been a slave, you might have been a woodworker, whatever your role, your marriage, your status, you were without God, but now you are with God. remain in that situation but now devote yourself to it with your devotion to God. Paul comes around in verse 25 back to the issue of marriage, beginning with betrothal, which is a bit stronger than our engagement. He says, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgement as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. Again, simply saying Jesus didn't give a straightforward teaching on this matter of betrothal, particularly in the present situation that Paul is speaking into. But as an apostle of Christ, inspired by God, contained here in scriptures, we are to take his word as God's word. But verse 26 in this section is quite interesting. I think that in the view of the present distress, It is good for a person to remain as he is, and he's talking there, if you're single, remain single, if you're betrothed, remain betrothed, don't get married if possible. But if you can't bear the desires burning within you, then get married, you have not sinned. We're not sure what the present distress is, it may be something quite imminent and pressing, persecution to come. Paul may have in mind a more eschatological end time, that Christ will return and things are going to change. But whatever the case, things are actually going to be turned somewhat upside down. And he knows in the midst of that that there are advantages and disadvantages in being married and or single, but neither is a sin. Have a listen to how the world is going to be turned upside down for them. 27. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned." And he stipulates that a number of times to encourage them and to comfort them. And if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet, those who marry will have worldly troubles. And I would spare you that. Paul in verse 32 says, I want you to be free from anxieties. But he's also saying that marriage is not going to free you from all anxieties, but neither is singleness. This is what I mean, brothers. The appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing. Those who buy as though they had no goods. and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of the world, this world, is passing away. Whatever the present distress is, life is going to change and be quite tumultuous. So Paul is saying, if at all possible, stay as you are. Don't change your situation because of what's about to take place. Single, married, betrothed. As best you can, stay as you are. But, if you do marry, you have not sinned. I think it would be just in our own thinking, whether it be a time of war or some other situation in the world where we might see it wise to hang off, to delay marriage. Paul doesn't say undo the betrothal, he says remain betrothed, so there is still an intent to marry later on. Verse 32, I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious, so there are still anxieties, The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. He's not condemning that, he's just stating the fact. If we're married, we'd better be interested and anxious about pleasing our husband or wife, shouldn't we? He's just told us to be devoted to one another, to share ourselves and give ourselves to one another. that he is saying in the present situation for the Corinthian church, then keep your interest and your devotion as undivided as possible. When he talks about the married woman in verse 34 is anxious about worldly things, or the married man is anxious about worldly things in verse 33, it's not worldly as opposed to things of the spirit, it's just a general day to day things that one needs to be on about in a family. Verse 35 sums all that up though. The purpose of what he is saying here in this section. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you. I don't want you to be anxious. I don't want you to be strained and bowed down under a heavy burden here. I want to promote good order. and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. Whatever it takes, don't be distracted from your devotion to the Lord. Then verse 36 with a clarification, but if you think you are behaving improperly toward your betrothed, if your passions are strong and it has to be, let him do as he wishes, let them marry, it is no sin. Now the present situation and distress as I said is quite pivotal here because in 1st Timothy Paul encourages the younger widows there to marry and to raise a family. He doesn't say remain as you are, he actually says no, you should marry and raise a family. So the situation is different here. But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, so having a free conscience and knowing that it's right and good under God to keep her as his betrothed. So this is a situation of betrothal. He will do well, so then he who marries his betrothed does well and he who refrains from marriage will do even better in the present situation and distress. Verses 39-40 I mentioned earlier. Marriage here, as Paul presents it, is a lifelong covenant, relationship, promise and commitment. How are the eggshells? Again, my hope and prayer is that our devotion is in the Lord, and that our foundation is upon his love and devotion for us. God has bound himself to us in the blood of Christ. That is our foundation for life, for our marriages. I'm not going to try to wrap that whole chapter up in some nice, neat bundle. I do just want to repeat what I began with, and maybe this is a summing up. But sexual relations, as Paul says, should be happening regularly in our marriages. Where there's mutual consent, where there's love and tenderness and understanding of different needs, different inabilities, abilities. It's not always easy. There needs to be understanding and compassion. And whether married or not, we should be living in such a way that each person can lead the life to which God has called them. without increasing the risk of immorality, and to promote good order and undivided devotion to the Lord. Let me pray. Father, whether there be eggshells or not, where there is pain or confusion in some of these situations. You have pledged yourself to us in grace and love and you will not forsake us. Father, where our own situations, our own history or background and our own understanding of your word come together in this chapter, we ask for wisdom and discernment. We ask for clarity. for compassion towards one another. Father, as Paul stated so clearly earlier, we are not to tolerate immorality and the gross misconduct that has been spoken of in chapters 5 and 6. But he is also drawing a congregation together in unity and love and upholds them in the love of yourself. So Father, we pray that you would uphold us in that same love. As you said in the days of Hosea, I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice and in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness and you shall know the Lord. And I will have mercy on those who know no mercy. And I will say to those not my people, you are my people. And Father, we say you are our God. And you are over and under and in our relationships, our marriages, our struggles in singleness and immorality, whether married or not. Father, we thank you that you have addressed these things to us in your word. and pray your blessing upon us all, especially our marriages, Father, and for those engaged at the moment among us. Father, we pray for them, that we pray for us all, whatever our situation, that we may know your devotion to us. And so whatever lies ahead for us, Father, may we be undivided in our devotion to you and our giving of ourselves to you and to one another in love. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.