Defraud Ye not One Another.

I Corinthians 7:1-5

The church at Corinth had not matured spiritually, and many problems had arisen as a result. Some things were being accepted that are not acceptable for Christians. Paul has dealt with these things already. Things were being taught that some of the older members were unsure about, and they had written to Paul, asking what was right. Most of the rest of I Corinthians is to addressing those teachings, and how we should treat them.

There had been some questions about marriage, including whether it was right to mrry at all. Apparently, some of the teaching was like that Paul warned Timothy about in I Timothy 4:1-3. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."

Since these doctrines are Satanic in origin, we know that they are for the purpose of turning people away from God. Truths will be used and misused to propagate falsehood. It will be neccessary to look deeper into the word of God to answer the questions. Failure to do so will lead to false doctrine, misleading people from the truth. Paul starts with questions about marriage.

"Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency." (I Corinthians 7:1-5)

Paul says that it is good for there to be no sexual contasct. Humans have a God given desire for sex, however, and marriage is desireable because it serves to satisfy that desire in an acceptable manner, preventing sin. Each one is to have their own husband or wife. While polygamy is not expressly forbidden, it is clearly implied that it is not desirable. It is expressly forbidden for church leaders in I Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-11.

Regular sexual activity is required to maintain the bond that God establishes between husband and wife. Each has a right to regular enjoyment of the others body. In fact, to deprive ones mate is to defraud or cheat them. Adultery is not cheating on your mate, it deserves the death penalty, seriously damaging or breaking the bond God has established.

The only valid excuse for withholding sexual relations, other than actual physical constraints, is to devote oneself to fasting and prayer. Even this is only acceptable by mutual consent, and only for the duration of the fasting. Those church leaders and college professors who tell people thay are there to serve the Lord and their mates will just have to accept it have placed themselves in direct opposition to God.

God wants his children to support and strengthen what he has done, not weaken or destroy it. A desire not to express our love by meeting the desires and longings of ones mate indicates that we are not walking in the Spirit. Both I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 state that a person who cannot maintain aproper relationship to their family is spiritually unqualified to lead a church.