Covenant Community Presbyterian Church of Ohio

1 Corinthians 7:1-7 | Elder Thomas Lawson

Sermon Outline 1. Scripture text Paul addresses Christian freedom, the body, sexual purity, and the call to glorify God as those who have been bought at a price. 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 2. Introduction: A Hard-Hitting Section of Scripture The church is invited to meditate on God's Word and allow Scripture to bring light to difficult arias of life. Psalm 1:2; Joshua 1:8-9 3. Main Point: We Belong to God believers belong entirely to God in body, mind, and spirit, and this in truth is liberating rather than stifling. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 4. Understanding 1 Corinthians 6:12-14 Paul distinguishes temporary, morally neutral acts like eating from sexual conduct, which carries deep and lasting spiritual significance. 1 Cor. 6:15-17; Prov. 4:23; John 15:5; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; Isa. 26:3 5. Members of Christ: 1 Corinthians 6:12-17 Believers are physically united to Christ, making sexual immorality a direct offense against that sacred union. 1 Cor 6:15-17; Prov. 4:23; John 15:5; Phil 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; Isa. 26:3 6. Application: Thoughts Lead to Actions What we dwell on in the heart and mind will inevitably show itself in our behavior and fruit. Proverbs 4:23; Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 10:5 7. The Command: Flee Sexual Immorality Rather than trying to overpower temptation, believers are commanded simply to run from it entirely. 1 Corinthians 16:18; Proverbs 5 1 Corinthians 7:1-7 1 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 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. 6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20 | Elder Derrick Ratliff

12. “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16. Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 17. But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 18. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20. you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:1-11 | Elder Thomas Lawson

1. If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2. Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3. Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4. Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5. I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6. But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! 7. The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8. Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:1-11

1 Corinthians 5 | Elder Derrick Ratliff

1. It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife. 2. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have been stricken with grief and have removed from your fellowship the man who did this? 3. Although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present. 4. When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, along with the power of the Lord Jesus, 5. hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the Day of the Lord. 6. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough? 7. Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth. 9. I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people. 10. I was not including the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11. But now I am writing you not to associate with anyone who claims to be a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a verbal abuser, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. 12. What business of mine is it to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? 13. God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5

1 Corinthians 4:18-21 | Elder Thomas Lawson

18. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit? 1 Corinthians 4:18-21