Sacredness of marriage

Freed to be God’s people: a study of Exodus

Sacredness of marriage–outline

Exodus 20:14

Don’t commit sexual sin, but honor marriage

If marriage and sexuality are good gifts of God, why have they been so problematic and painful throughout history?

What is adultery? Many times in Scripture God describes Israel’s unfaithfulness to him as adultery, Jeremiah 3:8-9, 31:32.

What is marriage? Genesis 2:18–25; Malachi 2:14; Matthew 19:3–6. What is the ultimate purpose of marriage? Ephesians 5:31–32.

What’s so bad about adultery? Since the Bible opens with a marriage and ends with THE marriage that ends all marriages, how serious is distorting God’s design for marriage? Hebrews 13:4.

What does 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 say about sexual sin?

What about singles who want to be married but just can’t find the right person? How can singles possibly remain celibate in our sex-saturated culture until they are married?

Is being married always better than being single? 1 Corinthians 7:6-9, 26-35. How can singles not just “settle for being single”? How can the church encourage singles?

The Scriptures are clear that sexual relations with someone of the same sex is a violation of God’s design for sexuality. How does 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 speak to same sex sexual relations? What does this mean for same-sex marriage?

An increasing number of professing Christians, who once believed that the Scriptures plainly teach same sex relations are not God’s design for sex, are embracing same-sex marriage. Why? How do they justify their change in beliefs?

How do professing Christians reconcile their acceptance of homosexuality as valid with the clear teaching of Scripture?

How can Christians who are same sex attracted (SSA) be obedient to God in their sexuality? If their desires don’t entirely change, is it realistic for SSA Christians to remain celibate? Does all Jesus care about is that SSA Christians (and those who have other sin struggles) don’t act out on their desires? Matthew 15:19; 5:27–28.

How do we overcome sexual sin? (1 Corinthians 6:11; Colossian 3:5-10). What is our hope that we will be pure and holy one day? Ephesians 5:25-27.