REPEATING HISTORY: THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY

Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

1. Responsibility in Marriage 

• Sexual Purity and Connection 

1 Cor. 7:1-5 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

• Because of the rampant immorality present in Corinth, Paul indicated the importance of being faithful to your spouse
• He also made it clear of the responsibilities in intimacy each spouse has to the other to protect against Satan’s ever-present temptations

• Perseverance 

Vss 6-16 6 But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. 7 For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. 8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. 12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. 16 For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

• At that time, like now, it was too easy to simply walk away from marriage at the first sign of trouble. Paul makes it clear this is not what the Christian should do

1. Responsibilities in Service

• Dedication vss 17-24 – you have a calling, walk in it
• Do not be bound by legalism
• Accept your current condition

Vss 23-24 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called

1. Responsibilities for the Future 

• Do not be frozen in fear over your current state
• Marriage and singleness are both a gift from God

Vss 32-35 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please hiswife. 34 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please herhusband. 35 And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction

1. Responsibilities in Freedom

1 Cor. 8:7-13 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. 10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble

• We are free, but not free to harm others
• 1 Corinthians 10 speaks to this encouragement – 1 Cor. 10:31

1. Responsibility of Sacrifice

• All things to all people to reach all

1 Cor. 9:19-23  For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you

• So, RUN!

1 Cor. 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prizeis temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified

Recap

1. Do not deprive
2. Do not depart
3. Do not be bound
4. Do not be frozen
5. Do not offend
6. Do not fail

Action Points:

1. If married, know your rights and responsibilities

• You do not belong to yourself
• You are not the boss

1. If unmarried, know the value of your position

• Regardless of what the future might hold, it is a gift

1. For everyone, know your responsibility to the King