ST NICOLAS, NEWBURY

HOME GROUP QUESTIONS

WEEK BEGINNING 18 SEPTEMBER 2005

1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-20

For home groups that would like them, here are some questions based on the talk at Sunday's 6:30 pm service. There's no need to answer them all - just tackle the ones you have time for. You don't need to stick to the areas mentioned here - feel free to discuss any other issues that arise for you.

WHY (SEXUAL) MORALITY MATTERS

WARM UP QUESTION

(If you have got any glossy magazines around that have any useful titles use them. Otherwise...)

Our contemporary cultures says about sex...

'Sexual desires must be acted on,'
'If it feels good, it is good.'
'If it feels good, do it.'
'If it's done in a stable relationship it's OK.'

How do we react to these statements?

PASSAGE

The Christians in Corinth had swallowed some lies about sex, which is partly why the apostle Paul wrote what he did...

Read 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verses 9-20

Pray. (These are difficult issues. we all need to hear God's grace and mercy, as well as his challenge!)

1] DO NOT BE DECEIVED (verses 9-11)

This is straight-talking Paul at his clearest! The Corinthians were basically saying that once they had become Christians, they could do what they wanted! How does Paul respond?

If people were still doing these things and claiming to be Christians, what does it suggest about the nature of their faith?

You might want to think a bit about what it means to have Jesus not simply as saviour, but also as Lord)

The church is often seen has having a hang up about sex, how does the list in verses 9 and 10 help us to put that in perspective?

(And notice also that homosexual sin is not singled out as worse than heterosexual sin. All sex outside marriage is sin.)

Why does verse 11 suggest that the Corinthian Christians had little to boast about?

But note the tense of the verb...

What does it mean to have been washed, sanctified and justified?

When we feel our past hanging heavily over us, how is this verse an encouragement?

How has all this been achieved?

What about the future? Will we now be perfect? What help do we have?

UNLEARN THE WRONG VIEW OF SEX AND LEARN GOD'S VIEW (verses 12-17)

A bit of back-ground about the Corinthians. They had swallowed a big lie about the body and sex: 'A human being is a body and a spirit. The body and the spirit are like watertight compartments. What you do in one has no effect on the other.'

As a result some of them were saying that anything goes! What you do with your body has no spiritual significance.

So three times Paul quotes what the Corinthians were saying back at them, and corrects them. Can you spot them and what were they meaning?

Verses 12a, 12b, 13.

Everything is permissible. Sounds contemporary? But is it beneficial? Not all sex is good sex!

Everything is permissible. but I will not be mastered. Am I free or really captive? Not all "freedom" is real freedom!

"Food for the stomach and the stomach for food - but God will destroy them both." This isn't about food, but still about sex! It's just another appetite. But all sex is significant sex.

How does Paul correct this lie? (What we do with our bodies matters: they too will be raised!)

How do verses 15-17 enrich this?

What does the use of Genesis 2:24 tell about the right place for sex?

FLEE FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY (verses 18-20)

What is Paul's advice?

Why?

Who does this apply to? (Everyone, in different ways)

For more positive advice for married people and singles, come back for chapter 7!

Sum up.

Pray. We all need forgiveness in this area (a time of silent confession). And all need the power of the Spirit to live lives pleasing to God.

Edward Hobbs
20 September 2005