We must not take people’s comments out of context.  1 Corinthians 7:1-9 says, “Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.”  You took that out of context with what he said next,  “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”  And then he goes into detail about how the husband and wife should touch and be faithful to fulfill each other’s physical needs, or else they are sinning against one another.  The physical contact about which he is speaking is what produces children.   “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.”  Far from saying that physical intimacy is a sin, he is saying that it is a sin for a married couple to not yield to one another in this physical relationship, unless they are spending time in prayer and fasting—but as soon as that is over, he tells them to come together again in the physical union.

 

Then Paul says, “But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.   For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.   I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.   But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.”  Paul was perfectly content in serving God with his whole life, and did not burn within for a physical relationship.  Obviously, he looked at many married couples, and saw how distracted they were in the things of this world, and were not devoting much, if any of their lives and resources to God and to things that will count for eternity.   This is what he is saying in 1 Corinthians 7:27-33,  “Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.   But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.   But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;   And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;   And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.   But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:    But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.”  Paul was seeing married couples wasting their lives in trying to please each other with the things of this world—all of which will one day perish.

 

A married couple does not have to waste their lives living for the things of this world.  Aquila and Priscilla used their marriage for the glory of God.  Acts 18:1-2 tells of Paul meeting them.  “After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;   And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.”  Then Romans 16:3-5 goes on to tell about what a blessing they were, as a couple, to the work of God: “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:   Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.   Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.”

 

Paul was in no way trying to discourage people from getting married and having children.  What he was trying to discourage was fornication (desiring the physical relationship outside of marriage); and he was trying to discourage people from wasting their whole lives in seeking the things of this world, instead of seeking God and His will.  Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”