Application Marriage OH 1.

7
Healthy Relationships
Outside and Inside of Marriage What the OT Teaches about Marriage
1. Involve Others Resisting Sexual Temptation:
Genesis Chs. 39:6-8
In situations of temptation bring in either physically or mentally the
rightfully concerned parties: e.g. Spouse - Fiancée – Master - God How one upright man refused to be seduced
by a married woman for whose husband he worked
2. Be Accountable Lessons in resisting temptation
not only for (negatively)
Never do, say, or think anything which you would not wish the rightfully
concerned parties to know about  Resisting Seducers outside of marriage
but also for (positively)
3. Rehearse Biblical Reasons for righteous behaviour  Maintaining Healthy Relationships inside and outside of Marriage
The Incident of
Why the wrong behaviour is wicked and offends God
The Improper Suggestion of Potiphar’s Wife
as well as is evil and wrongs others
So Potiphar left in Joseph’s care
The passage context everything he had;
tells why the righteous Joseph was thrown into prison. with Joseph in charge,
he did not concern himself with anything
The immediate context following includes two additional examples of how except the food he ate.
to deal with sexual temptation Now Joseph was well built and handsome,
and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph
 Avoid being alone with a person of the opposite sex and said, “come to bed with me!”
 Run away from those who would tempt you to sin But he refused.
he told her, “With me in charge,
my master does not concern himself with anything in the house;
Everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.
No-one is greater in this house than I am.
My master has withheld nothing from me
except you,
because you are his wife.
How then could I do such a wicked thing
and sin against God?”
 Teaching about
Resisting Sexual Temptation
•There are God-made boundaries in human affairs that must never
be crossed
“My master has withheld nothing from me
except you,
because you are his wife.
How then could I do such a wicked thing
and sin against God?”
•Some people can be particularly subject to temptation who are
o In positions of prominence
“Joseph in charge”
o In positions of great trust
“Everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.”
o Blessed with good looks
“Now Joseph was well built and handsome,”
•Familiarity with people at work can create situations of temptation.
“after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph”
•The first step in dealing with temptation is to say “No!”
“But he refused..”
•It is wise mentally to bring a third party into the situation he told
her,
“With me in charge,
my master does not concern himself with anything in the
house…”
•It is tactful, rather than denouncing the tempter, to defend one‘s own
integrity and the interests of others
“ he told her, ‘With me in charge,
my master does not concern himself with anything in the house;
Everything he owns he has entrusted to my care.
No-one is greater in this house than I am.
My master has withheld nothing from me
except you,
because you are his wife.’”
•Succumbing to sexual temptation destroys relationships as it betrays
trust
“Everything he owns he has entrusted to my care...
My master has withheld nothing from me
except you,
because you are his wife.
How then could I do such a wicked thing?”
•Faithfulness in every area of life gives strength to resist the
temptations to be unfaithful in the area of extra-marital affairs
•It is wise to have good reasons against particular temptations, e.g.
o Not to betray his master‘s confidence in him
o Not to spoil his relationship with his master
o Not to spoil the intimacy between husband and wife
o Not to sin against God
The main lessons
 God has made boundaries in human affairs which we must never cross
 Integrity in the face of temptation involves keeping in mind the certain
consequences for others
When facing sexual temptation bring into the situation
a third party that would be affected if this temptation was not resisted
 Integrity in the face of temptation involves having good reasons for not
complying before the temptation arises
Saying “No!“ to temptation is easier if you can also say “Why Not”
 Learn to be faithful in small matters and you can resist the temptation to
be unfaithful in larger matters
Note:
Just as a three-fold cord is not easily broken,
so having several ways of resisting temptation
 strengthens our resolve not to give in.
If we rely on one defence alone
(e.g. remembering that to give in is sinning)
we are more likely to fall into temptation