Is true & lasting love is possible in today's chaotic world? Or perhaps, how faith intersects with the everyday complexities of marriage and intimacy? Dive into "It's Complicated: Unpacking Marriage in God's Grand Design," an insightful episode from Agape Community Church's "It's Complicated" series. We explore timeless wisdom from Apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthians, specifically 1 Corinthians chapter 7, to reveal God's radical and harmonious vision for relationships. This episode offers vital truths on mutual submission, the gift of sexual intimacy, and practical ways to navigate cultural confusion with grace and humility. Don't just plan a wedding, invest in a marriage – discover how to strengthen your most important earthly covenant and live in alignment with God's perfect design.

Glossary of Terms

• Apostle Paul: An early and influential leader in the Christian church, whose letters (like 1 Corinthians) form a significant part of the New Testament.

• Ancient Corinth: A prominent city in ancient Greece to which Paul wrote a letter addressing various issues, including complications regarding marriage.

• Concession vs. Command: Paul sometimes gave advice that was a "concession" (a practical suggestion, not a strict rule) rather than a direct "command" from the Lord.

• Mutual Submission: The core message of marriage in God's design, where both husband and wife yield authority over their own bodies to one another, acting with humility for the benefit of the other. This was a radical concept in the male-dominated culture of ancient Corinth.

• Prepare/Enrich: A marriage guidance program used by Agape Community Church; "Prepare" is for engaged couples, and "Enrich" is for those already married, helping them conduct a "marriage health checkup".

• Sanctified/Holy: In the context of a believer married to an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:14), it means the unbelieving spouse and children have been "set aside" or "cleaned up" through proximity to the believer, gaining access to God's truth and potentially being included in the life of the church. It does not imply automatic salvation.

• Unbeliever/Believer: Refers to individuals who are not yet followers of Jesus ("unbeliever") or who are committed followers of Jesus ("believer").

Bible Study Questions

1. Mutual submission is the overarching message of marriage in God's grand design. How might understanding marriage as mutual submission, rather than a hierarchy, transform daily interactions within a marriage or in how we approach relationships in general?

2. Paul states that it is "better to marry than to burn with passion" for the unmarried. How does this statement, alongside the idea that both singleness and marriage are "gifts from God," inform our perspective on pursuing romantic relationships and sexual intimacy?

3. When a believer is married to an unbeliever, the unbelieving spouse and children are "sanctified" or "holy" through the believer, meaning they have access to God's truth and the church community, not that they are automatically "saved". What practical implications does this understanding have for believers in "mixed-faith" marriages, especially concerning how they relate to their spouse and children, and their role as God's ambassador?

4. The speaker notes that "dark spiritual forces have distorted God's gift [of sexual intimacy] by infecting humanity with lies". What are some prevalent "lies" or cultural messages about sexual intimacy and marriage that contradict God's design as presented in the source, and how can individuals "recalibrate" their perspective to align with God's harmony?

5. One practical guideline offered is to "engage your young people in beneficial conversation regarding intimacy, marriage, and God's harmony," but to "don't make it weird". Based on the source's content, what are key truths about God's design for intimacy that parents and mentors should emphasize in these conversations, and why is an age-appropriate and gracious approach crucial?