God respects the intimacy of married couples

Question:

Why can’t a couple choose how they feel better in bed if is something just between the two of them? Why must they be told what they can do and what not: do not do this, because it is sin, do not do the other thing, too … Why so?

The Bible speaks a lot about sexuality, about intimate relationships and He is very specific in what He asks in this domain. For example, in Leviticus chapter 18, God commanded the people that “none of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness” (Leviticus 18:6). The term used here “to uncover nakedness” has the sense of uncovering the nakedness in order to have sexual intercourse. But God does not stop here and from verse 7 to 18 He explains who are blood relatives that you must not approach to have sexual relations with them. Many other restrictions that God gives on sexual relations are related to extramarital relations. Regarding the intimacy of married couples, God allows them to choose. The only requirement on the intimacy of a married couple, is not to deprive each other. It is written in 1 Corinthians:

The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. (1 Corinthians 7:3-5)(NASB)

We see that in marriage the husband and the wife must respond to the initiative of the marriage partner, both the wife and the husband. When there is love and understanding, the husband and the wife will not insist, if they will see that their marriage partner is completely exhausted, stressed or ill. About the duty of husband/wife I wrote more in the article ”Is intimate relationship a duty or a pleasure?” You can also read the article “What does the Bible say about sexual positions?”

Translated by Felicia Rotaru