“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

Why does the Bible say that?

Well, the Bible is the word of God and the word of God is God Himself; and God is our Creator. And God created us to be sexual beings and the word of God shows us how we, sexual beings, suppose to live so Satan won’t create havoc in our marriages and lives.

However many marriages today are sexless marriages. Many married couples sleep on different beds or in different bedrooms. Why? Many reasons such as, “I like to sleep alone” or “we are not in good terms.”

Sure, in some marriages, couples cannot have sexual intimacy because of health issues; or one of them is in military and they sometimes get deployed. I am not talking about those kinds of reason.

What I am referring here is married couples who try to solve their marital problems by avoiding sexual intimacy or “depriving one another.”

For some people, sleeping on different beds or in different bedrooms means to say to their spouse, “I am very upset with you!”

It’s like two five year old girls fighting and taking their own separate corners and saying to each other: “From now on, I don’t want to talk to you! I am not going to share my toys with you!”

The Bible says,

“When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. ” 1 Corinthians 7:11 NASB

My friends, we have to be wise, putting away childish things. The word of God commands, not suggests or recommends, but commands married couples “not to deprive one another.” And the Bible gives us an answer to a “why not” follow up question.

Because when you deprive each other’s body, you’re welcoming the devil into your personal life and home to do whatever he wishes. And this is serious!

Sure, when there are serious issues in a marriage, such as, physical or mental or sexual abuse, no one should care or think about sexual intimacy but the safety of the one who is at the receiving end of the abuse.  Where there is any form of abuse, there is no marriage! Where there is no marriage, there is no sexual intimacy! Period!

However when husbands or wives make it a habit to avoid sexual intimacy as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction, anger or disagreement, they are slowly but surely digging a grave to their marriages and families.

Please young married couples, listen to me carefully: – When there is a serious issue in your marriage, seek counseling. Changing avoiding sexual intimacy, depriving one another, sleeping on different beds or in different bedrooms cannot solve a thing in your marriage. Actually, doing so is like putting a time bomb in your own home and waiting for it to blow-up your home, marriage and family.

Please seek help! Please seek counseling instead of trying to handle your issues in a dangerous way. ///