What annoys me about people telling single Christians about dating

What is sex?

I agree that it is sad how this drivel ended up in the Bible Discussion Forum.

"So find someone and marry young and then do it long and often. "

That I agree with but the church will strongly disagree with you. They don't teach that.

something that men talk a lot about here lol
i havent seen any threads from women about sex, sex in heaven, sex on earth, sex out of marriage, sex in marriage....

...sex on the half-shell...

Time to get back on focus... but wait... that is the focus!

Because many churches refuse to say anything about sex but they hammer people on purity. Something Jesus and Paul did not. They talked about containing the drive in marriage. I went to a church (Calvary Chapel) where the high school did have dance lessons, but the students had to follow steps on the floor and were not allowed to touch each other. They felt dancing and young people touching each other was too intimate.

Isnt that for their own protection? So they dont have fornication, unwanted preganancies, babies out of wedlock? I didnt have sex as a teen because I knew Id end up pregnant like my older sister.

If you want marriage based singularly on the advantages of having sexual intercourse in a God-ordained union then marriage is a valid option.

That’s what Paul was talking about when he advised people to get married if they are burning with passion.

Marriage doesn’t have to be romance and being in love; it can be strictly utilitarian. Both kinds of marriages are equally valid.

Mine does

I was just thinking, in 1 Corinthians 7, how did Paul handle sexual immorality in the church as compared to how some churches handle it today?

I am glad that the church is finally recognizing singlehood/singleness and moving away from treating singles as pariahs. I think the church's move in this direction is also changing attitudes on sex, for ex. people should be able to control themselves. However they have to keep in mind one size doesn't fit all, same for the people pushing marriage is the answer for all.

I just hate to see Christians fall for the purity movement. I was going to a church that really pushed the purity movement and saw the damage it caused. People need to look at the scripture and not what some movement teaches.

I have never seen a church treat singles as a pariah.
Being single can be a vocation from God. Its a fair few number called to singleness.
Most of the singles in the generation x age group that I know, are only single because they are insufferable, not as a calling from God. I have met maybe one or two who are single because it is possibly a calling.

First of all, I'm sorry that you had to deal with physical abuse, and especially to the point of a lifetime disability.

That said and sincerely meant, I do have a QUESTION (not a condemnatory accusation) for you:

What Biblical basis do you have for not seeing your former marriage as counting because you were unsaved at the time?

Are unsaved people not married in God's sight?

Again, just an honest question.

It seems these threads are an attempt to get someone else to cosign a sexual relationship out side of marriage. It aint gonna happen.

Look dude it's simple. If you are in a sexual relationship with a woman then marry her, end of story. Easy enough. Marry her congratulations have sex every day all day in the shower on the floor in the bed on the couch in the backyard and on the roof; build a life together and never divorce. Its not an option. If ya wanna have a sexual relationship get married and stay married.

She said counting against her marriage now.
Not that she was not married and that it never counted.

I'd strongly advise you to read I Corinthians chapter 6 which precedes what Paul said in chapter 7.

For example:

I Corinthians chapter 6

[9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
[10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
[11] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God

Paul clearly warned fornicators that they would not inherit the kingdom of God.

Furthermore, he clearly said "and such WERE some of you". In other words, they repented of their fornication unto salvation.

Which brings us to chapter 7...

I Corinthians chapter 7

[1] Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
[2] Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

Paul's words were written "to AVOID fornication".

You make it sound as if he was telling fornicators that they didn't need to repent, but to just get married instead.

That's clearly NOT what Paul said.

The Corinthians were well aware that Paul instructed them to REPENT of fornication:

II Corinthians chapter 12

[20] For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
[21] And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

Why doesn't it count?