July 20, 2020
Over the next 16 days we will be reading through the book of 1 Corinthians together. The church in Corinth was an absolute mess! They were plagued by serious issues of arrogance, division, sexual immorality, and confusion concerning doctrine as well as the particulars of their moral living under the gospel. This church needed a wake-up call, a call to repentance and purity, to renewed devotion to Christ, to love and unity, and to zeal for the gospel. The church has changed little over the last 2,000 years, but praise God that there is abundant grace for the mess! Each of us needs this same call to humility faithfulness, unity, and fervor today as much as they needed it then. Let’s heed this call which God gave the church at Corinth through the apostle Paul and let it shape the way we live as Christ’s body!
In this chapter Paul gives principles concerning marriage, singleness, and not necessarily seeking to escape from the life situations in which the Lord has, in His sovereignty, placed us. Paul’s main concern in all of these things is that our undivided allegiance, loyalty, and devotion belong solely to the Lord in all things!
Jesus made the same point in Luke 14:25 that Paul makes here. In light of what God has done for us in Christ, that He has bought us with a price, our devotion to Him must be of an entirely higher and different kind than our devotion to anything and everything else. God calls us to give ourselves completely to Him, with no division in our devotion or our allegiance.
Jesus will not stand for any competition for our devotion, our affections, or our worship. Jesus is not interested in being important in your life; He will only be ultimatein your life. Let’s surrender it all to Him and hold nothing back!
1 Corinthians 7
Principles for Marriage
7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.
12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 16 For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
Live as You Are Called
17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
The Unmarried and the Widowed
25 Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.
39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Family Discussion Question:
- Are there things in your life that compete for the allegiance of your heart and the devotion of your time and energy? How might the Lord be asking you to surrender those things to Him in repentance?
We will always struggle with things that compete for attention. That is the nature of life in the land of the trickster. Now more than ever…we are even shackled to these distractions by way of smart watches and phones that never leave our body.
The Lord builds our faith and strength and understanding of Him through all struggles. He uses all things, good and bad, to reveal Himself and pull us closer to Him. He is patient and He wants all His children to return to Him and the promise of eternal life!
I love you so much Lord! Thank you for your love and provision, your patience and forgiveness, your consistency and your pursuit! I seek because first you have sought me?❤
In your precious and Holy name, Amen!
Gracias padre amado bendito eres SEÑOR bendice a mi esposo y a toda mi familia gracias porque es un regalo especial que tú me has dado ayúdame a conservarlo y honorarlo como una buena esposa tú nos creaste y tú nos uniste gracias padre celestial porque todo lo que haces es perfecto bendícenos y ayúdanos a caminar siempre en obediencia según tú palabra porque somos tus hijos y anhelamos tu preciosa presencia en nuestras vidas en nombre y por amor de tu hijo amado amén ?
Good morning Lord!
You created me and I belong to you. I owe you 100% of my love, my praise, my thanks, my attention, my obedience, my everything, my entire life is yours. I get that. At the same time, I can’t really grasp everything that Paul is saying. So, all I can do is trust in the Lord and lean not on my own understanding. In all my ways I will acknowledge you and you will make my path straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6
Today is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice in it!
Lord, thank you for my faithful husband who is devoted to me and following your commands. Thank you for providing for us over our 42 year journey – from our youth until today. Thank you for having mercy on both of us as we spent much too much effort and time at our work, sojourning for money. We both enjoy the work of our hands – which has come from you! We both enjoy the fruits of our work the traveling, the giving of gifts, the giving of our knowledge to students and others you put on our paths. Thank you for using our work. Also thank you for forgiving us when we are devoted to work and not the great I AM. You deserve our full attention, our full devotion, our full praise. Thank you dear God for today. May it bring you praise and glory!
Dear Heavenly Father,
We have been given this wonderful life and free will to make our own choices. You have even told us how we should live to have a full and complete life. But You must come first in our lives. However, so many times with put ourselves and our desires first before honoring You. Satan is constantly using everything he can to distract us from giving You our praise and attention. Please help me keep my focus and attention on You and always look to You from whence cometh my strength and my help. I owe everything to You,LORD. Thank You. For loving me and for all of my blessings. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Father, thank you for my help-mate of 47-plus years. Thank you for walking with us during these difficult weeks and thank you for our restored health. Amen
AMEN and amen!!! Lord I am not married or in a relationship. My life is yours. I want to learn more about you. I want to walk in your love and be devoted to you. I do pray for someone to be in my life, so I have to be patient and have faith, that you will help me in this matter. I pray in Jesus name Amen
I am a bondservant of Jesus Christ. I have been bought with a price.
Thank you Lord for allowing Jane and I to be together for 51 years this Aug 2nd. Both of us are committed to making our marriage fun and exciting. After all these years we still LOVE each other. That is a great Praise and Thank you!! Please keep us safe and strong to the very end. We love YOU!!
I desire to have a holy discontent. If I am not where you want me Lord, I pray that your Spirit will lead me to know what it is that you want from me. If I am where you want me Lord, help me be settled, at peace and content, to be used by you where you have me, just as I am.