Today we continue on our multi-year journey through the New Testament where we are seeking to understand the historical, chronological and missiological of the 1^st Century Church so that we in the 21^st Century Church can keep the ‘CHURCH  live & Growing”. As we have made our way through the Book of Acts we have stopped at various points to delve into other books of the New Testament that seem to have been written at that specific point in time. We just completed study of Acts 19 and it seems that at this point in the 30 plus year time span that the book of Acts covers, that Paul took the time to write to the Church in Corinth.

In the past messages we discovered that the Church in Corinth which Paul and his DreamTeam of Silas, Timothy, Aquilla , Priscilla & Apollos had spent about a year and a half planting churches, leading to salvation, baptized and given basic discipleship to a large number of believers. After he and Aquilla & Priscilla had left and went to Ephesus it appears that the cosmopolitan atmosphere in Corinth of debauchery, hyper-sexuality, materialism, and prideful academia had caused them to become Defiled, Divided, Disgraced, Deluded,  in a State of Disrepair,  a Directionless Church, Disobedient Church.

Paul, the model Evangelist, Church Planter, Pastor, Discipler, Encourager, Disciplinarian,  Spiritual Physician and Building Consultant responded to those problems with some prescriptions to help with the spiritual sickness. He also  REMINDS them of their HIGH CALLING TO…

 

1. Be Holy
2. Develop a Fellowship of Harmony & Love
3. Glorify God.
4. Have the Mind of Christ.
5. Be God’s Sanctuary & Temple
6. Honor & Respect Faithful Spiritual Leaders
7. Live as Obedient ‘Beloved Children’ of our Heavenly Father.
8. Live Your Life With Integrity & Godliness.

                         & today in Chapter 7 we discover

9. To Honor God in Our Relationships & Service

 

When we look at the larger picture from 1 Corinthians it appears that “chapters 1-6 were concerns Paul had about what he heard was going on in Corinth, primarily their division and pride. Chapters 7-16 are answers to specific questions they had for Paul and we know this because each section will begin with the words “now concerning,” beginning with today’s passage 1 Corinthians 7. (vs 1). As you go through their questions you get a sense that they did not understand how the physical and spiritual connected. They seemed to have bought into Greek philosophy that said the physical was inherently inferior or even evil and the spiritual superior. Paul interacts around eat meat sacrificed to idols, the physicality of the resurrection, the need for orderly worship and the beauty of sex within marriage. It may surprise you, but there was a group in the Corinthian church that thought it was holier and more spiritual to refrain from sex with their spouse because somehow that was to entangle your life in physical things that do not last (1 Corinthians 7:1).

Paul’s correction of this view shows us the beauty of sex within marriage, and Paul will actually confront the culture and challenge their views in a shocking ways. https://westhills.org/blog/2021/06/27/1-corinthians-7-1-9-study-guide-the-beauty-of-marriage

“1 Corinthians 7 offers guidance on navigating relationships, particularly marriage and singleness, during times of difficulty and persecution. It emphasizes the importance of mutual sexual responsibility within marriage, the potential benefits of singleness for devotion to God, and the need to remain in one's current state unless called to change”. (Bing AI)

 

(Portions of the outline and content are adapted form Warren Wiersbe’s Commentary on 1 Corinthians. And Daniel Akin in his Christ-Centered Commentary on 1 Cor.)

 Let’s look at this chapter in 3 segments:

1. God’s Plan For Marriage (vs. 1-16)
2. God’s Plan For Contentment (vs. 17-24)
3. God’s Plan For Individual Service & Calling (vs. 25-40)

 

1. God’s Plan for Marriage: (vs. 1-16)                                                                                                                        Purity is Paramount (vs. 1-6)

1 Corinthians 7:1-6… ¹Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. ² But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. ³ The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. ⁴ 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. ⁵ 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. ⁶ But this I say by way of concession, not of command.

1. Purity is Paramount (vs. 1-6)
2. Pursue Purity (vs. 1,2)
3. Pursue Partnership (vs. 3,4)
4. Pursue Prayer (vs. 5,6)

 

1. Marriage is a Gift, But Not For Everyone (vs. 7-9)

 ⁷ Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. ⁸ But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. ⁹ But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

1. Some Are Gifted With Singleness (vs.7,8)
2. Some Are gifted With Marriage (vs. 9)

 

 

 B. Marriage Is Designed to Be A Lasting Covenant

 ¹⁰ But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband ¹¹ (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. ¹² But to the rest I say, not the Lord, that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³ And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵ Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. ¹⁶ For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?

C. Marriage Is Designed to Be A Lasting Covenant

1. Divorce Should Be Avoided If Possible. (vs. 10,11)
2. Unique Guidelines for Mixed Marriages. (saved & unsaved) (vs.12-16)

 

 

 

 

Next Key Plan from this Chapter….

2. God’s Plan For Contentment - Obedience (vs. 17-24)

 a. Accept God’s Assignment (vs. 17)

¹⁷ Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.

 

b. Accept/Obey in Your Condition (vs. 18-22)

 ¹⁸ Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. ¹⁹ Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. ²⁰ Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. ²¹ Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. ²² For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. 

 

c. Accept That Your Contentment is Based on Your Relationship With God. (vs.23,24)

²³ You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. ²⁴ Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

 

Next Key Plan from this Chapter….

3. God’s Plan For Individual Service & Calling. (vs. 25-40)

1 Corinthians 7:25-40…²⁵ Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. ²⁶ I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. ²⁸ But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. ²⁹ But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; ³⁰ and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; ³¹ and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away. ³² But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; ³³ but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, ³⁴ and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. ³⁵ This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. ³⁶ But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry. ³⁷ But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. ³⁸ So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better. ³⁹ A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. ⁴⁰ But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

Summary Points:

1. Serve Faithfully in Whatever Condition/Calling You Find Yourself.
2. Consider The Present Distresses in The World in Regards to Marriage & Singleness.
3. Consider That Singleness is a Gift & Calling Just As Marriage.

Benefits of Singleness:

1. Avoid some of the trouble in this life
2. Can Focus on your calling and gifts without distractions of a spouse & family.
3. Can give more time to focus on your devotion to God without having to balance other relationship responsibilities.
4. Being Content in your singleness gives you the time and insight in whether to stay single or to marry.
5. Marriage or Singleness are Both a Gift and a Calling. They are equally honorable to the Lord if people choose to be faithful and devoted to God. There should be no coercion to marry and no disdain if one chooses singleness.

 

Bottom Line:

Honor God With Your Body, Relationships, Giftedness & Your Calling.

Serve God & Obey Him In All That You Do.

Be A Person Of Integrity & Godliness.