Bible Materials

LIVE IN UNDIVIDED DEVOTION TO THE LORD

by   05/22/2018   1_Corinthians 7:1~40

Message


Thank God for helping us to have the correct understanding of the body. Our body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body. As God raised the Lord from the dead, God will raise each believer with an imperishable, powerful, glorious body. The body was never meant for sexual immorality. Rather, each one’s body is a member of Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are to honour God with our body. In chapters 1-4, Paul dealt with the Corinthian church’s division problem and in chapters 5-6, the problem of sexual immorality and lawsuits. In chapter 7 Paul answers their questions concerning marriage. In antiquity, some people had deep admiration for ascetic practices, including celibacy, and clearly some of the Corinthians shared this view. Paul agrees that celibacy is ‘good’, and he points to some of its advantages. But he regards marriage as normal. In this passage, Paul gives detailed instructions regarding marriage. In some cases Paul delivers Jesus’ teaching, and in other cases, he offers his own teaching out of fatherly concern and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Yet, we should in mind that this is not wholesome doctrine about marriage. A comprehensive biblical view of marriage is needed to apply this passage wisely. In essence, Paul teaches us how to live in undivided devotion to the Lord, whatever situation we may be in. First, general rules in marriage (1-7). It is written in verse 1, “Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.” Here “Now for” or “Now about”, which begins this verse, is a formula introducing topics raised in the letter from the Corinthians (v.25; 8:1; 12:1; 16:1, 12). It is possible that we should take the words, “It is good for a man not to marry” as a quotation from what the Corinthians had written (NET). And the KJV and RSV translate "not to marry" as "do not touch." The word “touch” in such a context is often used of sexual relations (e.g. Gen. 20:6; Prov. 6:29). Perhaps some of the Corinthians thought it advisable for believers to have no sexual relations in marriage. Paul, however, would not have called this good; he saw sexual relations as a necessary part of marriage (3-4). Let’s analyze Paul’s saying, step by step. Then Paul says in verse 2, “But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.” The general rule is that people should be married and the expression ‘his own wife’ and ‘her own husband’ point to monogamy. Paul did not say, “may have” but “should have,” which is an imperative, a command, not a permission. Since fornication was so common at Corinth it was hard for the unmarried to remain chaste and hard for them to persuade others that they were, in fact, chaste. Some complain that Paul is here giving expression to a low view of marriage. But, of course, he is not here expounding his view of the married state (cf. Eph. 5:28ff). He is not saying that this is the only reason for marriage; he is dealing with a specific question in light of an actual situation. Yet, it is important to know that marriage is in one aspect to protect a man or a woman from sexual immorality such as adultery, prostitution or pornographic activity. It is through each partner’s commitment to the other including physical body commitment. This commitment is to a specific man or a specific woman for their entire life. Then Paul says continually in verse 3, “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.” Each partner owes duties to the other. Paul does not stress the duty of either partner at the expense of the other, but puts them on a level, a noteworthy position in the male-dominated society of the time. By saying “should fulfill his or her marital duty” Paul stresses the importance of giving rather than getting in the conjugal relationship. Then in verse 4, “The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.” Paul is saying that neither wives nor husbands have the right to use their bodies completely as they will. They have obligations to each other. So there is an absolute equality in this matter. Neither one should have a selfish view of this marital duty because it is intended for mutual satisfaction and fulfills God’s will for them to become one. Then Paul says in verse 5, “Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” Neither one should deprive the other, especially in anger or spite. The only time a husband and wife should suspend physical intimacy is to devote themselves to personal prayer. We are reminded of Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure.” When we think of our time, sexual immorality is so prevalent that it seems to be questionable to keep marriage bed pure even among Christians. Yet this purity in a Christian family is to be kept, however the world changes. Then Paul says in verses 6 and 7, “I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” The Bible as a whole teaches that marriage is God’s blessing upon mankind to live a happy and fruitful life for the glory of God. This is a gift from God. Here, Paul advocates a celibate lifestyle. Paul believes that he himself could serve God better as a single man. However, he acknowledges that celibacy is also a gift from God, echoing Jesus’ own teaching (Mt9:11-12). Those who have this gift should serve God in single devotion all their life. Each one has his or her own gift from God. Paul goes on to focus on four specific categories of relationship status in the community: the unmarried, the widow, the married and the rest. In verses 8 and 9, “Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” “Unmarried” is a broad term; it includes all not bound by the married state. Then widows are singled out for special mention (cf. ‘and Peter’, Mark 16:7), perhaps because of their particular vulnerability and the consequent temptation to remarry. Paul was mindful, especially for the widows. Then in verses 10 and11, “To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.” To the married, Paul commands that a wife must not separate from her husband and a husband must not divorce his wife. This is according to the word of the Lord. Jesus refers to divorce as adultery (Mt5:32) because he knew that a common motive in divorce was to marry someone else. In a Christian marriage, there should be no thought of divorce. Christ is the Lord of both partners and what he has brought together in his sovereignty should not be broken by man (Mt19:4-6). And in verses 12-13, “To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.” (I, not the Lord) does not mean that what he says lacks authority; he believes that he has the Spirit of God. “The rest” must mean those not linked in Christian marriage, for apart from this all the cases have been dealt with, the unmarried, the widows, and the married. The Bible strongly warns that believers must not marry unbelievers (2Co6:14). But some were married before they became Christians, and then one partner became a believer. It would be very difficult for them to live together. However, each believing partner should bear the unbelieving as long as there is willingness to live together. They must do their best to work it out. Then in verse 14, “For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.” In verse 14, the conjunction “For” introduces a reason. God regards their union as sanctified through the faith of the believing partner. The sanctification of the believing partner reaches out to the unbeliever as the believer keeps his or her faith. Paul sees this in what was clearly accepted with regard to the children of such a marriage. Until he is old enough to take the responsibility upon himself, the child of a believing parent is to be regarded as Christian. The parent’s “holiness” extends to the child. The child is “part of a family unit upon which God has his claim.” Then in verse 15, “But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.” “Sometimes an unbelieving spouse can become the devil’s instrument to destroy the faith of a believer. The constant harassment is a fierce battle. Though it is painful to bear, the believer should not seek a divorce in this case. However, if the unbeliever decides to leave, the believer should let him/her go. We must acknowledge that believers have no control over the faith of others, even of their spouses. Spiritual rebirth is God’s sovereign miracle. Then Paul sys in verse 16, “How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” If God used the believing spouse to save the unbelieving husband or the unbelieving wife, that would be the wonderful grace of God, as they stayed together willingly. In this part we see Paul’s shepherd heart for God’s flock of sheep, stating each case. Paul clearly set a principle in marriage. Marriage is between one man and one woman, which is a timeless biblical truth; marriage is normal. The marital duty is to be fulfilled by mutual respect. Divorce is forbidden. And in the married God’s blessing flows to the family through faith. Celibacy is recommended, but each one needs to know his or her gift from God. Second, remain in the situation God called you to (17-24). In verse 17, “Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.” It is important for us to accept God’s sovereignty in marriage and do our best to serve God as we are. Paul urges Christians not to exhaust themselves trying to change their marital status. Christ is the Lord over us and our place in life is given by him. The word “Lord” is written 12 times in this passage. In verses 18-20, “Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him.” There are people who want to enhance their human conditions through marriage by the virtue of their spouse. However, we should know that what matters most in any human condition is our relationship to the Lord, through obedience to God’s commands in God’s given situation. Paul writes further in this point. In verses 21-24. “Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.” Slaves were in a most difficult and humiliating situation. And to be sure, Paul encourages slaves to gain their freedom if the opportunity arises. However, Paul says not to let their slavery trouble them because in knowing Christ, they are free from the most terrible bondage of sin and death. They have the freedom to grow in faith and in inner character, and God can use their situation to bear good fruit. However, those who always want to escape a painful or difficult situation do not please God. They often miss precious opportunities to grow spiritually through suffering. It is sobering to think that even slaves should accept their place in life and grow in faith instead of complaining and only hoping to change their situation. The important thing for the free man is also his relationship to Christ; his whole life is to be lived in lowly service to his Master. It is notable that Paul mentioned this same point three times in this part: “Each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him” (17), “Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him” (20), and “Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to” (24). Paul stresses that outward circumstances matter little, and the most important thing is the intimate relationship of the believer to the divine in whatever God’s given situation. Third, undivided devotion to the Lord (25-40). In verses 25-28, “Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are. Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned.” Paul has consistently maintained that, while it is good for some not to marry, marriage is the normal state. There is nothing sinful about it. He repeats this, saying, “He has not sinned”, “She has not sinned” (28), and “He is not sinning” (36). Then he says in verses 28-31, “But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” There is nothing solid and lasting in this world system; it is its nature to pass away. It is folly for believers to act as though its value were permanent. The world in its present form is passing away. The things that concern us so much in this world will vanish. Marriage as we know it is limited to this world. We should not try to hold onto temporal things as if they will last forever. Rather, we must put all our hope in the coming eternal kingdom of God. And in verses 32-35, “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can lease his wife—and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband.” Paul warns of the danger of a divided heart among married believers. Marriage necessitates husbands and wives to be concerned about each other. However, there is a danger that they will become engrossed with worldly affairs and in the process abandons the mission God called them to serve. Then Paul says in verse 35, “I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” In light of this verse it is truly a blessed life that a man and a woman marry by faith in Christ and live a life of mission together in undivided devotion to the Lord from first to last. The husband and the wife raise their children with the same spirit and same concern, bringing them up in the training and instruction to the Lord (Eph. 6:4) so that they may also find the blessed wonderful life of mission to fulfill God’s purpose in their lives. One missiologist believes that the Mayhews represent the longest and most persistent missionary endeavor by one family in all of Christian history. Thomas and Ana Mayhew came to America in 1631. God blessed their son Thomas Jr. to be a missionary to American Indians. He had one faithful convert, Hiacoomes, who became an evangelist, and 300 Indians came to the Lord in ten years. When Thomas Jr. died at sea, his father took over the mission at age 70 and served for 22 years until he died at 92. Then his grandson John took over the work. After him, fourth generation missionary, Experience Mayhew carried on. Without marriage, they could have served for one generation. But as a godly house church, they could serve for four generations. When we see the Bible as a whole, marriage is indeed significant. The Bible begins with the establishment of the first house church in Genesis 2. When Jesus performed his first miraculous sign, it was to bless a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The Bible ends with a spiritual marriage between the bridegroom, Christ, and his bride, the church, who enjoy the wedding supper of the Lamb in the glorious kingdom of God. Marriage is so beautiful and holy that Paul calls it a profound mystery (Eph5:32). It mirrors the relationship between Christ and church. Husbands must love their wives as Christ loved the church. Husbands and wives must love Christ with undivided hearts and Christ blesses the family with love and joy and peace. There is beauty, harmony, order, love and overflowing blessings. Whatever our situation, we are most happy when we serve the Lord in undivided devotion. We continue to pray for families of God, house churches to be establish for his world mission purpose in this generation of moral revolution.



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