In his letter, Paul seeks to help his readers minimize
the distractions that so easily focus our hearts and minds
on earthly things, rather than on things eternal.
Specifically, Paul wants each of his readers to view their
marital status and ambitions in the light of eternity. In
the context of 1 Corinthians 7, Paul has been responding to
the Corinthians’ questions about marriage and spirituality.
It seems apparent that there are some ascetics in the church
who teach that sex is dirty and should be abstained from,
even in marriage. The inference, whether stated or implied,
is that marriage is a less than spiritual institution.
Consequently, Paul advises those who are single to stay that
way, if they have the self-control to do so (vv 8-9). To
those already married who might be thinking about
terminating their union, Paul says, in effect; “Do not even
think about it.” Those marriages in which both partners are
believers are not to give marriage or separation a thought.
If someone has already separated or divorced their believing
mate, they are to either remain single or to be reconciled
and reunited with their spouse (vv 10-11). To those married
to an unbeliever, they should not initiate a separation or
divorce, because their presence in that marriage is a
benefit to both their mate and any children born of that
union (vv 12-14). If the unbelieving mate opts to end the
marriage, the believer should not seek to force the
unbeliever to change his or her mind, since salvation does
not come about by force, but in peace (vv 15-16).
In verses 25-40, Paul gives his advice and the practical
applications of the principle he has set down three times in
verses 17-24. However, before he does so, he clearly
identifies his words in verses 25-40 as his counsel, and not
as his command. We tend to think of Paul as an aggressive,
“take charge” kind of man. We might think that his every
word is a “thus saith the Lord,” which we dare not disobey.
Paul does give commands, which he expects us to obey, but
when he does so, he makes it clear that this is the case (1
Corinthians 7:10). When his words are an expression of his
personal convictions and preferences, he indicates this as
well (7:6-7, 25). Paul gives this counsel in verses 25-40 in
response to the questions posed to him by the Corinthians
(7:1).
While Paul indicates that he is giving his advice, he also
encourages his readers to take that advice seriously. While
setting aside Paul’s advice is not a sin (vv 26-28), one
will do well to take Paul’s counsel seriously. Paul
indicates that while none may apply his advice the same way,
it should be regarded as reliable counsel. He tells us that
his counsel is “trustworthy” (v 25). His counsel is not his
personal opinion, given independently of divine enablement,
but is the fruit of divine mercy that was given to him. This
man, who may never have been married, can give wise counsel
on the subject because of God’s mercy shown to him. Let no
one therefore take his words lightly.
Sometimes, preachers and teachers of the Bible are guilty of
passing off their convictions and preferences as though they
were co-signed by God. When one reads or expounds the
Scriptures, one speaks with Scriptural authority, when one
speaks his opinion that is another matter. Here, Paul is
being straightforward about the fact that he is giving
advice and not laying down a command. If the Corinthians
choose to do other than what Paul recommends, they are not
sinning (7:28). If Paul is clear to tell us when he is not
giving us a command, surely we dare not attempt to pass off
our ideas, preferences, or prejudices as though they are a
word from God.
One of the difficulties in dealing with this passage is
determining what Paul means by certain terms and
expressions. What does Paul mean by the expression, “the
present distress” in verse 26? In verse 29, what does he
mean by the statement, “the time has been shortened’? The
“present distress” is further explained and defined by the
expression, “troubled in this life” in verse 28. The
statement, “the time is shortened” is explained by the later
expression, “the form of this world is passing away” (v31),
“to be free from concern” (v 32) is to “secure undistracted
devotion to the Lord” (v 35).
While unbelievers have always resisted and rejected the
prophets, the coming of Christ has intensified men’s
opposition toward God, and specifically toward those who
love and serve Him. This distress or trouble is life-long.
One who is a follower of Christ should expect and endure it.
However, when one marries and has children, the distress is
even greater because now it is not just we who suffer, but
our family as well. Paul wishes us to limit our exposure to
those pressures that might tempt us to back off from a bold
profession of the gospel. Thus, one who is single should
seriously consider staying that way.
Verses 27 and 28 speak not only to the single Christian,
encouraging him or her to remain single, but Paul also
addresses the married believer, advising that one not seek
to be loosed. Once one is married, with or without children,
it is too late to reduce one’s exposure by seeking to
terminate the marriage or to abandon one’s family. Paul does
not here emphasize his words to those already married; he is
emphasizing his counsel to those who are single and eligible
to marry. This is because Paul has spoken with greater
authority in prohibiting the Christian from pursuing divorce
or separation (vv 10-16).
The basis for Paul’s exhortations here is the “shortness of
the time” and “the form of this world is passing away.” It
is possible that Paul simply means to say, “the time is
short.” It is also possible, however, that Paul means to say
that the first coming of our Lord has somehow brought
matters to a head, to a conclusion; so that we now are
assured that the end is near. One of the great dangers that
confront the Christian is losing sight of the shortness of
the time. We must live in the light of the nearness of the
return of our Lord, of the inauguration of His kingdom, and
thus of the end of this present age.
Yet another dimension to Paul’s teaching seems primary in
the text that places so much emphasis on this present age
that is so brief as opposed to the coming age. We are to
value all things in terms of how long they last and on how
much benefit they provide. We should be willing to forego
temporal things of limited benefit, if by doing so we gain
eternal things of infinite value. Nothing earthly should
take precedence over that which is eternal. Human
relationship, while important, should never take priority
over our devotion to God. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to
Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and
children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own
life, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26).
Here is a truth that is not very popular and hardly ever
mentioned in most churches, because “family” has been
elevated to a place where it conflicts with our devotion to
God. Let us take the words of our Lord and of the Apostle
Paul most seriously. Family must not be “first” in the life
of the Christian, even if it is first in many churches. Paul
wants us to walk the narrow line of keeping marriage and
family in its proper place. We must not look down upon it,
forbidding or forsaking marriage as the ascetics do. Neither
should we elevate marriage and family above its proper
place, as a gift of God for this life only.
The second dimension to the teachings of Paul deals with
sorrow and suffering, “and those who weep, as though they
did not weep.” Our hedonistic age places too much value on
pleasure, and therefore does everything possible to avoid
pain. The psychological talk shows have more than their
share of tear-filled voices, telling of their woes, and of
warm, compassionate therapists telling the sufferer that
they can “feel their pain.” The problem with pain is that
some masochists love it and seek to bring it upon
themselves, as though it were a virtue to suffer needlessly.
Then there are the hedonists, who will do anything to “stop
the pain,” including suicide. Eternity gives us a very
different view of earthly pain.
There will be no earthly sorrows in heaven; thus, when God
calls upon us to suffer for the sake of His name, we should
rejoice in it, knowing that it is insignificant in
comparison to the heavenly glory that is to be ours.
The third dimension to the teachings of Paul deals with
pleasure; “and those who rejoice, as though they did not
rejoice.” The ascetics seem to disdain all pleasure as
sinful; the hedonists of Corinth see no sin in perverse
pleasures. Once again, Paul seeks to strike a happy medium.
He does not instruct the Corinthians to avoid everything
that causes one to rejoice or to take pleasure in it. He
simply warns them that earthly pleasures fall far short of
eternal rejoicing. The pleasures of the wicked are
short-lived, and they lead them headlong to destruction.
Christians are not forbidden the legitimate pleasures of
this life we should enjoy and receive them gratefully from
the hand of a loving and gracious God, and they should be
employed to the glory of God.
The fourth dimension to the teachings of Paul deals with the
shortness of materialism, “and those who buy, as though they
did not possess.” The truth of the matter is that we do not
really possess anything in the first place. When God brought
the nation Israel into the land of Canaan, He made it clear
that this was His land, not their land. He informed them
that the Canaanites had been evicted from the land because
of their sin and warned that they too would be evicted if
they did not live according to His commandments (Leviticus
25:23; Deuteronomy 4:23-31; 9:4-6). Especially in the New
Testament, Christians are taught that they are stewards of
the possessions God has placed in their care. Jesus
challenges His disciples to sell their possessions and give
to the poor (Luke 12:33). He tells the story of the rich
fool, who sought to save all of his possessions (Luke
12:16-21). He teaches His disciples to lay up treasures in
heaven and not on earth (Matthew 6:19-20). Paul tells
Timothy to remind the rich that their abundance comes from
God, and that they are to be “rich in good deeds,” being
“generous and ready to share” (1 Timothy 6:17-19). The
things we now possess will either be used up, worn out, or
stolen here (Matthew 6:19), or they will be burned up at the
end of the age (2 Peter 3:10-12). We had better not think of
anything we purchase as our permanent possession. The time
is short and the form of this world is passing away, so we
had better not put too much stock in “things.”
Finally, in verse 31 Paul sums up the whole matter of our
attitude toward this world and our relationship to it, “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.” The
term “use” seems to imply two things. First, it implies that
the things of this world are not ours, but God’s, and that
we are only stewards, entrusted with them. Second, the term
“use” seems to imply taking advantage of, or use to one’s
own personal advantage. Third, the term “use” requires a
choice to either to use the thing in question, or not to use
it. Fourth, the term “use” implies a temporary use, a use
that has a limited life. Paul wants us to think of using the
things of this world as a temporary use, a use that will
end. The way we use what the world offers to us determines
what we will have laid up in heaven.
The Christian lives in this life, knowing that he or she is
simply preparing for the next. While here in this world, we
seek to lay up treasures in heaven. We know that God richly
supplies us with all things to enjoy. We also know that
while some things the world offers to us are lawful, not all
of these are profitable. Some may hinder the gospel or the
spiritual walk of a fellow-believer. Some may be detrimental
to our walk. This means that we should not make use of
everything that the world offers to let us use. We should
use this world thoughtfully and selectively. Not all of the
pleasures we are to pass up are sinful pleasures. Paul calls
on us to give up some of the legitimate, lawful pleasures of
this life for the sake of the kingdom of God. His final
words underscore the fact that these liberties are “passing
pleasures” and part of the “form of this world which is
passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31).
In the previous verses, Paul called upon the Corinthian
Christians to consider marriage in light of the shortness of
the time and in view of the fact that the “form of this
world is passing away.” Marriage, after all, is not an
eternal institution, but one divinely provided for men and
women in this age, rather than in the age to come (Matthew
22:30). Marriage is a right, a liberty, which can be
exercised or set aside. Paul has just challenged the
Corinthians to consider the possibility of remaining single,
not because this makes one more spiritual than others, but
because it may enhance their service in these shortened
days.
Now in verses 32-35, Paul continues to advocate staying
single, but from the standpoint of one’s devotion to God. In
verse 33, Paul introduces this segment with an expression of
his desire to help the Corinthians be “free from concern” (v
32). In verse 35, Paul ends the segment by indicating that
his intention has been to help them “secure undistracted
devotion to the Lord.” Staying single is one way that some
Christians can reduce distractions from their devotion to
the Lord. Remaining single provides an opportunity for the
Christian to serve the Lord without the conflicting
obligation of attending to the needs of one’s spouse.
However, staying single does not automatically produce this
result, as the ascetics may teach or imply. Those who are
single by choice may well be in that condition for the wrong
reasons, it may be out of fear, fear that marriage may not
work. Statistics seem to underscore such fears. It may be
that a person has remained single to avoid the commitment of
marriage. It may be that one stays single for sinful and
immoral reasons, even practicing their immorality with other
singles in the church. Some have remained single because
they are too selfish to give themselves to another. Staying
single is not automatically the spiritual thing to do, but
it most certainly can be an opportunity to devote oneself to
the Lord.
In chapter 7, Paul shows the relationship of one’s
spirituality to sex, celibacy, marriage and the single life.
Paul deals with this subject in stark contrast to the
ascetics of Corinth. To them, one could hardly be spiritual
if they enjoyed sex, even though in the confines of
matrimony. Their hard and fast rules, without exceptions,
are very different from Paul’s counsel. On some matters,
there is no room for concession or compromise. Those who are
married are to stay married. Those who are married are not
to abstain from sex in that marriage, except for unusual and
very limited circumstances. However, when it comes to
whether one should marry, Paul all of a sudden turns from
laying down rules to giving advice. He does not demand that
the Corinthians take his advice, and even tells them that
they do not sin by acting contrary to his counsel. Rather
than attempt to add weight to his every word, Paul indicates
when he is speaking with full apostolic authority and when
he is giving his opinion. Paul is not nearly as dogmatic and
authoritarian as some in the Corinthian church (2
Corinthians 11:19-21).
Paul reminds us of the freedoms we enjoy in the Christian
life. Some Christians want everything in black and white.
They want nice simple rules, with all of the decisions of
life about the will of God nicely summed up for them. In
effect, they do not want to believe that they have the
freedom to choose between acceptable alternatives. They want
God to map out their life so that they do not have to make
agonizing decisions. Paul reminds us that many of life’s
decisions are our responsibility. Paul gives advice. He
tries to help us in thinking about the issues involved.
However, in the final analysis, Paul calls on us to decide
what we will do.
The teachings of Paul clearly reveals what we do in this
life must be determined in the light of eternity. Our
choices should not be made based on what “feels good,” or on
what makes me “happy,” but on what pleases God and furthers
His kingdom.
Let us not lose sight of the fact that the time is short,
and the days are evil. Let us make those choices which best
advance the gospel and which enable us to serve God
wholeheartedly.
