Lesson 15 – 1 Corinthians Chapter 7:18-31

Last week we talked a lot about sexual relations between a husband and wife. Let’s remember, God is the one who designed marriage in the first place, and that it is the union of one man and one woman… period. The husband and wife become one in this union, for the purpose of having children and for mutual pleasure between the two. Also, that the husband and wife’s bodies belong to each other, and that sex is to be enjoyed throughout the marriage.

We learned that Paul was a widower, and he points out that being single and being married are fine either way, one is not more spiritual than the other… both have their benefits.

The Corinthians had concerns about their marriages in varying degrees, from doing away with sex altogether because of their immoral struggles, to getting divorced if the husband or wife is an unbeliever.

Paul wants us to know that marriage or singleness can be a challenge regardless. The key to a good marriage as well as being single is to have a vibrant close relationship with God… going to Him daily with praises, requests, and worship. We are to devote our existence to God by living to bring Him glory. God should be our all in all, and when life’s challenges hit us in the heart, we know we can rely on Him to always be there for us. What a comfort that is for our hearts and souls.

We left off in verse 17, and the New Living Translation says; “Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you.”

Christians can be Christians wherever God has placed them, regardless of what governmental authority might be in charge. Christians can be under an oppressive dictator or in a free society. It doesn’t matter what country you live in or whether you’re a man, woman, child, married, single, divorced, Jew or Gentile. Whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, we can be Christian and live as a Christian.

This segues into verse 18:

1 Cor. 7:18:
“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.”

This is where being a Jew or Gentile comes in. When Paul starts out by saying “Was any man called” this always refers to the successful call to salvation.

When he was already circumcised… this is talking about a Jew who has given his life to Christ. Under the Old Testament law a Jewish baby boy was circumcised on the 8th day, it’s mandatory. Now, can a Jew come to Christ? Of course he can. Does it matter if he’s circumcised? Of course not… good thing, because you can’t undo that, not in a real way. Paul says, He is not to become uncircumcised.

Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? Have any Gentiles become believers in Jesus Christ? Yes! Then, he is not to be circumcised… this means Gentiles are not held to Jewish law.

In the Roman world, being circumcised was considered to be an embarrassment. According to Josephus, hundreds of years before Christ, some Jewish men who wanted to be accepted into Greek society had surgery performed to make themselves appear to be uncircumcised when they bathed or exercised at the gymnasiums… ouch.

Aside from this, there were some Judaizers during Paul’s day that had some Gentiles convinced they needed to circumcised to be a Christian, that they must observe the Jewish law. Paul says, he is not to be circumcised.

Gal. 5:2:
“Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.”

This means a person chooses the law over Christ. When it comes to being saved, God cares about our circumcision of the heart, having a pure heart toward Him, separated unto God. Rather than focusing on external rituals, we are to look within ourselves. A physical circumcision is an outward expression to obeying the law, but Christians are not under the law, and they never have been.

1 Cor. 7:19:
“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.”

Looking at this from a Corinthian perspective, they might have viewed circumcision as a mark of special dedication or for a blessing. Again, this has no spiritual significance or value for Christians whatsoever.

What matters is the keeping of the commandments of God… this is the important thing for us.

John 14:15:
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

What does God want from His children? Obedience, which is the only sign of faithfulness He accepts. Our obedience is always possible, the issue for us is will we choose to obey Him.

1 Cor. 7:20:
“Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.”

This doesn’t only relate to our marriages, it pertains to every area of our lives… be who you are. Paul says in effect, “If you’re called as a Jew, be a believing Jew. If you’re called as a Gentile, be a believing Gentile as well.”

Our main concern as believers in Christ should be on divinely supernatural things… the things that are far above.

1 Cor. 7:21:
“Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.”

I’ve heard it said that there are more slaves today than any other time in history. Last year some 50 million people were living in modern slavery: 28 million in forced labor and 22 million in forced marriages.

Being a slave in Paul’s time was a very real thing. Here in Littleton Colorado it’s hidden from our sight, but the point Paul is making is, even if a person is a slave, they are still able to live as a Christian. No matter what situation, no matter how horrible, painful, or unjust things might get, nothing can stop us from being a Christian.

Eph. 6:5-8 (NLT):
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.”

Then Paul says, but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. It’s clear from this statement that Paul isn’t okay with slavery, that this isn’t a desirable position in life. He’s saying if you can find a way to become free do that. He’s not saying for them to escape and run away, but to live as an obeying believer who glorifies God, in a spirit of contentment.

John MacArthur says, “Although the gospel does not approve of removing slavery by social revolution, the gospel throughout history has brought the freedom of more slaves than any human philosophy, movement, or political system. In past times, some Christians, unfortunately, have supported and tried to justify slavery. But the Bible does not; and where Christians are faithful to Scripture, slavery cannot flourish.”

1 Cor. 7:22:
“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.”

The person who found salvation as a slave… is the Lord’s freedman. Another way to look at this is, the person who was a slave and received salvation was at one time a double slave… a slave to their earthly master and a slave to sin.

There’s nothing worse than the slavery that Jesus freed us from… believers are no longer slaves to sin.

Gal. 5:1:
“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

In a spiritual sense, everyone is a slave. We are either slaves to sin, which is our natural state, or we are slaves to Christ. Which one sounds better to you?

For the believer it’s a rhetorical question with an obvious answer, but for the unsaved world, not so much. Paul is telling the ones who still find themselves in slavery, as far as God is concerned, in Him, they are always free.

Likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave…

Paul describes this well in his letters when he says, “I am a bond-slave of Christ,” giving us an example to live by.

Romans 6:22 (NLT):
“But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.”

Looking back to the slave with an earthly master, there were slaves who were highly blessed with a very nice master. In fact, some slaves became part of the family and were treated as sons and daughters. Life was very tolerable for them.

Now look at it from the perspective that as believer, you are a slave of God… who is holy, loving, kind, merciful, just, and righteous. How do you think you will be treated as His slave? With this in mind, to be a slave of God has no negative connotations whatsoever; it is an honor and a privilege to be His slave.

To be clear, our freedom in Christ is not to sin, but freedom “from sin.”

1 Cor. 7:23:
“You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.”

Paul reminds us once again that we were bought with a price, and we can never take that lightly, as we saw back in chapter 6.

1 Cor. 6:20:
“For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

1 Peter 1:18-19:
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”

I am confident that we will be thanking God for all eternity, because He loved us and bought us with His own blood.

We’re in the middle of football season right now (my favorite time of year). We often hear about some quarterbacks who get paid insane amounts of money. The team owners see to it that these guys get the very best of everything; the best training, the best nourishment, and the very best medical care. Why? Because the team is invested in them, they want them to be happy and perform to the best of their abilities.

But guess what? All of the millions of dollars they spend on these athletes is nothing compared to the blood of Christ paid for you. Therefore, Jesus is going to see to it that you are taken care of, that whatever comes into your life or goes on around you, it is all according to His plan and your good.

Do not become slaves of men…

Can we sell ourselves off to men? The answer is yes. To sell ourselves off to men means that we accept man’s way of thinking, to live by the world’s standard instead of God’s standard. Another way to put it, is to live according to the flesh.

The Corinthian believers had fallen victim to this; they took on the world’s ways, which led to them becoming immature Christians, not growing in their faith, giving into conflicts and immorality. Unfortunately, this still exists in the church today. How can we combat this? We can fight this individually by seeing to it we walk in obedience to God, and then be willing to share that way of truth in your life with someone else.

1 Cor. 7:24:
“Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.”

As believers in the Bible, we can say with assurance that God doesn’t make any mistakes and there are no coincidences in life. That being true, and it is, God allows us to be where we are in this point in time, and then to stay where we are, all for His intended purposes. God will use us wherever we find ourselves.

Jesus says for us to obey Him… this means we are to leave sin and anything that encourages us to sin; but otherwise we are to stay put until He moves us.

Switching gears a little…

1 Cor. 7:25:
“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.”

Paul is going back to the subject matter of singleness. I have no command of the Lord… this means Jesus didn’t have a direct teaching on the goodness of singleness.

But I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy… So, now through the Holy Spirt, Paul will address this.

The word opinion (no’-may) can mean judgment, advice, and consideration. The way Paul saw things, if you were a single Christian and you are okay with that, it’s a gift from God. Ironically, there is an undertone within the church in general that singles need help to “cope” with their disorder, that being single isn’t quite normal or desirable… Paul would strongly disagree with that.

1 Cor. 7:26
“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.”

To be single during this time could be seen as being good, and I’ll explain. The phrase, in view of the present distress, had to do with the times they were living in.

The present distress… (an-nog-kay’) means stress, calamity, or sometimes “the means of calamity” such as torture or violence on a person.

For the Christians, whether during Paul’s day or now, there’s going to be some degree of conflict when it comes to living in the world.

John 15:18-19:
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”

Perhaps Paul had a foreknowledge through the Spirit of the things to come. Ten years after Paul wrote this letter, Nero would come into power. He was one of the most brutal leaders of Rome, known for his cruel persecutions against the Christians. He had the Christians sewn in animal skins and tossed in arenas to be torn apart by wild animals. Others he made to wear clothing soaked in pitch, they were tied to a post and set on fire just to light up his garden at night.

With all this in mind, it would be much harder on a married Christian with a family if they were captured and treated in some horrendous way; the believer would be worried about their spouse and children, and vice versa, the family would be worrying about their loved one. A single person wouldn’t have these pressures or stresses to deal with.

That it is good for a man to remain as he is… if he was single, it would be to his benefit to remain single.

1 Cor. 7:27:
“Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.”

Are you married? Don’t be trying to get out of the marriage, the only way out of marriage is through death, adultery, or divorce by an unbelieving spouse (and no, you can’t kill your spouse 😊). Any other marriage problems that occur must be dealt with other than through divorce.

Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife…

Again, this is not a command.

Bible commentary says, “God still gives the gift of singleness to some of His children. And many signs point to times increasing conflict and even persecution for Christians in our world. In Matthew 24 Jesus vividly pictured the turmoil and terror of the end times. It would be characterized by wars, apostasy, persecution, false prophets, and universal tribulation. We can already see overpopulation, pollution, rampant crime and immorality, false prophets and cults, apostasy, and increased threat of global war. The turn of the century could produce widespread warfare, civil strife, revolution, famine, disease, persecution, natural disasters, and economic stagnation and depression.”

Did I just get you all discouraged and depressed with that? I hope not. That was published back in 1984, but it kind of sounds like a description for today, doesn’t it? Not much has changed in our world, except that things seem much more intense these days.

I guess the point is, it would be better to go through all this upheaval as a single, and not have to worry about a spouse and family… I strongly disagree, but I’m married.

1 Cor. 7:28:
“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.”

To be very clear, it’s not a sin to get married, but if you do get married, be sure not to be unequally yoked to an unbeliever. If you have the gift of singleness, it is not a sin to still get married, just do it prayerfully.

Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you…

As the French say, “comme si, comme ça” meaning that marriage has both positives and negatives. Forest Gump might say, “Marriage is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.”

There’s no perfect marriage out there because of the simple reason that sin is ever present… yes, even in believers. For example, you have a husband and wife living together, and the weakness of their human flesh arises from time to time creating difficulties … some more often than others. When children are added to the mix, their problems can intensify family relationships. On the other hand, a single person just has to deal with their own sinfulness.

A loving, devoted, spiritual family not only is a great joy and strength to its members, but it also strengthens and blesses those around them. There are many benefits to having a shared life with someone you love.

The main point from Paul is marriage can cause some problems, while at the same time it solves other problems.

Paul uses the word “trouble,” Yet such will have trouble in this life. Trouble literally means “pressed together, or under pressure.” Two people in marriage are definitely “pressed together.”

Each person in the marriage comes with some amount of anger, selfishness, dishonesty, pride, forgetfulness, and thoughtlessness… you will see this even in the very best of marriages. These things all exist because of our sin nature, which is something everyone must deal with.

Let’s not forget, God is the one who created and ordained marriage in the beginning. Every marriage that keeps God front and center is bound to be a marriage that is highly blessed. I thank God for my wife and our marriage.

1 Cor. 7:29-31:
“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; 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; 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 New Living Translation does a good job of capturing the flavor of this passage…

“But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.”

We are living in the “Church Age” and ever since it began the clock has been ticking… the hour-glass has almost run out. For every generation the time is very short. What Paul is saying has two meanings; number one, Jesus is coming back for His church, and number two, our life on this earth is very limited when looked at through the lens of eternity.

Isaiah 40:6-8:
“A voice says, “Call out.” Then he answered, “What shall I call out?” All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

Whether Jesus comes back for us today, or we live out our lives till He takes us home, time is running out, we’re getting older and older, and His return is nearer.

This passage of Scripture should cause us to have some introspect, meaning to have an assessment of one’s own thoughts and feelings. In this case, are we grasping the big picture outside the entanglements our relationships… marriage, kids, and family. The problem can be that we can lose sight of investing in the things of eternity.

Matthew 6:33:
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Marriage is good and can be fulfilling, but it can also derail us to the point where we are serving our family more than God. The key is to ultimately strike a balance. Our priorities in life should always be: God, spouse, children, then comes job and ministry. The most important in this order must continually be God, having the number one position in our life. Too often God gets left in the shadows.

And those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice…

This has to do with emotions. You’ve heard the expression, “Oh, don’t let your emotions get the best of you.”

Here’s a few comments about emotions:

* Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts
* Feelings are something you have; not something you are.
* Never make a permanent decision based on a temporary emotion.

John MacArthur writes, “True love will, in fact, help keep our emotions in proportion and perspective. When a husband, wife, child, or dear friend dies or becomes crippled or diseased, we do not laugh or celebrate, on the other hand, the mature Christian does not fall apart and lose all hope and purpose and motivation.”

Romans 12:15:
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

The believer isn’t to be emotionless or indifferent, but ready to show God’s love to those around them. By doing this, they’re less apt to be focused on themselves and more focused on the concerns of others. That’s a recipe for blessings.

Keeping our emotions controlled, helps balance the way we handle life’s storms. While life can throw us curveballs, the ability for us to stay calm and composed can be the difference between being overwhelmed and riding in on a smooth wave, (a little surfing analogy). It’s like having a sturdy anchor that keeps us grounded, and remember Jesus is always the anchor of our souls.

And those who buy, as though they did not possess…

Possessions can become a real obstacle in life when it comes to the big picture regarding the kingdom. I remember seeing a bumper sticker saying; “He who dies with the most toys wins.” That might be true in today’s world, but not in God’s economy.

It’s okay to have nice things, but don’t let the nice things have you. Possessions can add comfort and joy to our lives, but it’s essential not to become overly attached to material things. When we let go of the need for more and more, we often find a sense of peace and freedom.

And those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it…

This goes hand in hand with possessions, and it is about the person who makes it their goal in life to live for pleasure. We all like to be comfortable, and we naturally like to take care of ourselves… it’s not something we really have to work at.

Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” He knows that most of us don’t have a problem loving ourselves, but there are always those who take it to the extreme, to a much higher level. Getting enamored with the things of the world can push any thoughts of God and His kingdom right out the door.

One Bible commentary says, “More leisure, more vacation time, earlier retirement, more comfortable homes, and such things can so occupy our interest and time that the things of the Spirit are neglected.”

In these three passages we’ve covered marriage, sorrow, rejoicing, possessions, and pleasures, every one of them have an appropriate place in the life of a believer. A problem emerges when any of these start to dominate our life… too much of anything can be bad for us. The word that keeps coming back is “balance,” measure everything out and don’t let any one thing control or take over your life… and yes, this even applies to a spouse and children.

For the form of this world is passing away…

This world and everything in it has a shelf-life, everything is going to “burn baby burn.”

1 John 2:17-18:
“The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.”

2 Peter 3:10-12:
“But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames.”

John and Peter have just given us a reality check. When the church age comes to an end, numerous things are going to take place.

We’ll close with this…

There’s a reckoning that is coming, the books will be opened… a judgment is in order. The believer will stand before Christ and have their “life” review.

Before this happens, while it is still today, every believer has the opportunity to make adjustments to their priorities in life.

Is God your central focus? If He’s not, make the necessary changes to where He is. Listen, once you cross over to the heavenly side of eternity, it’s a done deal, there are no do-overs. When you stand before Jesus, make sure you don’t have any regrets… make your changes today.