Chapter 7

1 Corinthians: -1- -2- -3- -4- -5- -6- -7- -8- -9- -10- -11- -12- -13- -14- -15- -16-

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7:1 Now, concerning the things about which you write (i): It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Because of sexual immorality, however, let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband give to his wife what is due, likewise also the wife to the husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; likewise also, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife. 5 Do not deprive one another except out of mutual agreement for a time, that you might have time for prayer, or again, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of restraint [j]. 6 I say this now as a personal feeling and not as any rigid structure. 7 I wish that all men were like myself, but each has his own gift out from God. One person has this gift and another that.

8 I say now concerning the unmarried and the widows, it is good for them to remain even as I am. 9 If, however, they do not have enough self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion [k]. 10 To those who are already married I share this message, not I, but the Lord – A wife is not divided from her husband. 11 If she finds herself separated, however, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. At the same time, a husband is not to send away his wife.

12 Now to the rest I say – I, not the Lord: if any brother has an unbelieving wife, and she consents to live with him, let him not send her away. 13 And if a woman has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to dwell with her, let her not send away her husband. 14 For the unbelieving husband is devoted in the wife; and the unbelieving wife is devoted in the husband; so that your children be not unclean, but also devoted. 15 If the unbeliever separates, however, let him separate; the brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases. For God has called you inside of peace. 16 How do you know, wife, if you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, if you will save your wife?

17 As the Lord has distributed to each, as God has called each, so let him walk. That is what I appoint in all the churches. 18 Was anyone who was circumcised called? Let him not be uncircumcised. Was anyone called who was not circumcised? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but rather, watching over the full purpose and completion of God. 20 Let each one continue in the calling in which he was called. 21 If you were called while a slave, do not be anxious; but if you are able to become free, do so. 22 For the slave called inside the Lord is a free man; likewise a free man, once called, is a servant of Christ. 31 You were purchased as out of the marketplace with a great price, do not become slaves of men. 24 Whatever each person was when called, let him remain in that with God.

25 Now, concerning virgins, I do not have a directive from the Lord, but I give an opinion, as one who has received mercy from the Lord to be faithful. 26 I think this is good, because of the present necessity, that a person remain as is. 27 Have you been bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Have you been loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 If you did marry, however, you did not sin. And if a virgin married, she did not sin. Such will have pressures in the flesh, however, that I would spare you. 29 I do say this, brothers and sisters, the time is shortened. From now on, those who have wives should be as if they did not; 30 and those who weep as if they did not weep; and those who are happy as if they are not happy; and those who buy as if they did not own; 31 and those who make use of the world, as if they did not make use of it. For the present outward form of this world-cosmos is passing away.

32 What I want is for you to be without concern. The unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord, how he might please the Lord; 33 the one who has married, however, cares for the things of the world, how he might please his wife, and so is divided. 34 In the same way, the unmarried woman and the virgin cares for the things of the Lord, that she should be devoted both in body and in spirit; the one who has married, however, cares for the things of the world, how she might please her husband. 35 This is all for your benefit, not that I would place a restraint upon you, but for what is honorable and devoted to the Lord without distraction [l].

36 If anyone supposes himself as behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is beyond youth, and so it ought to be. What he wishes, so let him do, he does not sin; let them marry. 37 He who stands firm in his heart, however, not being driven, but having authority over his own desire, and who has decided in his own heart to guard over the virgin, he will do well. 38 So then, the one who marries his own virgin does well, but the one who does not marry does better.

39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; if the husband has died, however, she is free to marry whom she wills, but only in the Lord. 40 She is more blessed, however, should she continue in the same manner, according to my opinion. But I suppose that I might also have the Spirit of God. [m] ~~~

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Gospel Word	Notes
	i. Here is an example of private communication, common to Paul, for which we now do NOT have the whole picture, for we do not know what was in the other letter, and we do not know the things which Paul had conversed with them privately. Our problem is that Paul is not writing to us and thus does not know that he needs to explain the whole picture. j. Contrast this with Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage is greatly valuable in all, and the marriage bed undefiled,” an expression of our union with Christ. k. Again, Paul’s thinking here is separate from Christ our only life and from the sweet intimacy and communion known inside of a pure marriage in the Lord. In fact, in the next verse Paul admits that he is speaking only out of his own personal experience, and not out from Christ. l. These ideas Paul is expressing here are separate from his gospel of Christ our life and from Jesus command to us to love one another. In fact, elsewhere Paul says that we are to think about other people’s need and not just our own. A wife and a husband, living in the knowledge of God filling them full with all that He is, out from that God-love, are caring for one another’s needs. This caring for one another’s needs cannot be a “distraction,” for it is God among us. Remember that Paul instructed us to set aside the things even he might say that are contrary to his gospel of Christ our only life. A person who says, “I don’t have time to meet your needs because I am too busy ‘being devoted’” is not being devoted at all. In fact, such is not the love of God. Sadly, these and other portions of this first letter to the Corinthians, have been used for against Christ our only life among Christians through the centuries. m. Paul is wiffle-waffling, and he knows it. Having added these comments, however, we do not disregard the things Paul shares, for he is also sharing many thing of great importance to us, regardless of those things we might disregard. Rightly dividing the Word of God is something one does with fear and trembling inside the knowledge of Jesus our All-Salvation.

Gospel Word

Notes

i. Here is an example of private communication, common to Paul, for which we now do NOT have the whole picture, for we do not know what was in the other letter, and we do not know the things which Paul had conversed with them privately. Our problem is that Paul is not writing to us and thus does not know that he needs to explain the whole picture.

j. Contrast this with Hebrews 13:4, “Marriage is greatly valuable in all, and the marriage bed undefiled,” an expression of our union with Christ.

k. Again, Paul’s thinking here is separate from Christ our only life and from the sweet intimacy and communion known inside of a pure marriage in the Lord. In fact, in the next verse Paul admits that he is speaking only out of his own personal experience, and not out from Christ.

l. These ideas Paul is expressing here are separate from his gospel of Christ our life and from Jesus command to us to love one another. In fact, elsewhere Paul says that we are to think about other people’s need and not just our own. A wife and a husband, living in the knowledge of God filling them full with all that He is, out from that God-love, are caring for one another’s needs. This caring for one another’s needs cannot be a “distraction,” for it is God among us. Remember that Paul instructed us to set aside the things even he might say that are contrary to his gospel of Christ our only life. A person who says, “I don’t have time to meet your needs because I am too busy ‘being devoted’” is not being devoted at all. In fact, such is not the love of God. Sadly, these and other portions of this first letter to the Corinthians, have been used for against Christ our only life among Christians through the centuries.

m. Paul is wiffle-waffling, and he knows it. Having added these comments, however, we do not disregard the things Paul shares, for he is also sharing many thing of great importance to us, regardless of those things we might disregard. Rightly dividing the Word of God is something one does with fear and trembling inside the knowledge of Jesus our All-Salvation.