Monday, August 25, 2014

1 Corinthians 7:8-11

1 Corinthians 7:8-11
And I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they should remain as I also am.  But if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry.  For it is better to marry than to burn with inner passions.  And to the ones who have been married, I command – not I but the Lord: a woman is not to be separated from her husband.  But if she should even be separated, let her remain unmarried or let her be reconciled to her husband.  And a husband is not to divorce his wife.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I cannot help but laugh at Paul’s underlying current for advocating marriage: it is a means for relieving the sexual passion that is within some people.  That’s literally what he means when he says that it is better to marry than to burn with passion.  Now don’t get me wrong.  Paul is not saying it is wrong to get married.  After all, God Himself instituted marriage!  Neither is Paul saying that sex within marriage is wrong.  Obviously God blessed that action, too.  But Paul’s position on marriage is pretty clear here in 1 Corinthians.  The work of the Lord is far superior to any other work that can be done.  We should be focused upon that work as our primary goal.  That work can be done by the person who is married and by the person who is unmarried all the same.  One need not be married to advance the kingdom of God.  Our highest priority should be the kingdom of God, not marriage and children.

Does this perspective on marriage leave you feeling a little flat?  Why might a person be underwhelmed by Paul’s perspective on marriage here?

Second Thought:

In this passage we also have some very difficult words regarding divorce.  Paul says it should not be done.  Now, of course, this isn’t meant in a hard-and-fast “if you do this there is no forgiveness” kind of teaching.  That isn’t it at all.  There is forgiveness for every kind of disobedience against the Lord’s command.  One act of disobedience is not greater or worse than another.  Rather, what this command is meant to mean is that God’s ideal state for marriage is that it is to stay together.  Fights, arguments, and disagreements will happen.  But they are to be resolved within the union.  And if they cannot be resolved within the union, we are to consider that they might not be resolved in a second union should divorce occur in the first union.  Thus it is really quite simple.  If you are married, do your best at staying married.  Make it a priority.  And if marriage doesn’t work out, than accept it and focus on the Lord and His work.

Why is this a difficult teaching?  Why is it important especially in today’s day and age to make sure that people don’t think that this is a law upon which there is no forgiveness should a transgression occur?

Third Thought:

In many respects, I find these verses in ironic contrast to the modern methodology that most churches employ with respect to church growth.  For many years, the largest of church denominations are only experienced church growth because their members have been having babies.  But here in this passage we hear Paul talking about the unmarried and widows would be better off being unmarried or widowed (as Paul himself is).  Paul isn’t showing any concern here for having children and continuing the biological lineage of a person or growing the church through having babies!  Hear that loud and clear, because it is a difficult yet true message of this set of verses.  For Paul, having biological children in order to preserve the lineage of a person really isn’t even a concern in life.  Paul has been focused this whole letter on developing spiritual children, not biological ones!  A person can create spiritual children regardless of whether or not they are married, widowed, or unmarried!

Is this line of thinking stunning to you?  Do you think Paul has any problem against having biological children?  Why do you think Paul is intentionally trying to draw so much attention away from sex – and even in some points marriage for the sake of having children?


Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 7:12-16

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