The Principles of Marriage (2)
—1Corinthians 7
In this chapter, (1Corinthians 7), Paul addressed several issues regarding marriage. The Corinthians were apparently confused about how they should view their marriages. Paul gave them 14 principles of marriage to help them in their circumstances..
We considered the first six principles in Part 1, and here in Part 2, we have before us eight more principles of marriage.
7 Marriage is Enhanced by God’s Calling
Verse 17
Paul wrote, "As God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I appoint in all the congregations [of the called out]." (vs 17).
Paul took the view that being a Christian, being called by God, should not cancel important relationships but rather enhance them.
So there we have the seventh principle: marriage is enhanced by God’s call. Next Paul mentioned two other relationships to which the same principle applies.
8 Marriage Parallels Circumcision
Verses 18-19
"Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised" (vs 17).
Circumcision was important to many Jews, and uncircumcision was important to some Gentiles. In general, Paul did not consider either to be important. He did not want circumcised Christian men going to the surgeons to make them look uncircumcised.
Neither did he approve of uncircumcised Christian men being circumcised, unless there was some compelling reason such as the case of Timothy (Acts 16:3).
So the eighth principle was that marriage was parallel to circumcision. The married were to stay married, and the unmarried were best to remain unmarried.
9 Marriage Parallels Slavery
Verses 20-24
"Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. 22For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. 23You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called" (1Corinthians 7 vs 20-24 NKJV).
Here is another parallel. Becoming a Christian did not require any change in a slave's status. Nevertheless, given an opportunity for freedom, a slave could choose to take it.
Paul regarded marriage in like manner. He preferred no change in marital status, but allowed that a man and woman who were not married, but were in a platonic relationship, could get married if they wished. Engaged couples were an example of this.
10 Celibacy is Commendable but Not Commanded.
Verses 25-28
In verses 25-27 Paul said that the married should stay married, and the celibate should stay celibate, but the latter was "because of the present distress". He went on to say...
"If you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh..." (1Corinthians vs 28 NKJV).
Paul was concerned that, in troubled times, those who got married might avoid one problem (namely immorality) only to worsen another (the current distress).
11 Marriages Can Be Under Pressure.
Verses 29-31
"But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none..." (vs 29 NKJV).
It is not known what distress the church at Corinth was experiencing, and what was coming upon the church in a short while. Whatever it was, it was going to put the pressure on, and so Paul urged the unmarried to stay single and not complicate their lives. Those already married or those who still wished to marry would need to simplify their lives as much as possible to at least get some of the benefits of singleness.
12 Marriage Splits Loyalty.
Verses 32-35
"But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord —how he may please the Lord. 33But he who is married cares about the things of the world —how he may please his wife" (vs 32-33 NKJV).Paul observed that married Christians had divided loyalties and service. The married couple on one hand were loyal to each other; on the other hand they were loyal to the Lord. They had themselves a juggling act! In troubled times that would have been stressful.
13 Marriage is Good.
Verses 36-38
"But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin... let them marry"(vs 36).
It is difficult to know whether the virgin was the man's betrothed or his unmarried daughter. It doesn't matter really.
- If she were his betrothed, then it was good for them to marry if they wished.
- If she were his daughter, it was good for her to marry the man she desired.
So there was Paul’s 13th principle: marriage is good.
14 Marriage is dissolved by Death.
Verses 39-40
"A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment —andI think I also have the Spirit of God."(vs 39-40 NKJV).
In this chapter (1Corinthians 7), Paul was offering his apostolic and inspired guidance, answering questions about marriage in troubled times. He gave people the choice of following either his trustworthy advice or, with good reason, their own legitimate wishes. Either way, they did not sin.
In verse 39 Paul stated that a widow's former marriage was dissolved by her husband's death. So she was no longer bound by the law of her husband and was free to marry another.
Only in the Lord
But Paul added a restriction: "only in the Lord". Traditionally those four words are treated as a binding command for every Christian widow for all time. But weren't these four words rather the good judgment of one who had the Spirit of God, offered as cautionary guidance for tough times? And could not the Christian widow, with the benefit of that wisdom, make a decision either way without sin —matching the pattern of the rest of the chapter?
That pattern is that in troubled times, the unmarried were better off refraining from marriage, but they were not tied to that. If they had good reason, they could marry unforbidden, and without sin.