7:1 ¶ Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote
unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication,
let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3 Let the husband render unto the wife
due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but
the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but
the wife. 5 Defraud ye not one the
other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves
to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for
your incontinency. 6 But I speak this by
permission, and not of commandment. 7
For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his
proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. 8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows,
It is good for them if they abide even as I. 9
But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry
than to burn.
Here is a chapter based on Paul’s opinion regarding husbands and
wives. He makes this abundantly clear, that this is his opinion, reminding the
Corinthians that, like them, he also has God’s Spirit dwelling in him.
They have asked him a question by a letter and when we seek Godly
counsel from Spirit-led elders we would do well to consider it.
But, importantly, we must remember that there are many things
included in the Bible that are not direct commands from God though many
fundamentalists would want them to be so. If you take verse 1 and try to apply
it as doctrine you will get mandatory celibacy which is an absurdity when
compared to God’s blessing throughout the Bible on marriage between a man and a
woman. Other things that while in the Bible aren’t commands include;
Job 12:6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper,
and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
So, we understand that context is very important to understanding.
Paul’s admonition here is wise and he sets it up by saying that it would be
better if one’s energies were focused solely on Christ rather than the physical
relationship between a man and a woman however….
It is clear here that when two people commit to each other in
Christian marriage they are submitting their bodies to each other. To deny each
other the affections associated with marriage is to defraud each other, to deny
something that is rightfully each other’s.
Paul, in his opinion, suggests that those who aren’t married, like
himself, would be better off to stay that way. But, in the end it is better to
marry than to burn with passion.
7:10 ¶ And unto the married I
command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her
husband: 11 But and if she depart, let
her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the
husband put away his wife. 12 But
to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth
not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 13 And the woman which hath an husband that
believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is
sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband:
else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. 15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him
depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but
God hath called us to peace. 16 For what
knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how
knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
Now, Paul leaves his opinion and goes to a commandment from the
Lord. Don’t leave your spouse. If you must then stay unmarried or be
reconciled.
He then talks about those marriages where one person becomes a
believer and one does not. If the unbeliever is content to live with the
believer then they should stay together. The influence the believer can have on
the unbelieving spouse is very important. But, if the unbeliever abandons their
believing spouse the believer is not held to the ban on remarriage after
divorce and this modifies his first statement.
Jesus made it clear that there was nothing that should break the
marriage bond but adultery and to divorce someone for any other reason was to
commit adultery and to cause one’s spouse to commit adultery. In the following
in Jesus starts out dealing with the man’s adulterous thoughts.
Matthew 5:27 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old
time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her
hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it
out, and cast it from thee: for
it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast
into hell. 30 And if thy right hand
offend thee, cut it off, and cast it
from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish,
and not that thy whole body
should be cast into hell. 31 It hath
been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of
divorcement: 32 But I say unto you, That
whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth
her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced
committeth adultery.
Paul expands this to abandonment as a reason for divorce, added to
adultery.
7:17 ¶ But as God hath
distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk.
And so ordain I in all churches. 18 Is
any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any
called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision
is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. 20 Let every man abide in the same calling
wherein he was called. 21 Art thou
called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made
free, use it rather. 22 For he
that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman:
likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye
the servants of men. 24 Brethren, let
every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
This has been used as an excuse in American history to justify
slavery and to command slaves to not yearn for freedom and it has also been
used to criticize those a hundred years ago who strove to, “rise above their
station,” which is to say better their lot in life, but the context is part of
the argument regarding marriage. It is not a justification for oppression or
exploitation and accepting abuse helplessly from the powerful. The point is
here don’t divorce your spouse because you became a Christian and they did not.
This was apparently an issue in the early church.
There is no excuse for, when one is converted, to walk away from
your family. You have a testimony there that is important. Don’t think you must
change everything about your life. Be content where you are and serve God
there. The way this argument is worded it tells us that we are not necessarily
required to change our employment or relationships with others when we believe
unless, of course, that employment or that relationship is a stumbling block to
our servanthood to Christ. Serve God where you are when you were saved, if at
all possible.
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