1 Corinthians 7

Keep purity

1 Cor 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.

Paul is still speaking on the subject of purity. Being single and not fornicating is good.

1 Cor 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

If you are single and not keeping yourself pure, it is better to marry.

1 Cor 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

Married people are to be affectionate and loving.

1 Cor 7:4 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.

The married couple belong to each other and are not to seek fulfillment apart.

1 Cor 7:5 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.

The desires of each other should be met, unless both agree to fast and pray. All desire should be fulfilled in each other,then there will be no need to look elsewhere.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

1 Cor 7:6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

It is up to the couple if they want to pray and fast.

1 Cor 7:7 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.

Paul was unmarried and new the Spiritual benefits of singleness. To marry or be unmarried is a gift from God.

Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

The focus is on purity. Purity, whether single or married. Whichever you are, it is a gift of God. The important thing is to remain true to God and make Jesus Lord of you life. You may say,"What of the past"? Have you received Christ Jesus,? Then you are new in him. If you are a victim of anothers sin, it is his or her sin. You are pure in God's sight. He sees you as bought and purified by his own Son's blood. We are now eternally righteous in our Father's sight. Walk now in purity for his names sake. You are being watched by others that want to know what a Christian is like. We are to be like Jesus, only we have families and homes to be responsible too also.

Sacred Marriage

1 Cor 7:7 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.
1 Cor 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
1 Cor 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

Better to marry then to be overcome with passions.

1 Cor 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:

The Corinthians were wondering if it might be more spiritual to be single, and to break existing marriages for the cause of greater holiness; Paul answers straight from Jesus: absolutely not!

There are two specific grounds under which God will recognize a divorce: adultery (Matthew 19) and the desertion of an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7); on any other grounds, God will not recognize divorce, even if the state does.

Abuse, misery, addiction, poverty, and the like may be valid reasons for separation, but none are Biblical justifications of divorce and remarriage.

A comment now, the Lord takes marriage seriously, it is not to be entered into lightly. Both should be Christians with Jesus at the center.

1 Cor 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

If the Christian spouse leaves, you must try to reconcile. If they are remarried You are free to remarry.

1 Cor 7:12 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.

If you are married to an unsaved woman and the wife stays with you, you are not to divorce her.

1 Cor 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. Likewise we stay married to the unsaved husband that wishes to stay.

1 Cor 7:14 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.

Marriage is a holy union. The saved spouse makes the unsaved one clean and the children are clean. This is the power of marriage.

Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Is not marriage a type of the Church and its relation to Christ? The Church is the bride of Christ. Jesus is the Holy one that sanctifies the bride. Because of the one Holy partner the other is made worthy. Yet the bride, the church is to be clean in holy behaviour.

Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Unsaved Marriage Partners

1 Cor 7:15 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.

If the unbelieving spouse should depart, the Christian is not under bondage to the marriage; meaning they are in fact free to remarry

1 Cor 7:16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Never marry an unsaved person thinking he will be saved later. Also do not listen to an unsaved man or woman who claims to be sympathetic to your faith, or claims to be Christian, but never attends church or shows no spiritual evidence. A man will say anything to get his desires met, and a woman often will believe anything to be loved, so beware of this.

If you are married to an unsaved person, then by your good behavior he might be won to Christ. But don't make this a reason to marry.

1 Cor 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.

Serve the Lord in the position you are in. If married, serve God, if unmarried, serve the Lord. Do not as the Corinthians, seek divorce so that they may serve God better. Serve him as you are.

I have heard young people say, " I will serve the Lord later, I want to have fun now". This is a wrong attitude. What the world calls fun is probably sin. Do not serve sin and expect to easily serve God when you are older, you may be too hardened by then to respond.

Serve God as you are today. Have you failed? Then confess your failure and get back into serving him. We are not alone, we were bought with a price, The Lord's blood shed for us. Allow him to cleanse you each day. We belong to Jesus and our God is also our father. We are his beloved children; praise him.

Of the Heart

1 Cor 7:18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
1 Cor 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

This was a sign of the Abrahamic covenant for all Male Jews. Yes, even for Jesus to fulfill all the law . (Luke 2:21)

Serve Where You Are

There is a favorite old hymn, "Brighten the Corner Where you are", we are to be the light of the world where we are.

1 Cor 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

Don't wait until you have a grand title to serve God. Serve him now, as a housewife, a student or worker.We are to obey and follow him now.

1 Cor 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

If you are a slave, serve God as you are. I think of the beautiful "Negro" spirituals. Born under slavery, Swing low sweet chariot, even singing styles and worship from the hearts of those enslaved. When the opportunity comes for freedom, receive it, but don't as many, turn from the Lord with your new freedom. What is true freedom? Truth in Jesus Christ is freedom.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

1 Cor 7:22 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.

Are you called as a slave? You are free in Christ. Are you free? You are to be the Lord's servant.

John 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
John 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
John 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

1 Cor 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

1 Pet 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1 Pet 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

1 Cor 7:24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. We serve Jesus now, not looking for escape from our responsibilities. Knowing that to live is Christ. Are we ashamed of our low position?

1 Cor 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1 Cor 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1 Cor 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1 Cor 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1 Cor 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1 Cor 1:31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

Lord I serve you, right here right now. I have decided to serve you where I am with all my heart. You have honored obedience with fruit. I will serve you by your grace all the days of my life. To God be the glory and when we are face to face, I shall see others also who I have loved and never seen on the computer. We will be together forever, because I serve you now, where I am.

But we who are not Jewish are not under this covenant, we are under grace. Peter addresses this issue and Paul and Barnabbas in Jerusalem.(Acts 15)

In Regards to circumcision and the Jewish customs:

Acts 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Acts 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

It is a pure heart that God gives that we should seek. We are not under bondage to working out laws that can never be fulfilled. We are in Grace. Jesus has freed us for the law of sin and death.

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

We must turn from our sins and receive Jesus, then walk in his Spirit. Will satan go away, no, but we choose to serve Jesus. If we fail, we keep serving Jesus. We are not condemned, we are free.

Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Acts 15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.

The letter to the Church in Antioch:

Acts 15:23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia:
Acts 15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:

It was not required of gentiles under grace, but a clean heart. Even for the Jew, it is of the heart.

Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Should Jews who receive Christ keep the Covenant? Yes, it is the symbol of God's everlasting covenant with Israel. Yet it is most importantly a new heart. Jesus saves us by his grace. We cannot earn our salvation but we do follow him with good works from a new heart. LET NO MAN HEAP CONDEMNATION ON YOU.

The old covenant sign of the covenant was baptism. The new covenant sign of the covenant, is water baptism.

Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Marital Advice

1 Cor 7:25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

Paul is not giving commandments, but inspired advice.

1 Cor 7:26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

The present distress may have been persecution in the church. It is good for a man to be faithful.

1 Cor 7:27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

Paul won't tell anyone not to get married; but he can say we should serve God where we are at, and that he sees advantages in being single

1 Cor 7:28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

Notice that Paul is never implying that being married or single is more spiritual than the other; this was the big error of the Corinthians.

1 Cor 7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

Hold lightly to the things of the world. Many feel that the answer to lives needs is in a partner. The Lord should be most important love of your life.

1 Cor 7:30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

Don't live by emotions or things as though they were the reason for life.

1 Cor 7:31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

1 Cor 7:32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
1 Cor 7:33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.

There you go, however if both serve the Lord he should be all important.

1 Cor 7:34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

Ideally a single girl can devote all her life to the Lord, there are a few who do. Whereas, the married woman cares for things and pleasing the husband ? No reason that both cannot seek the Lord first. It is a choice.

Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

Single or Not

1 Cor 7:35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

Serving the Lord is a choice. A single person would have the greatest opportunity, to give themself wholly unto the Lord.

1 Cor 7:36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

This seems awkward in the King James..another translation...

New Living Translation 7:36

But if a man thinks he ought to marry his fiance because he has trouble controlling his passions and time is passing, it is all right; it is not a sin. Let them marry.

Many women today have put their careers before marriage. They are marrying at an older age. Some are almost past childbearing age, so they are watching their biological clock. The need for marriage and childbearing becomes more urgent. This verse seems to also be talking about uncontrollable passions. Paul says, it's all right to marry, it is no sin. Even though singleness affords more opportunities and freedoms to serve without hindrances.

1 Cor 7:37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

If a man can refrain from sex and can still remain single , he does well.

1 Cor 7:38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

Whether or not you choose to marry your girl friend, it is all right.

1 Cor 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

If the husband dies, the wife is free to remarry , but only a Christian.

1 Cor 7:40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.

Paul's spiritual opinion is that a woman who is a widow does best to remain single.

Be careful with your choices. Jesus must be Lord of your life. Our life on this earth is short, what we do will determine our eternal future. Never go against God's will in marriage or any other decision. Each person must choose the Lord. If he is first in your life it matters not about what may come.

Psa 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

...Gary

1 Corinthians 7 Chapters

1 Corinthians 8
1 Corinthians 6
1 Corinthians 1 Index