1Cor. 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
The wording here indicates that Paul is giving answer to questions or problems that the church at Corinth had written him about. As I read through the different translations, the Complete Jewish Bible translation stood out: “Now to deal with the questions you wrote about: ‘Is it good for a man to keep away from women?’”
Of course, I don’t know Greek, but this translation made sense to me. We know that Paul didn’t teach against marriage (as the other translations would seem to indicate at first read), although he did indicate that the single life was best regarding one’s ability to maintain a spiritual focus in life (cf verse 34-35 of this chapter). The Corinthians wrote Paul with a question, which he seems to be identifying at this point.
1Cor. 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
It would seem that Paul’s main argument for marriage was to help men and women avoid fornication, a sexual relationship outside of marriage. He was well aware of the pressure of the culture of the day as well as man’s own sexual nature. Marriage was a relationship ordained by God that declared it a fitting outlet to meet man’s physical and emotional needs for intimate fellowship and necessary for man’s survival and growth to populate the planet.
Genesis 2:18, 22-24 “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him….And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
Genesis 9:1 “And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.”
1Cor. 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
1Cor. 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.
1Cor. 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.
“incontinency” = “want of self-restraint, excess”
These verses are an elaboration of the truth stated in Genesis 2:24 (see above)—“and they shall be one flesh.” As one flesh, the man and woman are a necessary part of each other. God made man and woman distinctively different to be able to come together as one in an experience that brings pleasure and fulfillment one for the other. In this area of the marriage relationship, the partners are equal. The man’s needs and wants do not carry more right or privilege than do those of the woman and vice versa. The sexual part of a couple’s relationship should meet the needs and desires of each partner and should not be a “privilege” that is to be withheld as a tool of manipulation or as an act of punishment for perceived wrong. The only appropriate time of extended abstinence should be a time agreed upon for spiritual purposes, i.e. fasting and prayer. These times should be limited so as not to allow Satan an open door with temptation from other sources. Obviously, the needs and desires of individuals are different, and each couple determines what is good for their relationship. The key is to keep God at the center of your marriage.
1Cor. 7:6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
The wording of this verse seems to refer to the answer given by Paul in the previous verses. I think he is trying to make clear that it is not God’s command for everyone to get married; the next verse seems to support this thought. Paul is just making a practical recommendation based on his observations about the nature of mankind.
1Cor. 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.
1Cor. 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
1Cor. 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
Paul was not married, and his personal recommendation would be that everyone be single like him. Again, he will explain later on in the chapter that this is more conducive to one’s ability to give priority to serving the LORD. The wording of the last half of verse 7 makes it sound like the need for marriage and the ability to be single represent a gifting from God. That makes sense to me as I think about those I know. I believe that marriage and singleness represent different areas of service before the LORD. Those who are blessed with marriage and family are given the privilege of raising up the next generation fit for God’s use in accomplishing His plans and purposes, or maybe they are just more fit to serve God as a couple. Those who are gifted with singleness are set apart for service that honors Him more completely by not having the distractions and responsibilities that would deter them from His purposes for their life. We are each unique pieces of the whole with specific areas of service and purpose, if we will but yield.
1Cor. 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
1Cor. 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.
I think it is interesting that though the whole letter is inspired by the Holy Spirit, Paul makes a distinction when he is speaking as representative of God and when he is speaking his own thoughts (as stated in verse 6 above). I hadn’t really thought about it before, but I imagine that most, if not all, of the New Testament writers knew that they were writing scripture. Maybe some didn’t recognize that they were writing under inspiration until after the fact, or even not at all. Paul knew. Peter recognized Paul’s letters as part of scripture.
2 Peter 3:15–16 “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.”
Since the Holy Spirit inspired ALL scripture, Paul’s thoughts were evidently in line with God’s thoughts even though Paul was not certain of that fact. This truth, however, he is quite certain about. God does not want any marriage to end in divorce. Since God knows us inside out and realizes the struggle we have with our sin nature and our propensity to focus on self, He gives instruction regarding those who choose to or are forced into divorce. They are to remain unmarried or, better yet, seek reconciliation. It’s a bit puzzling that this instruction is specifically directed to the wife. I think the solution is that Paul first addresses a situation in which the wife initiates the separation, and the last phrase of verse 11 seems to indicate that the same is meant regarding the husband who initiates the separation.
1Cor. 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.
1Cor. 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.
Again, Paul makes a distinction concerning his instructions vs. God’s instructions. Again, I do not believe the Holy Spirit would have inspired these words unless they reflected God’s heart.
This instruction is directed to the man or woman whose spouse is an unbeliever. Christians are not to be unequally yoked, but often a person comes to know the LORD after marriage, resulting in an unequal yoke. This presented a legitimate concern to those in the church at Corinth.
If the unbelieving spouse is willing to continue the marriage relationship, the believing spouse should remain in relationship with the unbelieving spouse.
Note: Matthew allows one exception to this instruction—in the case of fornication.
Matthew 5:32 “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.”
This verse is from Jesus’ teaching known as The Sermon on the Mount. This instruction is directed specifically to the husband. There is no indication from the LORD that the wife has an option. This instruction is repeated in Matthew 19:9 and again gives no option to the wife. In doing several word searches, I can find no teaching that authorizes the woman to seek divorce. The only instruction I can find references adultery in connection to relationship with a woman who has left her husband. As I have thought about this, scripture is clear that the man is the one to whom God has given authority in the home. The woman is to be submissive to the man’s authority as delegated by God.
1Cor. 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.
This verse is hard. The word for “sanctified” means to make holy, purify, consecrate. I looked in Webster’s for help and came across a definition for “sanctified” that states “to give sanction to.” Sanction implies approval and support. I liked that thought. God desires that the marriage bond not be broken. He approves the existing relationship, though unequally yoked, and will give support to the believing spouse, I believe, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit to bring the unbelieving spouse to salvation.
The last half of the verse is even harder. The Greek for “unclean” states “impure” and includes demonic. Obviously, not all children of unbelieving parents are demon-like, but they are greatly unprotected and vulnerable to the attack and possession of demons because there is no spiritual protection in the form of prayer and godly example and teaching from their father. The presence of the Holy Spirit in a home in the life of even one believer in that home provides a deterrent to the attack of the enemy and creates a greater possibility for others in that family to respond to the wooing of the Holy Spirit in their own lives. This leads directly into Paul’s thoughts in verse 16.
1Cor. 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 an unbeliever chooses to leave the marriage relationship because the spouse has become a believer, the believing spouse is to let him or her go. God does not desire His children to be subjected to the misery that would accompany an unequally yoked marriage with an unbelieving spouse that wants no part of it. In marriage, two people become one flesh; they are a unit. If the unbelieving spouse chooses to leave, that unit is broken. The believing spouse is not held responsible in the eyes of God at that point.
1Cor. 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?
Obviously, the believing wife or husband cannot “save” their unbelieving spouse. However, they might, by their example, be able to bring the unbeliever to a point of desire for salvation, a point of seeing their need for a Savior. Peter expresses this same thought.
1Peter 3:1 “Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives….”
1Cor. 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.
“but” = if not:—but, except (that), if not, more than, save (only) that, saving, til
Webster = On the contrary; on the other hand; only; yet; still; however; nevertheless; more; further
After thinking about this a while and looking at the definitions, I could go a couple of ways.
If not – If the unbelieving spouse referenced in the preceding verse, does not become a believer,
However or Nevertheless – No matter what decision is made concerning the status of marriage—whether you are married, single, widowed, divorced or separated,
“as God hath...called every one” – Every believer should live according to God’s direction and calling. I think the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) phrased it best: “However that may be, let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you. This is my rule in all the churches.”
This is not saying that you are to continue in the state in which you find yourself when you become a Christian, but that you should live according to God’s revealed purposes for your life in submission and obedience to Him from that moment on.
“so ordain I in all churches” - This is not a directive or instruction that is specific to the church at Corinth. This is a general principle of Christian living.
1Cor. 7:18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
1Cor. 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Paul now widens the scope of application. Becoming a Christian doesn’t necessitate that one disavow his position as a Jew or that a Gentile should become circumcised and try to follow Jewish law. The significant purpose in the life of the believer, whether Jew or Gentile, is to live according to the commandments and precepts of God.
The question becomes, “What commandments?” Jesus answered this question.
Matthew 22:37-40 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
The key seems to be “love”—both of God and of your neighbor (which you cannot truly love without loving God). The word love includes not only affection, but “embracing especially the judgment and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety (from the Greek).” In other words, it is a matter of the will. Towards God, that love includes a recognition of Who He is and His authority over us. I believe this is what is being referenced when scripture admonishes us to fear the LORD.
Paul expressed it a little bit differently to the Galatians.
Galatians 5:6 “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.”
Faith works through loving God as defined above. It is expressed by living with confidence that He will do all that He has promised according to His word and demonstrating one’s love for Him through obedience.
1Cor. 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
God is not looking at the differences that exist in those that become part of the body of faith; He is looking for unity of spirit in faith and love toward Him. He doesn’t care if one is Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, man or woman, married or single, educated or uneducated, etc.
Notice the use of the word calling in this verse as well as called in verse 17; the word in verse 20 is a shortened version of the word in verse 17. It is a reference to the position for which God has invited you (from the Greek), to serve Him—whether married or unmarried, servant or freeman. You may be unmarried when you become a Christian, but that doesn’t mean that God intends for you to stay unmarried. He may yet call you to serve Him with a married partner. If you are married when you become a Christian, scripture makes it clear that God’s desire is for you to continue to serve Him as a married person (in spite of the allowances made in the situations discussed at the first of the chapter).
1Cor. 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
Paul continues to broaden the scope of our thinking. If you became a Christian in the position of servant, use it as an opportunity to serve in love as unto the LORD. You are to be submissive to your master, as unto the LORD. Paul words this thought beautifully in his letter to the Ephesians.
Ephesians 6:5-8 “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.”
God can use the life of a slave to His glory just as surely as the life of a man who is free to make his own choices.
On the other hand, if the opportunity arises for you to become a free man, take it with the intent of serving God submissively and obediently as one with freedom of choice.
The book of Philemon is a wonderful illustration from real life of properly following this principle. Paul sent new believer Onesimus back to his master. It was the prerogative of the master to allow Onesimus to serve with Paul or not. Onesimus was blessed to have a master that was a Christian, but Paul would have sent him home even had his master not been saved, I believe, based on the principles taught in this chapter of Corinthians and the letter to the Ephesians quoted above. Peter also supports this understanding.
1Peter 2:18 “Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.”
“forward” = warped, perverse, crooked
1Cor. 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.
This is one of the paradoxes pertaining to the Christian life. A believer who is in the position of a servant or slave is “free” in the Lord. A believer who has individual freedom on earth is Christ’s servant. Paul discusses this issue at length in his letter to the Romans. Once a person accepts Jesus as his Savior, he/she is released from the bondage of sin. That freedom allows you to obey God willingly in gratitude for that freedom. By choosing to obey God and accept Him as your LORD, you are freely choosing to be His servant because you realize that is a privilege and not a burden.
Romans 6:6-9 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.”
Romans 6:18-22 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
1Cor. 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
“Ye are bought with a price” – What price? The precious blood of Jesus.
1Peter 1:18-19 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; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot….”
Because our position in the family of God is made possible through the great sacrifice of Jesus, the believer owes service to no man. The service we give to man is through the revealed will and for the divine purposes of God. He established earthly authorities; therefore, we are to obey them as unto Him. Again, Peter gives support to this teaching.
1Peter 2:13-16 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”
1Cor. 7:24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
“Brethren” = fellow believers
This is a restatement of verse 20. The summation at that point was in reference to being married or single or Jew or Gentile; the summation at this point is in reference to being a slave or a free man. The key truth being that we should be content to serve in whatever life circumstances according to God’s revealed will and purposes for his/her life. If you are a servant and have no possibility of gaining freedom, be content and serve God in that position. If you can gain your freedom, by all means do so; but with that newfound freedom, serve God. If you are privileged to be single with the opportunity to serve the LORD with single focus, be content. If the LORD brings another believer into your life with whom you feel you can better serve Him as a married couple, do so. If you are married, God’s desire is that you remain married and serve Him (with exception as stated in previous verses). Paul will go on to elaborate on these thoughts in the next section.
1Cor. 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.
The first thing that jumps out to me in this verse is Paul’s carefulness to identify what part of the message is his wisdom vs. what is God’s revelation. He doesn’t hesitate to give his thoughts because the LORD has so mercifully empowered him in his singleness. These thoughts do not constitute a command of God, but advice from a man of spiritual maturity. We know that they must constitute the approval of God since they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to be included in this part of scripture.
Because of the content of the following verses, it would seem that Paul is referencing all who have never been married, even though the Greek word is specific to “maiden, unmarried daughter.”
1Cor. 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.
Paul’s advice to these unmarried people is that they remain unmarried because of the “present distress.” What is the “present distress?” At the beginning of chapter 5 Paul identified fornication as a specific problem in this body of believers. This particular sin had evidently become acceptable to the point that even a son who had taken his father’s wife had not been disciplined by the church.
I am a little confused at the assumption of most of the commentaries to equate this present distress to persecution of the church. From the beginning of this letter Paul is addressing problems within the church—not problems coming from without. It does make it easier to explain why Paul would recommend singleness as a better state of being in that your family can’t be used to pressure you to give in to “what everyone else is doing” or used against you by threatening to harm them if you don’t cooperate with ungodly demands.
I personally believe that Paul is saying that by staying single you place yourself in better position to submit to God in love and obedience without distraction.
Guzik: “What is the advantage of remaining single? We can easily imagine how in a time of persecution or great crisis, how much more of a burden a wife or a family can be for someone committed to standing strong for the Lord. We may say, ‘Torture me, and I will never renounce Jesus.’ But what if we were threatened with the rape of our wife or the torture of our children? These may seem far away to us, but they were not far away to Christians in the first century.” [Sadly, such a possibility is not so foreign an idea any more as of January 2021 in America.]
1Cor. 7:27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
As for those who are married, Paul is confirming that it is God’s will that your marriage not be dissolved. This truth is affirmed by the very words of Jesus.
Matthew 19:4-6 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”
This matter of marriage and divorce was discussed thoroughly in verses 10-16 above.
Those who are single, however, he encourages to stay single.
1Cor. 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.
Based on the context of the whole chapter, I think one can safely assume that Paul is saying that it is not a sin for those who are scripturally free to marry to do so. Those who do marry, however, can expect to experience the responsibilities, trials and tribulations that necessarily accompany marriage. Paul is not going to make a list of these troubles.
1Cor. 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;
1Cor. 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;
1Cor. 7:31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
In reading the different translations, I really believe the NLT captured the intent of Paul’s words the best: “Now let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short, so husbands should not let marriage be their major concern. Happiness or sadness or wealth should not keep anyone from doing God’s work. Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.”
Basically, the main focus of our lives should be God. When God is given the preeminence in our lives, everything else falls into proper perspective. Even the spouse that we so cherish is only ours in marriage for a season. In eternity we will neither “marry nor are given in marriage.” (Matthew 12:30, Mark 12:25, Luke 20:35)
Paul reminds us that our time is short (whether we live to die a natural death or until the LORD comes). The things that cause us tears should not consume us. The things that bring us happiness should not consume us. Our possessions should not be the focal point of our lives. This sin-cursed world and everything associated with it is going to pass away. Only what’s done for Christ will last.
Matthew 6:19-20 “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”
1Cor. 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:
1Cor. 7:33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
I think the NLT states it the best: “In everything you do, I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. But a married man can’t do that so well. He has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife.”
The Greek for carefulness added the idea of being secure which Webster defines as “easy in mind, confident in mind, not having reason to doubt.” When you are involved in ministry of any kind as a married person, whether in the church or some other sphere of activity, you have to learn to find balance in your responsibilities. Sometimes you might not be confident that you are finding that balance, and your mind can become uneasy that you are not fulfilling one role or another according to God’s will and with His priorities. This doubt or lack of balance can lead to unnecessary stress.
1Cor. 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.
The same principle applies to unmarried and married women. As a wife and a mom, I am aware of my responsibilities regarding those relationships before the LORD. There have been many times that I have felt my “earthly responsibilities” as wife and mom have inhibited my ability to serve God as I so desired. There have also been times that I have tried to spread myself too thin in trying to meet people’s expectations. I can especially remember times as a Sunday School teacher or Children’s Choir Director when I didn’t put enough preparation time into those responsibilities and was content to “wing it.” Other people might not have been aware of the facts because the outcome was never bad, but I knew I could have done much better—and more importantly, God knew. He doesn’t want us to serve Him with half a heart—He wants our whole heart.
1Cor. 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.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that he wants the best for them. He is giving them the best advice possible regarding how to be able to serve the LORD with your whole heart without distraction. It isn’t Paul’s intention to cause the believers trouble by making them feel trapped by restrictions. He is just making sure they can make the best decisions by being aware of all the facts.
1Cor. 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.
1Cor. 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.
1Cor. 7:38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
The KJV wording is very confusing; the NLT seems to make more sense: “But if a man thinks he ought to marry his fiancée because he has trouble controlling his passions and time is passing, it is all right; it is not a sin. Let them marry. But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry.”
I read a couple of commentators that understand the reference here to be to a father and his child. For example, Courson states: “After talking about the freedom found in the single state, in his day of arranged marriages, Paul goes on to talk to fathers about their unmarried daughters, saying that if their daughters desired to marry, that was acceptable. On the other hand, Paul says that the father who can guide his daughter into living as a single woman, devoting herself to the Lord, does a good thing.”
The American Standard Version supports this view: “But if any man thinketh that he behaveth himself unseemly toward his virgin daughter, if she be past the flower of her age, and if need so requireth, let him do what he will; he sinneth not; let them marry. But he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power as touching his own will, and hath determined this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, shall do well. So then both he that giveth his own virgin daughter in marriage doeth well; and he that giveth her not in marriage shall do better.”
After much thought, I tend to agree with Courson.
Because of the culture’s emphasis on the authority of men, Paul has directed the majority of his advice to the men, and I believe that is because they are given the role of leadership in the family structure. Paul still concludes that even though it is fine for one to marry, the one that stays single is better off.
1Cor. 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.
1Cor. 7:40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
In these verses Paul addresses the woman and her will (which I think clarifies the heart of the message of the previous verse). The specific difference is that he is addressing a woman who has been widowed. She is then scripturally free to marry again “in the LORD.” But—Paul’s opinion is that she will be happier if she remains single. As he gives this advice, he believes that his advice is in agreement with the Holy Spirit.
Courson: Those who are called to a single life or who find themselves in a single state fulfill a very real function: to serve the Lord with spontaneity and without distraction. Marriage is a picture, but, in a sense, singleness can be the reality—for it is the single person uniquely who can say, ‘I am married to You, Lord. You are my Husband, my Love, my best Friend. And I will be devoted to you single-heartedly for a long as You have me in this state.’”
1Cor. 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
Paul now moves on to another area of concern for the members of the church at Corinth. He seems to indicate that the people were quite knowledgeable regarding idol worship; it permeated their culture. Because there were many priests representing so many different “gods” in their culture, the priests couldn’t utilize their portion of all the sacrifices made to these pagan “gods.” So a lot of the meat in the public markets came from the priests’ portion of the sacrifices to those idols. Obviously, the meat was of the same nutritional value whether or not it was offered to idols. However, this was one of the few areas about which the leadership of the church in Jerusalem had given specific guidelines for the Gentile believers.
Acts 21:25 “As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.”
Paul immediately turns the focus of obedience to consideration of the heart and intent of the law vs. the letter of the law. Jesus did the same thing in His teaching of the Sermon on the Mount beginning in Matthew 5. It is in the nature of man to take pride in adhering to the law, but only through the rebirth of the spirit of man through faith in Christ does he/she become more concerned with how their actions impact others. A charitable response to the freedom we have in Christ is to make choices that will edify or build up the body of believers. The Greek word for charity is the word agape, the word for choosing to love unconditionally.
1Cor. 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
This verse makes me think of the saying, “The more you know, the more you realize how much you don’t know.” That is the way we should respond to knowledge. As Christ so painstakingly pointed out in His teaching, actions that result from heart knowledge are far more important than those that result from head knowledge.
1Cor. 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
This is a powerful statement. The apostle is saying that a person who loves God is easily recognized—both by others and by God. Again, the word for love is the word agape, which makes specific reference to love as a result of choice based on principles and duty. Loving God (and others as a result) is a choice. That choice will have direct impact on other choices the believer makes in his/her life.
1Cor. 8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
Paul begins to present the facts for consideration. The child of God knows that an idol is a worthless piece of junk. There is only one God in the world worthy of worship and Who is The Source of all power, knowledge, truth, love, wisdom, etc. Technically, the meat offered to idols is no different that any other meat. The idol effects absolutely no change in the meat.
1Cor. 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
1Cor. 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
Man is the one that has labeled different entities as “gods” and “lords.” Only YHWH has personally identified Himself as the eternal, self-existent, almighty, Creator God, possessor of heaven and earth.
Genesis 14:19 “And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth….”
Deuteronomy 4:39 “Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.”
Paul states this truth more specifically in his letter to the Colossians.
Colossians 1:12-17 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”
1Cor. 8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
Paul now clarifies that the knowledge is not inherent in every man that allows him to discern the truth about this meat. Our conscience is our source of discernment regarding right and wrong. In part of our conscience, we possess knowledge planted there by God to point us to our need for Him.
Romans 1:19-20 “Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse….”
The major part of our conscience is determined by life—from experience, training, and environment. In Corinth, idol worship was a dominant feature of the culture. It would not be uncommon for new believers to feel a loathing for anything associated with their former way of life. To many believers in Corinth, to eat of meat that was used to sacrifice to idols was like taking part in idol worship again. Paul describes the condition of their conscience as weak. These believers were not strong enough spiritually to make a distinction between the act of worship and the meat itself. I think it is a built-in protective instinct that allows the new believer time to grow in spiritual understanding. They considered eating meat offered to idols to be “wrong,” and choosing to do something that you think is wrong is a sin.
1Cor. 8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
Paul now makes it clear that what we eat is not considered in God’s assessment of our character.
1Cor. 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.
The scripture declares that to live in obedience to God gives us freedom. The key is to recognize that freedom as a choice to embrace God’s will and His commands as expressions of His love for us. It’s like we are surrounded with a loving protective barrier within which we can enjoy life.
Psalm 119:45 “And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.”
Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
However, the freedom we have in Christ is not a license to act without consideration of how those actions impact others. Instead, we are to embrace that freedom as an expression of our love for God (cf v3). By choosing to love God, we are choosing to love our fellow believers; we are all part of the same family. That love will guide us into actions that will build up, encourage and strengthen the faith of other believers—not tear them down, discourage them, or cause them to stumble.
Courson: “It take time for those who are new in the faith to grow in the understanding that the way of the kingdom is totally different than the world’s system. Because of the Cross, the Christian race starts at the finish line. We don’t fight for victory; we fight from victory. This is so foreign to the world’s thinking that many new Christians are hypersensitive about issues of conscience and the possibility of failing.”
1Cor. 8:10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
1Cor. 8:11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
Making the choice to eat in a restaurant or home that is serving the meat offered to idols is a selfish choice when that choice will tempt another believer to go against his conscience. If he/she gives in to that temptation, then he/she has fallen into sin. It could be the sin that causes him to think he cannot live the life of faith, so why try.
1Cor. 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
When the believer knowingly chooses to make that selfish choice in spite of the temptation it will present to the believer with the weaker conscience, it is a sin against the LORD who redeemed you with His own blood. His example of sacrifice goes far beyond any sacrifice we will ever have to consider making.
Jesus taught that He considers our actions toward fellow believers as actions in support of or against him.
Matthew 25:35-45 “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.”
1Cor. 8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Paul’s conclusion—It is far better to avoid eating the meat in question than to risk causing a fellow believer to stumble in his/her walk of faith and choose to do that which his conscience has told him is wrong.
Obviously, the principle to us as believers today goes far beyond the issue of choosing what is acceptable to eat. The heart principle is to be applied to the questions of our day and our culture. Things that would fall into this category today would include areas such as entertainment and fashion.
Wiersbe: “Some people have the false notion that the strong Christians are the ones who live by rules and regulations and who get offended when others exercise their freedom in Christ; but such is not the case. It is the weak Christians who must have the security of law and who are afraid to use their freedom in Christ. It is the weak Christians who are prone to judge and criticize stronger believers and to stumble over what they do. This, of course, makes it difficult for the strong saints to minister to their weaker brothers and sisters.”
It just seemed appropriate to me to include an excerpt from my study in Romans at this point since it covers the same principles.
Rom. 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way.
I like the wording of the Complete Jewish Bible for this verse: “Therefore, let’s stop passing judgment on each other! Instead, make this one judgment — not to put a stumbling block or a snare in a brother’s way.”
It’s much easier to put our focus on what is “wrong” in someone else’s life than it is to focus on our own responsibility in a given situation. Our responsibility is to reflect the LORD Jesus in everything we do and say. We are to be humble and have the mind of a servant toward others. Toward those who are weaker in faith than we, our priority should be to encourage them and strengthen them in their faith. We should be careful not to let our freedom be the cause of their stumbling.
Rom. 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Rom. 14:15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
In context, we can see that the reference to “unclean” is connected to “meat.” This would have been especially significant to any Jews who would hear this letter. The book of Leviticus is very specific regarding what they were to consider clean and unclean. I was reading through Eerdman’s Dictionary on this subject and found this statement: “The distinction between clean and unclean was a reminder of Israel’s call to holiness (Exod. 22:31[MT 30]; Lev. 20:22-26; Deut. 14:2). Holiness implied separation from the common or the profane.”
When Jesus came, He “fulfilled” the law; He met every requirement. Through faith in Him, man can now be declared “righteous.” By fulfilling the law and overcoming the curse of sin, Jesus began to emphasize what really defiles a man, what makes him truly unclean or unholy.
Mark 7:15 “There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.”
“am persuaded by the Lord Jesus” – Paul is careful to emphasize that he is declaring the truth as revealed to him by the LORD. He is more specific in this regard in his letter to Timothy.
1Timothy 4:1-5 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils….Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
The last half of verse 14 presents a very interesting spiritual principle. It is a truth that comes into play in my life constantly. If we consciously make a choice to do something that we believe makes us unclean or unholy, it is a sin for us.
Finding the balance in the practice of my freedom in Christ vs. discernment between what is right and wrong has been a real area of concern for me. I have erred so often in making compromises in my past, that I tend to be a bit more legalistic in the choices I make now. I believe that I need to be more circumspect than others because of the weakness of my flesh. I also have to work at not being judgmental towards those who seem to exercise too much freedom in their choices in my opinion. I have learned to be stronger in the choices that are right for me while hopefully not alienating others. This struggle is by far greater in fellowship with my extended family than in fellowship with friends.
Rom. 14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
Rom. 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
I like what David Guzik had to say about verse 16: “Our liberty in Jesus and freedom from the law is good, but not if we use it to destroy another brother in Christ. If we do that, then it could rightly be spoken of as evil.”
The concerns and priorities of life and service in the kingdom of God, the body of believers, are not food and drink. We are not to give thought to what we eat or drink. God will provide for those of His kingdom. Our priorities are regarding our relationship to our God and our brothers and sisters in the faith. I believe that is what Christ was teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 6:25-33 “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
I like the following comment from JFB on verse 17: “The first — ‘righteousness’ — has respect to God, denoting here ‘rectitude,’ in its widest sense (as in Matthew 6:33); the second — ‘peace’ — has respect to our neighbors,denoting ‘concord’ among brethren (as is plain from Romans 14:19; compare Ephesians 4:3; Colossians 3:14, 15); the third — ‘joy in the Holy Ghost’ — has respect to ourselves.”
Rom. 14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
“in these things” – This phrase seems to be referring back to “righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.”
“Righteousness” in verse 17 is defined in the Greek as “equity (of character or act).” Webster defines equity as “according to reason, and the law of God to man.” I would conclude that to serve God in righteousness is to live so that our character and our actions reflect submission to God and obedience to His commands.
“Peace” is a reference to being “set at one again” in our relationship to God. When we serve God in peace, we are again reflecting an attitude of submission and contentment in our relationship to God that will in turn produce peace in the kingdom of God.
“Joy in the Holy Ghost” seems to be the direct result of serving God in righteousness and peace. When we are living in submission and obedience to God, the Holy Spirit will be able to bring forth the fruit of love in our life that expresses itself in joy.
Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace….”
Rom. 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
I conclude from the previous verses that peace is a result of serving God in submission and obedience. As each believer finds peace through his relationship to God, he will in turn promote peace among other believers. To edify is to improve and strengthen; peace in the body of believers only strengthens and improves our testimony before others.
Again, I am reminded of my life verse: Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
As I continued to look at this verse, the phrase “follow after” jumped out. This references a choice that results in action. We never benefit from knowing what is right if we are not willing to act upon that knowledge.
Rom. 14:20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
Paul again emphasizes the main truth of this passage. Although referencing the example of whether or not it is right to eat meat (that is considered unclean), the issue is freedom in Christ vs. responsibility to the brother in Christ. We are not to use our liberty to cause another to stumble; that would destroy the work of God.
In the second half of the verse, the issue is freedom in Christ vs. our responsibility to obey Him according to our understanding of the truth. Even if an action is not sinful in and of itself, it becomes a sin in one’s life when that action is taken in disobedience to what one believes is right before God.
Rom. 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
Paul is very consistent at hammering home his message. We are to take no action that we know would cause a brother or sister in the faith to stumble in his/her faith.