25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. 29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.
Paul addresses here that there isn’t a whole lot of time for everyone because the current world is passing away. So he states that if people are married then they should stay that way but if they are single then don’t worry about looking for a partner because there’s really not much time on earth anyway. In doing this they can concern themselves with preaching the gospel and leading people to Christ rather than worrying about themselves and if they have a relationship with a man/woman or not. Paul’s heart was always for the church. Not that he saw anything wrong with marriage, he recognised that it was a blessing in itself, but he urges people to set their hearts on the kingdom rather than in the world.
1 John 2:17 “The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
Isaiah 65:17 “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”
32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
Once again Paul gives them his conclusion as to what he has observed with those who are married or seek to marry. That their devotion to God would be divided, not that its a sin to support your wife/husband, but just to let them know that if they were single then they could devote undivided time to the Lord. Of course this isn’t possible for everyone as there would have been people that were married or looking to get married, but Paul is saying this because he wants their hearts to be set on the Lord and the kingdom not on this world.
36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.
For those who can’t help the way they feel towards the woman Paul suggests that they marry. Here Paul shows the Corinthians that he does actually recognise that marriage is a good thing and isn’t a sin as long as it is under the covering of marriage. However, he also says that if they choose not to marry then its also a good thing because now they can both dedicate their time to God, which is “better”.
39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
In terms of the marriage covenant with God, the only time someone can remarry is if her husband dies because otherwise she would be committing adultery. But Paul thinks that the woman is happier if she doesn’t remarry, something he is convicted of in his spirit.
Romans 7:2 “For example, by law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage.”
Filed under: 1 Corinthians, Apostle Paul, Bible study, Christianity, corinthians, God, Jesus, New Testament, unmarried
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