1 Corinthians 7:8-24

About the Text

(8) Who are the "unmarried" referred to in this verse? Those who were already divorced before they became Christians. Verse 11 uses the same word to refer to a divorced person. But because verse 11 forbids divorce, we can assume that verse 8 refers to those who were already divorced before they became Christians. Paul encourages such singles to remain unmarried, if they can, but allows remarriage in the next verse.

(9) Does "cannot control" in this verse mean that the single should marry just anybody to avoid lust? No. This verse is simply stating that those who don't have the gift of celibacy should be open to marriage. It was common in the early church, as it is even today, for some Christians to view celibacy as a more "godly" existence. Those who try to be celibate, without having the genuine gift to do so, frequently lapse into sexual sin (e.g. child molestation, homosexuality), and bring dishonor to Jesus Christ. This is why this verse commands such persons to marry.

(10) Why does Paul add the words, "not I, but the Lord"? It meant that the following verses were spoken by Jesus in His earthly life. See Matt. 5:32, 19:3-9, Mark 10:2-12, Luke 16:18.

(12) Why does Paul add the words, "I, not the Lord"? It meant that the following verses were not spoken by Jesus in His earthy life, but were given to Paul by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Thus, these words are still from God. Beginning readers of the Bible sometimes take this verse to mean that some parts of the Bible are written by God, and other parts not. This is not so. Paul's words were trustworthy (v. 25), spoken from the Spirit of God (v. 40), and viewed by Peter as Holy Scripture (2 Peter 3:16).

(14) How is an unbelieving spouse "sanctified" by a believer? "Sanctified" simply means to be "set apart" or special. While the unbelieving spouse is certainly not saved, the unbeliever is somehow blessed by being married to a believer. Even today, many spouses become believers through their Christian spouses. See 1 Peter 3:1-2. The blessings of God are so abundant, that they often spill over from Christians to non-Christians.

(17-24) These verses will be explained in greater detail next week, but need to be included in today's message because they contain the key to understanding verses 8 to 16. That key is in verse 23: "You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men."

Insights

• Christ gives us the strength to be content in God's most difficult marital situations:
• Those who were divorced or widowed before they became Christians can be content while they are single. (8)
• Those who were divorced or widowed before they became Christians can be content being married again. (9)
• Those Christians who divorce can be content remaining single. (10-11)
• Those Christians who have unbelieving spouse can be content remaining married. (12-14)
• Those Christians who have unbelieving spouses who want to leave, can be content letting them leave. (15-16)
• The secret of contentment: Belonging to Christ. (17-24)

The Bottom Line

Trust Christ, and you can be content whether single or married. Jesus Christ paid an enormous price to free you from darkness. He paid it with His life, suffering the punishment you deserved because of sin. The more you put your faith in Christ and what He did on the cross, and the less you put your trust in worldly solutions (e.g. "If only I were married again"), the more you will be sure of God's love for you, His providence for you, His care for you, His forgiveness for you, His protection for you, His supernatural strength for you, and His joy and peace for you... no matter how difficult your marital circumstances.