Being One

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

BEING ONE

1 Cor 7:32-35

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.

NIV

Paul is going on about this being single rather than married, which seems somewhat strange because God established marriage, and in doing so it would mean that man was not intended to live alone or be single, nor was women, as she was taken from man to be his helpmate, his partner. So why is Paul wanting to insist that marriage causes a divided heart? Should it not be possible that a married couple walks the same path, but loving the Lord and loving each other? We would think this is the way God intended man and woman to live, in harmony, both loving and serving the Lord as one. We are instructed to be one as God and Jesus are one, so why would one have a divided heart? However, because of the previous content, we would have to think this instruction was for those in Corinth because of their current crisis of persecution. Still, it would seem that because this is scripture, part of the canon, it also would seem that it should apply to all mankind in every time throughout history, the present time, and the times to come. What we can glean from this is the oneness that should occur within the bond of marriage. We are to please one another, and that would mean giving up selfishness, or what we like or dislike, but rather try to please the other in every way. That would also include being one in Christ, both wanting to please God in how they live. Paul has already indicated that if being single which includes celibacy, is too difficult to do because of the natural passions, created within us by God, that people should marry. Is Paul saying that he has no passion, no desires whatsoever to be intimate with a woman? Is he saying that he is pure as the driving snow and has no concern about the world at all and its pleasures, and it completely devoted, without any division in his heart at all? That almost sounds like being sinless and prideful, which is sin. Paul says that he does sin, in fact, he says he does that which he does not want to do and does not do that which he should do, so then how can he tell others to be that pure, and have no concern whatsoever for the world and not be married? By his own confession, it would seem there is some division in his heart, so how can he instruct others not to have a divided heart? But that is what we are supposed to fight, having a divided heart. We are not supposed to desire the Lord and the world. We live in this world and we must make our way in it, producing some amount of income to afford the needs of life, being single or married, so there will always be a part of us that must deal with the concerns of the world, even so, we can afford to invest in the kingdom, paying for the expenses of the church and the what we consider the work of the Lord. Again, we think it comes down to our focus, the main reason we do what we do. It should not be all about our selfish desires, but about the desires of the Lord. It is about being one with each other and one with Christ.

Focus

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

FOCUS

1 Cor 7:25-31

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 you to remain as you are. 27 Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? 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, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; 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.

NIV

Again, this is not a command from God, but a suggestion from someone who has been called by God to give instructions regarding life. This is applicable today as we have pastors, teachers who have been called by God, who are, in fact, gifts to the church, who unwrap the word of God and bring more clarity to those who simply read it, but not with the full understanding or comprehension of all its truth. This is what Paul says he is trying to do for those believers in Corinth. Of course, they did not even have the word to read as we do, they only had the spoken words of various traveling preachers. Being mostly gentiles, we would think they did not even have the Torah. Nevertheless, Paul continues with his instructions regarding this idea about marriage and singleness. It seems he would much rather a single person not get married as well as remain celibate. He has already said that, but in addition said that if celibacy was too difficult, that the passions of the flesh were too strong, rather than sin outside the bonds of marriage, they should marry. Still, he believes, and not the Lord, that in the present crisis, which would indicate, this is strictly instructions for the Corinthians and we would not think to need to heed this suggestion. There was trouble in river city, so to speak and Paul says the time is short and marriage is going to be the cause of a lot of troubles. He even suggests that if a man is married, he should live as though he wasn’t. That is so not according to the design of God, so we have to consider this was only for those in Corinth because of the present crisis. In those days, as it has been in other days throughout history, the church was under much persecution. This idea here is that a single person would have it easier defending themselves, or caring for themselves, than someone with a family who they needed to make sure were protected and cared for as well. It would seem that does apply today in some sense. It is certainly easier in some respects to live as a single person than as a married person. Of course, today many singles never intend to remain celibate, but cohabitate for the pleasures of life, but without the responsibilities of marriage. If troubles develop, rather than having to cope they escape. This is the sense Paul was thinking, but it was more about troubles of persecution as believers. Still, it would seem that marriage today does require a certain sense of divided attention. Because we live in this world, we have to pay certain attention to making our way in it, and having a family requires paying more attention to providing a way, then a single may have to. Because of this, we cannot give all of our attention to the things of God, we just need to allocate time for the things of God and the things of the world. However, as believers, in our time spent within the world, doing whatever we do, we should be conducting ourselves with respect to the ways of the Lord. That is His ways should ever be present with us and should influence our time spent making our way in the world, which would mean we are not engrossed in the things of the world, but making a living is a necessary evil, so to speak. Paul gives us this idea in saying the things we own, we should not think we own them. If we buy something, we should see it as not ours to keep for everything will pass away. What it would appear is that although we have to live here, as it is what God created for us to live in, or on, we should not focus our attention on the very thing. This earth was created by God for us to live upon, but to live for Him and not for life itself. He designed a place where he could fellowship with his creation, and this place is still here, and he still wants to fellowship with us. So if our focus is upon the place instead of on Him, then we are not fellowshipping with Him, but with the place He created. It comes down to where is our focus.

Living Content

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

LIVING CONTENT

1 Cor 7:17-24

17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. 18 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts. 20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. 21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don't let it trouble you — although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

NIV

This portion of Paul's letter has direct instruction that was practiced on the day this letter was written. It is highly doubtful there is any need for this to be done today. When Paul speaks about this rite of the Jewish people of circumcision, it was the law as given to Moses and it was done only by the Jews. Gentiles were not circumcised although there were Jewish believers who have been called Judaizers. They insisted that gentiles could not be a Christian unless they first became a Jew through the rite of circumcision. Paul speaks directly that is should not be the case. If a gentile hears the call of God and is uncircumcised he should remain that way. As far as Paul's instructions to those Jews who were circumcised, he tells them not to try to become uncircumcised. Without giving any details, as it would not be appropriate to anyone traveling this journey with us, there was a practice that could appear to do something to a man’s flash that would make it appear as though he was not circumcised. This would have been thought important to some believing Jews who wanted to hide their Jewishness because of, again the practice of that day, entering a public bath. However, the main point Paul is making which we can apply to ourselves is being the same person we were when God called us. If Jewish, remain so, if a gentile, remain so if as a slave, remain so, if a freeman, remain as one. We should not try to pretend to be anyone else other than we were are. This applies so much to our culture as it seems many attempt to impress everyone around them. There is an old Latin saying, “vestis virum facit”, although some claim Mark Twain coined the phrase. It means clothes make the man. Twain used it in the sense that a naked man never impresses anyone, but Paul has given it meaning in the sense that we should not live to impress men, by trying to become someone we are not. We are not to live to please men, but God. He called us to himself as he created us and in what area of life he placed us. The movie, "A Knight’s Tale" gives the idea of a man being able to change his stars, increase his station in life, which he does. It is not that we should not endeavor to improve ourselves in life, but that in doing so there is an inherent danger of always being discontent with our current lot in life. The fact is we are all responsible to God, which is under his care and direction. If we are living to please God, he will direct our paths, and He will bring us to where we can do the best of being a believer who lives in the kingdom of God for the Kingdom of God. When we pay too much attention to please men or live to impress others, we are not impressing God, nor are we lifting up God, but rather we are lifting up ourselves. God has called us just as we were, and yes, we have changed our stars in one sense, as once we were dead in our sins, and now we are alive in Christ. But that is all on God, He is the one who created us and He is the one who is transforming us. We live in contentment.

The Choice is Theirs

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

THE CHOICE IS THEIRS

1 Cor 7:12-16

12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. 14 For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

NIV

Much has been said about this comment that Paul makes regarding that it is him who speaks, and not the lord regarding this next segment of advice, which may have been in response to a question. If all scripture is God-breathed, then how could this not be from the inspiration of the Lord? It is thought, this advice he is giving is not directly spoken about in any text or rather in the law given to Moses. However, it still is consistent with Godly principles and should be seen as being inspired by the Spirit, rather than just a portion of a letter that only came from the mind of man. This portion deals with marriages where one of the partners has become a believer and the other has not. How should this type of marriage survive? It comes down to the choice of the non-believer, rather than the believer. This reason can only be on account that believer is bound to their marriage in obedience to the Lord. Whichever the unbelieving spouse makes the believing spouse should be willing to accept. It is interesting, because of the believing spouse the unbelieving spouse is declared holy so that children will be clean or holy. However, the point is still the same regarding the mindset of a believing person regarding marriage. It is established by God and therefore is ordained that it should remain holy and sacred remaining intact till death parts them. There is one specific circumstance a believer has been given the approval to leave a marriage, but that is the only one. Today, of course, it would seem appropriate for a Christian woman to seek refuge through divorce because of either a mentally or physically brutal husband. It seems horrible under sharia law that a husband has the right to physically beat or even behead his wife if she displeased him in any way, but that is a man without God. Within a marriage where there is at least one spouse who knows the Lord, there is a chance the other will find their way to God. But the choice remains in the hands of the unbelieving spouse. It seems that is the simplest way to interpret this portion. The believer has no choice, it rests with the unbeliever.

One Not Two

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

ONE NOT TWO

1 Cor 7:8-11

8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9 But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 10 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

NIV

Why would Paul say that it is good for a person to remain single and not to marry? By his own confession, He is a single man, at least at the time he wrote this letter. There is some controversy regarding whether Paul was ever married or whether he was always single. This disagreement arises from the context of his statement about those who are unmarried and widows. Because he uses windows in reference to women and does make a specific reference to a widower in regards to men, it is thought because of the context the Greek word translated as unmarried could apply to widower because he uses in connection with widows. So then if either a man or woman who lost their spouse through death, should not remarry, especially in those times where persecution and troubles were so prevalent. Having to be concerned about family in times of hardship and trouble was an extra burden and Paul thought it best not to be encumbered with family. We will see later that Paul makes the point that many of the other apostles who traveled to spread the gospel brought their wives with them, but he and Barnabas did not. Nevertheless, Paul is not opposing the divine ordinance of marriage or saying that he is against marriage in opposition to the fact God ordained that a man and a woman should be joined together, to be one. This suggestion by Paul was due to the extreme situation the existed in Corinth, and the church was in trouble of being infiltrated by the ideologies of the world and it was under persecution by the world. Again, it makes sense that he first takes to the widowers and widows, then addresses those that are still married. He makes sure he is not speaking against the ordinance of God, by his statement that it is not he, but the Lord that says a wife must not separate from her husband, but if she does, she must remain unmarried, or get back with her husband, reconcile herself to him. A man must also not divorce his wife, or put her out. This is a God-ordained institution and divorce is not permitted among believers. There are extenuating circumstances, but this is not the time or place to deal with that. Here, it is about talking about those who were married and their spouse has died, and those who are still living with their spouses. Paul had just given the duties of each in marriage regarding not withholding their bodies from their spouses, which is making sure to meet the sensual needs of each other. This is a continuation of those instructions to the married, but that if anyone found themselves to be a widower and widow it would be best to stay that way unless they were unable to control their sensual nature. The point is God created us with this sensual or sexual nation for the purpose of wanting to have that intimacy to fill the earth. Again, if God did not create us with that kind of desire, mankind would have been extinct thousands of years ago. So it is in our nature and it requires marriage to fulfill those desires. Paul is not against married for God is for it. Paul is saying the same as the Lord is saying except that it seems at the time in Corinth it would be more difficult for those believers with families. Nevertheless, today we face many temptations and distractions that can cause hardships or trouble in the family, but that does not mean we should not have families, spouses, and children. It does mean we have to be traveling in the same direction, with the same purpose, to serve the Lord. If the family is divided, it becomes more difficult for the believing member. We need to make sure we are in this as one, and not as two.

Marriage

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

MARRIAGE

1 Cor 7:1-7

7:1 Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry.   2 But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.

NIV

This portion of the letter is in response to a question that was asked via some type of messenger sent from Corinth to Paul. The question seems to be regarding marriage within the church concerning the present times that existed in Corinth. The fact there were so many cults or cult-like practices in Corinth and so much sexual immorality, which in fact, Paul includes warnings against such behavior in the church, they needed to know how marriage played a role in the Christian life. Because of the context of the rest of this portion, it is considered right to translate the Greek word haptoo as marry, although it actually means, to touch, or to fasten to, make adhere, specifically to fasten fire to a thing, to kindle. So we have to consider that marriage is at the core of this discussion. It would seem that according to many of the philosophers of that age, marriage was more of an inconvenience or an evil, although a necessary evil. To carry the responsibilities of caring for a woman would have been considered a burden. The saying that it is difficult to live with them, but impossible to live without them may well have come from this general thinking of that time. However, Paul does go to give instructions as to how marriage should be considered in the church. We need to take this with respect to the plan that God established when he created man and woman, breathing life into man and then making woman from man as his helpmate. God intends that there be one man with one woman, living as partners in life, having all the benefits of intimacy, both for the procreation of mankind, and its pleasures. The pleasures were an incentive created by God so that man would indeed procreate. If intimacy contained no pleasure at all, it would seem there would be no reason to engage in it. However, the world has gone mad with the pleasures and has forsaken marriage and many have abandoned procreation. Paul is going to spend a great deal of time regarding how this marriage should look like, although everything is said as a concession, that is, it seems he would rather everyone remain single and celibate. However, if that were the case then mankind would have become exist long ago and that is not the plan of God, so we might have to conclude that Paul was speaking as a man, and not as a messenger from God, or at least, we need to see God’s plan within these words. We will see that Paul indicates that marriage is a burden, in the sense that men are concerned about the things of the world in order to care for their wives and the same goes for the wife in her concerns for her husband. That a single person is not burdened with this division of trying to satisfy a spouse and God. A single person, a celibate person only has the concerns of pleasing God. However, over the course of history, we have found, and even to this day, that many who profess the life of celibacy have failed to maintain that life engaging in various immoralities. We need to spend more time in this portion, delving deeper into each segment. But for now, let us consider marriage within the plan of God and see this all in that context.

The Temple

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

THE TEMPLE

1 Cor 6:12-20

12 "Everything is permissible for me"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 "Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"-but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh."   17 But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

NIV

It seems inconceivable those believers still continued to visit prostitutes as a normal part of life. But it would also seem this is directly what Paul is addressing here. It would also be absolutely inconceivable that any believer today would engage in any activity with prostitutes, yet we have seen famous preachers catch in that very act. So then it would be possible this type of behavior is present in the church today. Still, the larger issue is not just this type of sin, but all sin that deals with some sort of physical pleasure. Paul mentions the stomach as though gluttony may also be an issue we should concern ourselves with, although Paul pretty much stays with the sexual immorally problem that existed then and might possibly still exist today. To what extent we do not know nor should we. This is for each believer to deal with in a personal way and determine if any behavior that may be permissible is beneficial. It is for every believer to determine if they are mastered by any attitude or behavior. There is this underlying truth that everything in this physical world will be destroyed and that will include any of the physical pleasures we indulge in, of whatsoever sort they are. This is shown to us in how Paul puts it in that he says, “food for the stomach and the stomach for food”. The fact is if we are united with Christ then we should not be united with the things of the world, the pleasures of the world, in this case. The problem is that we should be able to define what the pleasures of the world are. Is there a diffident hardline, or is it a bit fuzzy? It would seem the line is defined between the sins that are committed outside our body, such as greed, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness, or any other sin that we are aiming toward another and those we do within our body, such as sexual sins, which could be defined in several ways, both in our mind and body, even as the lust of our eyes. Because our bodies are the temple of the Lord, we should be united to Him and therefore not united with the things that cause us to sin within our bodies. So then we should honor God with our body, keeping ourselves pure in mind and body, like a temple.