Scripture: 1 Cor. 7:32-40 (CEB)
32 I want you to be free from concerns. A man who isn’t married is concerned about the Lord’s concerns—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the world’s concerns—how he can please his wife. 34 His attention is divided. A woman who isn’t married or who is a virgin is concerned about the Lord’s concerns so that she can be dedicated to God in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the world’s concerns—how she can please her husband. 35 I’m saying this for your own advantage. It’s not to restrict you but rather to promote effective and consistent service to the Lord without distraction.
36 If someone thinks he is acting inappropriately toward an unmarried woman whom he knows, and if he has strong feelings and it seems like the right thing to do, he should do what he wants—he’s not sinning—they should get married. 37 But if a man stands firm in his decision, and doesn’t feel the pressure, but has his own will under control, he does right if he decides in his own heart not to marry the woman. 38 Therefore, the one who marries the unmarried woman does right, and the one who doesn’t get married will do even better. 39 A woman is obligated to stay in her marriage as long as her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry whomever she wants, only it should be a believer in the Lord. 40 But in my opinion, she will be happier if she stays the way she is. And I think that I have God’s Spirit too.
What does this passage mean to me/us?
Contributed by Rich McGimsey
As I’m writing this devotion, today is February 14th, Valentine’s Day, and I sure am happy things have changed from what Paul calls “the times we live in.” This is a very confusing passage and there can be several in the bible when we try to extrapolate their time to ours. Context changes over thousands and thousands of years.
My commentary bible says- “Verses 36-38 are perhaps the most misunderstood verses in this chapter, and perhaps in the entire Epistle. The common explanation is this: In Paul’s day a man exercised rigid control over his home. It was up to him whether his daughters married or not. They could not do so without his permission. Thus these verses are taken to mean that if a man refuses to allow his daughters to marry, that is a good thing, but if he allows them to marry, then he is not sinning.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary- William MacDonald). That almost makes me think this whole thing is irrelevant.
But, not so fast. If we look at Paul’s overall theme in the entire 1 Corinthians and think in our day and time, what does Paul want for us? It is clear he would be pleased with how the union of marriage is promised in front of God in the church. That two believers are making a union and a promise in front of God to be better together than separate. On this Valentine’s Day I am thinking about how my faith journey and my faith would be different, if not lacking, if not for the support and strong faith of my wife Ellen. And I thank God he put us together. We are definitely better together than separate. And as our society changes, we must continue to grow and stretch as the “times we live in” change. I don’t think any two people should be denied to make a union in front of God to be better together for God than separate.
Prayer |
Dear heavenly Father, we give thanks for the unbelievable gift of love and grace you gave to us. We pray that we love you with all our hearts and live our lives giving back this love and grace to others for the transformation of the world. Through Christ your son, Amen.
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