Bible Version: New International Version (NIV)
Application Notes: Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
1 CORINTHIANS 7
Concerning Married Life
1 Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps 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 of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
8 Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. 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.
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 it be so. The brother or the sister 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?
Concerning Change of Status
17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. 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 person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
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 the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.
Concerning the Unmarried
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. 27 Are 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.
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.
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.
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.
Application Notes
7:1-40 Christians in Corinth were surrounded by sexual temptation. The city had a reputation even among pagans for sexual immorality and religious prostitution. It was to this kind of society that Paul delivered these instructions on sex and marriage. The Corinthians needed special, specific instructions because of their culture's immoral standards. (For more of Paul's teaching on marriage, see Ephesians 5.)
7:1 The Corinthians had written to Paul, asking him several questions relating to the Christian life and problems in the church. The first question was about the pros and cons of considering marriage. Paul answers this and other questions in the remainder of this letter.
7:3-11 The Corinthian church was in turmoil because of the immorality of the culture around them. Some Greeks, in rejecting immorality, rejected sex and marriage altogether. The Corinthian Christians were wondering if this was what they should do also, so they asked Paul several questions: "Because sex can become so perverted, should we abstain from it even in marriage?" "If my spouse is unsaved, should I seek a divorce?" "Should unmarried people and widows remain unmarried?" Paul answered many of these questions by saying, in effect. "For now, stay put. Be content in the situation where God has placed you. If you're married, don't seek to be single. If you're single, don't seek to be married. live God's way, one day at a time, and he will show you what to do."
7:3-5 Sexual temptations are difficult to withstand because they appeal to the normal and natural desires that God has given us. Among other things, marriage provides God's way to satisfy these natural sexual desires and to strengthen the partners against temptation. Married couples have the responsibility to care for each other; therefore, husbands and wives should not withhold themselves sexually from one another but should fulfill each other's needs and desires. (Also see the note on 10:13.)
7:4 Spiritually, our bodies belong to God when we become Christians because Jesus Christ bought us by paying the price to release us from sin (see 6:19-20). Physically, our bodies belong to our spouses because God designed marriage so that, through the union of husband and wife, the two become one (Genesis 2:24). Paul stressed complete equality in sexual relationships. Neither male nor female should seek dominance or autonomy.
7:7 Both marriage and singleness are gifts from God. One is not morally better than the other, and both are valuable to accomplishing God's purposes. It is important for each of us, therefore, to value our present situation. When Paul said he wished that all people were like him (unmarried), he was expressing his desire that more people would devote themselves completely to ministry without the added concerns of a spouse and family, as he had done. He was not criticising marriage--after all, it is God's created way of providing companionship and populating the earth.
7:9 Sexual pressure is not the best motive for getting married, but it is better to marry than to "burn" with passion. Many new believers in Corinth thought that all sex was wrong, so engaged couples were deciding not to get married. In this passage, Paul was telling couples who wanted to marry that they should not frustrate their normal sexual drives by avoiding marriage. This does not mean, however, that people who have trouble controlling themselves should marry the first person who comes along. Dealing with the pressure of desire is preferable to dealing with an unhappy marriage.
7:12-14 Because of their desire to serve Christ, some people in the Corinthian church thought they ought to divorce their pagan spouses and marry Christians. But Paul affirmed the marriage commitment God's ideal is for a husband and wife to stay together--even when one of them is not a believer. The Christian spouse should try to win the other to Christ. It would be easy to rationalise leaving; however, Paul makes a strong case for staying with an unbelieving spouse and being a positive influence on one's marriage. Paul, like Jesus. believed in the permanence of marriage (see Mark 10:1-9).
7:12 Paul's command about the permanence of marriage (7:10) comes from the Old Testament (Genesis 2:24) and from Jesus (Mark 10:2-12). His suggestion in this verse is based on God's command, and Paul applies it to the situation the Corinthians were facing. Paul ranked the command above the suggestion because one is an eternal principle while the other is a specific application. Nevertheless, for people in similar situations, Paul's suggestion is the best advice they will get. Paul was a man of God, an apostle, and he had the mind of Christ.
7:14 The blessings that flow to believers don't stop with them but extend to others. God regards a marriage as sanctified (set apart for his use) by the presence of one Christian spouse. The other does not receive salvation automatically but is blessed by this relationship. The children of such a marriage are also set apart as holy (because of God's blessing on the family unit) until they are old enough to decide about Christ themselves.
7:15 This verse is misused by some as a loophole to get out of marriage. But Paul's statements were given to encourage Christian spouses to try to get along with their unbelieving spouses and make their marriages work. If, however, an unbelieving spouse insisted on leaving, Paul said to let him or her go. The only alternative would be for the Christian to deny his or her faith to preserve the marriage, and that would be worse than dissolving the marriage. Paul's chief purpose in writing this was to urge these married couples to seek unity, not separation (see 7:17; 1 Peter 3:1-2).
7:17 Apparently, the Corinthians were ready to make wholesale changes without thinking through the ramifications. Paul was writing to say that Christians can do God's work and demonstrate their faith virtually anywhere and in any situation. If you became a Christian after marriage and your spouse is not a believer, remember that you don't have to be married to a Christian to live for Christ. Don't assume that you are in the wrong place or stuck with the wrong person. See your marriage as just the place where God wants you (see 7:20).
7:18-19 The ceremony of circumcision was an important part of the Jews' relationship with God. In fact, before Jesus came, circumcision was commanded by God for those who claimed to follow him (Genesis 17:9-14). After Jesus' death, however, circumcision was no longer necessary (Acts 15; Romans 4:9-11; Galatians 5:2-4; Colossians 2:11). Pleasing God and obeying him are more important than observing traditional ceremonies.
7:20 We may become so concerned about what we could be doing for God somewhere else that we miss great opportunities right where we are. Paul says that those who become Christians should continue with the work they have previously been doing-provided that it isn't immoral or unethical Every job can become Christian work when we realize that it can be an opportunity to honor, serve, and speak out for Christ Because God has placed you where you are, take every opportunity to serve him there.
7:22 Slavery was common throughout the Roman Empire. Some Christians in the Corinthian church were undoubtedly slaves. Paul said that although they were slaves to other human beings, they were free from the power of sin in their lives. People are slaves to sin until they commit their lives to Christ, who alone can conquer sin's power. Sin, pride, and fear no longer have any claim over us, just as a slave owner no longer has power over the slaves he has sold. The Bible says we become Christ's slaves when we become Christians, but this actually means that we gain our freedom because sin no longer controls us (also see Romans 6:18).
7:26 Paul probably foresaw the impending persecution that the Roman government would soon bring upon Christians. He gave this practical advice because being unmarried would mean less suffering and more freedom to throw one's life into the cause of Christ (7:29), even to the point of fearlessly dying for him. Paul's advice reveals his single-minded devotion to spreading the Good News.
7:28 Many people naively think that marriage will solve all their problems. Here are some problems marriage won't solve: (1) loneliness, (2) sexual temptation, (3) deep emotional needs, and (4) other difficulties of life. Marriage alone does not hold two people together, but commitment does-commitment to Christ and to each other despite conflicts and problems. As wonderful as it can be, marriage does not automatically solve every problem. Whether married or single, we must each be content with our situation and focus on Christ above all to help address our problems.
7:29-31 Our marriages, homes, possessions, and financial security are important to us, but Paul encourages us not to make any of these our ultimate goal in life. As much as possible, we should live unhindered by the cares of this world, not getting involved with burdensome debt or complicated investments that might keep us from doing God's work. Married men and women, as Paul points out, must take care of earthly responsibilities (7:33-34)-but they should make every effort to keep them modest and manageable.
7:29 Paul urges all believers to make the most of their time before Christ's return. Every person in every generation should have this sense of urgency about telling the Good News to others. Life passes quickly--we have little time!
7:32-34 Some single people feel tremendous pressure to be married. They think their lives can be complete only with a spouse. But Paul underlines one advantage of being single--the potential of a greater focus on Christ and his work. If you are unmarried, use this opportunity to serve Christ wholeheartedly.
7:38 When Paul says the unmarried person does even better, he is talking about the potential time available for service to God. The single person does not have the responsibility of caring for a spouse and raising a family. Singleness, however, does not ensure service to God--involvement in service depends on the commitment of the individual.
7:40 Paul's advice comes from the Holy Spirit, who guides and equips both single and married people to fulfil their roles.
Taken from Life Application Study Bible - Third Edition - (NIV)