1 Cor 7
Scripture
7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
14 For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
15 But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace.
17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.
35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
Observation
Paul has a deep concern for the people of this church.
He wants them to live right and to be free of unnecessary burdens they may put on themselves or feel from other church members.
Paul ultimately wants everyone, regardless of relationship status or station in life, to recognize the primacy of God and the true gospel in their life and lifestyle.
Application
What stands out to me first is even with the authority of Paul, he is very humble in his delivering.
He recognizes and tells them that they each have their own gifting from God.
I need to remember this.
Also, in delivering these truths and ways of God to the people, he is letting them know these are not to be burdens … burdens in the sense that they create worry and relationship strife.
Paul doesn’t want to make it harder for people to live according to God, but to be for everyone’s benefit…. “to promote good order”.
Again, I need to remember not to treat the truth and “good order” of God as a burden to people.
What also stands out to me is how utterly reasonable Paul’s recommendations are.
Want to be single? Stay single.
Want to get married? Get married.
Your spouse wants to stay with you? Then you stay with them.
Your non-Christian spouse wants to leave you? Let them leave.
Your spouse dies and you want to remarry? That’s ok.
We are called to a gospel of peace.
Again, these are not burdens, they are strikingly good and beneficial … and oh by the way … the ways of God.
Ultimately though, Paul reminds us though, the marriage should remind us of a picture of the gospel.
I am not my own. We are made Holy by another.
In that way it is a dying to self.
And nothing, nothing, not even our spouse should divide us from a secure devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Thank you for the gift of marriage.
Help me see You clearly in it.
Help me lean on You to lead me in my marriage.
Help me keep devoted to You.
In Jesus name
Amen