1 Corinthians 7
1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
We shouldn't cause another to be tempted in sexual desire. You may question that it means that, but the first 9 verses deal with being unmarried and verses 10-17 deal with being married. "Touch" in Strongs, from # 680; "Haptomai, hap'-tom-ahee; reflective to # 681, properly to attach one self to, i.e., to touch, and; "Hapto, hap'-to; a prime verb; proper to fasten to, i.e., specifically to set afire, to kindle."
2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
But if you're going to have that kind of desire, then make that [one] your only true love and marry them!
3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
"Due benevolence" #2132; "Eunike, ynoo-no-ah'-o; to be well minded, reconciled, agree." Not forced but an act mutually agreed upon between a husband and his wife, and reflective to # 2133 "eunoia, an act of good will, and a conjugal duty."
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
This is equal and neither has total control over the other. Love is shared as equal or you're selfish, conceded and your love is for yourself. Be there for one another emotionally and physically and with God as your focus within your lives. That's what true marriage is &and that marriage will last.
5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
We must show our love, not lust. We must have God as our focus, not sex. Making love is very special when it's between a Christian husband and wife, so if you're going to be gone from your love for a period of time, let that time be in prayer, not lusting after another.
6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
Paul states it's not a commandment or a law, but common sense if you will. When we take our focus off God, we fall for satan and it can happen while you're gone for a long time from the one you love. satan will use everything he can to come after you. Christians won't let it happen.
7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
Paul traveled a lot and he is talking to those that have committed their lives to serving The Lord.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I.
Now Paul concludes addressing the unmarried. If you're going to give every moment of your life to serving God, you probably shouldn't get married.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
But if you have a sexual desire for another person in your life, you should go ahead and marry that person. It's better to marry than have that burning sexual desire for that other and on another level, better to marry than burn in hell. "Burn" Greek word # 4448; "Puroo, from the prime # 4442 [fire], to be ignited, glow, to be inflamed (with anger, lust, or grief), to burn, fiery."
10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
Paul states what God says about being married. Don't divorce, But....
11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
God doesn't like divorce but sometimes it's necessary. God even divorced Israel. Jeremiah 3:6-8 6 The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. 7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed [adultery] I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. Repentance is required to be forgiven.†
12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
Now Paul gives his own advise. Believers and nonbelievers can marry one another if they are adult enough to get along. You may be that only light for them to see Christ.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
God unites, He doesn't divide. There's no reason to hate if someone you love doesn't love The Lord. True love is never forced.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
The point here is the unbelieving parent isn't to interfere with the parent that feeds their children The Truth of God that they also become a believer in God.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
You may divorce when the nonbeliever is forcing you to denounce your faith in God. It's then no longer marriage, but bondage.
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
If the unbelievers want to fight about your belief in Christ, you know they will reject everything they see about you. Your love isn't forced, but they may want to force you to hate God. You're not saving anyone by rejecting God and Truth. For that, God has no problem with you leaving them. Who do you think He would have you chose when you're given the choice? We are not to be put in bondage, but love.
17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
We are all given The Way to life and gifts in His service. Let your gift shine and those with other gifts shine in what they do. Together, we work as a body, everyone doing their parts. Christians shouldn't be divided from one another, but from that of the ways of the world.
18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
Christ is The Way of circumcising the heart. He is The Way to become clean. Physical circumcision doesn't make you a Christian. It's of the heart! Each gift makes up the whole of the body's work so don't fight among believers over little things.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Being physically circumcised or not has nothing to do with your salvation. Only following the things of God and using those gifts for God's purpose will keep you in His favor.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
A teacher should teach The Word, not build a building. Don't interfere with other believers gifts. Continue in your gift and leave others to theirs.
21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
No matter what you do in life, you can still serve God. Sometimes, people just need a hug, some an opened door and some a Word of Truth.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
A slave is free in that fact they have peace of mind when in The Lord, but as a free person you have more freedom to serve The Lord EVERYDAY†
23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
Even while working for others, you work for Christ. Christians serve Him all day, everyday.
24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
No matter your trade in life, you make it the best you can while showing others the gift of God that abides in you.
25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.
This will be Paul's judgments on the matter of single Christians.
26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.
The distress is known from the past chapters and the fact we should stay focused on The Truth of God instead of idolatry, divisions or bondage. Stay in The Word and you'll handle it all just fine.
27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
God doesn't want you if you want to leave your wife to serve Him and if you're going to give your all to God in serving Him, don't get married.
28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
Understand there is no such thing as a trouble free life as a virgin or in marriage. When serving God, troubles will continue.
29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
This flesh life is short, make it the best life you can and that is achieved in Christ Jesus. Enjoy marriage if you can because even though you're married in the flesh when you die of this flesh you are married no more. Paul lets us know, there isn't a need for it in eternity.
30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
This age of flesh is gone and those things and emotions of the flesh went with it. Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
Where is your main focus? Is it on the building of a shinny life of worldly treasures or your soul in the next life? Do you have any idea of what junk is? It's those things in our lives that have no real meaning.
32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:
When you can see clearly, you see those things that are worldly have no meaning and you have nothing to worry over. The Lord is your treasure, your focus, your life. In Him, you can enjoy life now and to come.
33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
If you want to serve The Lord as a Pastor and haven't got married yet, then you must realize you may be called away at all hours to serve, leaving that other at home alone. Will they be able to handle that?
34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
You can give a lot more time to serving God when single than as a married person. It's just a fact. It's much easier to serve our Father if you're single.
35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.
Do you have many distractions? If yes, then you may have a tough time serving God in a Pastoral fashion.
36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
If you burn for them, then you should marry them. God knows our heart.
37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
If you don't burn for the other, then you should stay single.
38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
If you want to serve God and you don't burn for that other person, if you have control over your desires for sex, your commitment to God is wanted. In today's world, it's needed.
39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.
At this point, if another remarry they should marry another Christian = "only in the Lord."
40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.
Paul's saying his comments on this matter is good advise and given because of The Holy Spirit.