1 Corinthians 7:32-35 says,...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, which read,
v.32-34 - But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
Paul is continuing his instruction on being holy before the Lord in whatever marital status you are in. He is a cheerleader for those who are single, never married and those who find themselves single from divorce or single because of the death of a spouse. He is cheer-leading that if you are in that position you have a great opportunity to have your full devotion on the Lord and serving Him. If you are married, it is still good, but you have other responsibilities that you need to attend to by Scripture. Just logically looking at the picture here, the single is able to go faster and farther than the married one who has other things to take into consideration before making a move. What is obvious is being drawn out by Paul. Why?
Maybe it is because we are so selfish. Maybe we need a push to consider more deeply full-time ministry. Maybe we need to see the contentment we can have in the Lord because of the position we see ourselves in and the freedom allowed us to serve single that is not possible or harder if married.
v.35 - This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
Paul continues to clarify that if someone is married it is not a sin and the one who is single who gets married, that is also not a sin. Paul wants the single person to see the opportunity that has been given to them by the Lord at this time.
We want our children to grow up and get married and get a good job. Would we be hearing that Paul is saying to us to want our children to grow up and as single pursue full devotion to the Lord to wherever He would send them? Our culture has put a heavy influence on us to have happiness and contentment in the things of this world and Paul is going against that influence to promote full time service to the Lord.
How would you respond if your child said that they wanted to go into full time missions or was staying single so that they could make the most of the time thrown into God's work? Would it be with full support or would you inwardly groan and start wanting to fill in all the things that they would be giving up? Our world would want you to down play this option because how would they support themselves but that is where God comes in. Who better to be supported by then God Himself?
We should be praying and promoting an army of devoted singles in our congregations to head into full time ministry. This is not for everyone but I think there would be more if we prayed and promoted it more like Paul is doing in this chapter. We need to see it as a benefit for those who hear God's call and stay single for the time God determines to fully devote their lives to the service of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
"Lord, we want the best for our kids and we usually want them to have more than what we have. But what is the more? Is it just physical things or is it spiritual things? Lord, I want my children to be more in love with You than I am. I want my children to have more opportunities to serve You than I have. I want my children to have more devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ than I do. Can I pray like that? Can those be my main prayers over them finding a spouse and a good job and fitting in with culture and making it into college? Correct us Lord when we are not praying for things that matter more. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.32-34 - But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
Paul is continuing his instruction on being holy before the Lord in whatever marital status you are in. He is a cheerleader for those who are single, never married and those who find themselves single from divorce or single because of the death of a spouse. He is cheer-leading that if you are in that position you have a great opportunity to have your full devotion on the Lord and serving Him. If you are married, it is still good, but you have other responsibilities that you need to attend to by Scripture. Just logically looking at the picture here, the single is able to go faster and farther than the married one who has other things to take into consideration before making a move. What is obvious is being drawn out by Paul. Why?
Maybe it is because we are so selfish. Maybe we need a push to consider more deeply full-time ministry. Maybe we need to see the contentment we can have in the Lord because of the position we see ourselves in and the freedom allowed us to serve single that is not possible or harder if married.
v.35 - This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
Paul continues to clarify that if someone is married it is not a sin and the one who is single who gets married, that is also not a sin. Paul wants the single person to see the opportunity that has been given to them by the Lord at this time.
We want our children to grow up and get married and get a good job. Would we be hearing that Paul is saying to us to want our children to grow up and as single pursue full devotion to the Lord to wherever He would send them? Our culture has put a heavy influence on us to have happiness and contentment in the things of this world and Paul is going against that influence to promote full time service to the Lord.
How would you respond if your child said that they wanted to go into full time missions or was staying single so that they could make the most of the time thrown into God's work? Would it be with full support or would you inwardly groan and start wanting to fill in all the things that they would be giving up? Our world would want you to down play this option because how would they support themselves but that is where God comes in. Who better to be supported by then God Himself?
We should be praying and promoting an army of devoted singles in our congregations to head into full time ministry. This is not for everyone but I think there would be more if we prayed and promoted it more like Paul is doing in this chapter. We need to see it as a benefit for those who hear God's call and stay single for the time God determines to fully devote their lives to the service of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
"Lord, we want the best for our kids and we usually want them to have more than what we have. But what is the more? Is it just physical things or is it spiritual things? Lord, I want my children to be more in love with You than I am. I want my children to have more opportunities to serve You than I have. I want my children to have more devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ than I do. Can I pray like that? Can those be my main prayers over them finding a spouse and a good job and fitting in with culture and making it into college? Correct us Lord when we are not praying for things that matter more. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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