1 Corinthians 7:17-40 - Live as You Are Called

1 Corinthians 7:17-40

17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. 18 Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. 19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. 20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. 22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.

To the Unmarried and Widows

25 Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. 26 I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.

29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.

32 But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. 34 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35 And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.

36 But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry. 37 Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. 38 So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.

39 A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my judgment—and I think I also have the Spirit of God.

Better to marry publicly according to the permission given than to behave badly and be ashamed in private as it was said in the anonymous Pauline commentary thought to have been composed by Ambrose in the fourth century.  But if possible we should live as we are called in Christ as long as we can control our desires without sinning.  The advice overall in this passage is to serve God without distractions of sinful thoughts and actions, which for most of us means we should be married at some point instead of living in sin within or without.  Of course, marriage is not just to satisfy fleshly desires but is also a covenant of companionship and the two are better than one in serving God in most cases as long as the two are equally yoked with Christ holding the threefold cord tying their knot.  Paul makes it clear up front that we should consider all these things in our calling in Christ to know what to do to serve Him and avoid sin.  Just like the example of circumcision, the state we were in when we came to a saving knowledge of our Lord should shape how we live because the bottom line is to keep God’s commandments to live in willing obedience of holiness according to grace and not be swept away with concerns over keeping ceremonial laws or allowing desires for an intimate relationship to keep us from following our Lord as we are called.  We have been bought with such a high price of God’s own Son that we owe it to Him out of willing gratitude to live accordingly that we might do the works prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10) from before the foundation of the world.  The state we were in when called is best but the desire for companionship is deeply rooted in the creation of man and woman from the inception (Genesis 2:23-24) of man on this world by God’s good and perfect design and this applies also to other aspects of our state as mentioned here.  The command then to the unmarried from Paul’s perspective was to not seek or vilify marriage but to serve the Lord in the best acceptable state we can.  His own preference was to remain single to be singlemindedly set on task for the gospel, but the reasoning and allowances he gives here are to guide our own decisions in these matters that we may serve the Lord without distraction and without sin.  The time is short and we are advised to make the best of it in our choices to be without the care of worrying and with a heavenly mindset.  His reasoning and recommendation then is to serve as single if possible to give all to God’s work, but not to let passions interfere with that purpose and marry to avoid a worse outcome.  We are to serve the Lord without distraction and in holiness, so that means we should not choose a monastic life if we have normal desires and serve Him in that way as is best.  He goes on to advise widows to stay unmarried that they might give the rest of their lives to God’s service, but even that advice is in the context of the calling and self-control restrictions to serve without distraction.  These are matters for us all to consider if single or widowed, and are given to advise and guide such by those older in the Lord in ministry to them.  Our advice then is to live as you are called.