Issues Of Marriage And Singleness For Disciples 1 Corinthians 7:1-40 Adapted from a Bledar Valca sermon http://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?SermonID=130178

2. To better understand this chapter of Corinthians it is
very helpful to understand the background, history,
of Corinth.
Corinth was a very ancient city.

3. Thucydides, the Greek historian claims the first
triremes, the Greek battleships, were introduced to
Greece by the Corinthians in the late 8th century
BC.
Corinth fought the first naval battle recorded in
Greek history: 665 BC, against the Hellenic city of
Corcyra.
Corinth rivaled Athens and Thebes in wealth, based
on the Isthmian traffic and trade.

4. But in 146 B.C. disaster befell her.
The Romans were engaged in conquering the
world. When they sought to reduce Greece, Corinth
was the leader of the opposition.
But the Greeks could not stand against the
disciplined Romans, and in 146 B.C. the Romans
captured Corinth and left her a desolate heap of
ruins.

6. Just over

7. In those days, which were the days of Paul, her
population was very mixed.
There were the Roman veterans whom Julius
Caesar had settled there.
When a Roman soldier had served his time, he was
granted the citizenship and was then sent out to
some newly-founded city and given a grant of land
so that he might become a settler there.

8. These Roman colonies were planted all over the
world, and always the backbone of them was the
contingent of veteran regular soldiers whose faithful
service had won them the citizenship.
When Corinth was rebuilt the merchants came
back, for her situation still gave her commercial
supremacy.
There were many Jews among the population.
The rebuilt city offered them commercial
opportunities which they were not slow to take.

9. There was a sprinkling of Phoenicians and
Phrygians and people from the east, with their
exotic customs and their hysterical ways.
Farrar speaks of “this mongrel and heterogeneous
population of Greek adventurers and Roman
bourgeois, with a tainting infusion of Phoenicians;
this mass of Jews, ex-soldiers, philosophers,
merchants, sailors, freedmen, slaves, trades-
people, hucksters and agents of every form of vice.”
He characterizes her as a colony “without
aristocracy, without traditions and without well-
established citizens.”

12. Even to the pagan world the city was known for its
moral corruption, so much so that in classical Greek
corinthiazesthai (“to behave like a Corinthian”)
came to represent gross immorality and drunken
debauchery. The name of the city became
synonymous with moral depravity.
In this letter to the church there, Paul lists some of
the city’s characteristic sins—fornication (porneia,
from which comes our term pornography), idolatry,
adultery, effeminacy, homosexuality, stealing,
covetousness, drunkenness, reviling (abusive
speech), and swindling ( ).

13. Some of the Corinthian believers had been guilty of
practicing those sins before their conversion and
had been cleansed ( ).
Others in the church, however, were still living
immorally, some involved in sins worse than
those—sins that Paul reminds them even pagan
Gentiles did not commit, such as incest ( ).

14. So in conclusion we can say that the church in
Corinth was compound of Jews, Romans and
Greeks.
Morally, the Corinthian believers had a history of
involvement in sexual immorality ( ), and were
proud of incest case ( ).
A constant temptation for the believers in Corinth
was the presence of the temple of Aphrodite, the
goddess of love, part of whose worship was sexual
intercourses with the its 1000 temple-prostitutes.

15. Problems of pride were evident in this church and
are addressed by Paul in chapters .
It is against this background that Paul writes in
chapter to the Corinthians,
( ).

16. A. Fulfill The Spousal Duties ( )
B. Unmarried and Widows ( )
C. Divorce is Not an Option ( )
D. Instruction About Mix Marriages ( )
E. Remain in Your State ( )
F. Making Eternal Choices ( )
G. Undivided Devotion ( )
H. Choosing Between Doing Well and Better( )
I. Do Everything In The Lord ( )

17. There is mixture of thought of who is giving these
instructions given in .
Verses , , , , , and give an essence of
statements such as “
.”

18. Paul was a single. The Corinthians knew this fact,
so it was possible that they could downplay him.
It is normal to ask: “What do you Paul know about
marriage?”
Paul anticipates their questions and makes
distinction in what he says.
Paul clarifies were he writes commands from the
Lord and when he writes as man with a spiritual
mind (a man who has the Spirit of God).
Paul wants to make sure where to “shut up,”
because the Lord has spoken; and where they
would be blessed if they follow his godly advice.

19. ESV

21. As evidenced in the background information Corinth
was a center of pagan immoral worship.
Sexual immorality ( ) was considered a part of
their worship.
The temptation around them was hard, and
therefore he teaches them to get married.
Marriage would help avoid sexual immorality.
But when married, Christians should understand
there are marital duties to be fulfilled ( );
there is mutuality in marriage ( );
and sexual fulfillment of spousal partners is a must
(unless agreed for short time) ( ).

22. Paul’s main issue for them is self-control.
Writing as his admonishment, he understands that
some have the ability of controlling themselves and
some do not.
Therefore, Paul encourages those who can control
themselves to stay single.

23. ESV
Paul’s words now turn to those who have never married
or whose husbands have died.
His issue is again self-control.
His instruction is to follow his example of celibacy.
Sexual drive is strong and a high level of self-control is
needed to maintain spiritual purity.
Paul goes into more detail pertaining to widows, when he
writes to Timothy ( ).

24. ESV

25. In verses , Paul addresses the Christian
couples who might consider divorce.
His answer is very clear. It is the Lord’s command.
Neither partner should initiate divorce.
In a society where divorce was granted to both
partners, Paul has already spoken about
commitment ( ) and mutuality ( ).
He gives no option for them.
He says that neither the husband nor the wife
should divorce the other partner.
He calls for reconciliation not conflict.

26. ESV

28. Now, the focus has moved to “mix marriages,”
marriages in which one of the partners is a Christian
and the other is not.
It appears that some of the Christians in Corinth
had become Christians after their marriage, and not
always both of the partners had been converted to
Christ.

29. He calls for the Christian partner not to initiate the
divorce.
Christians are the “the aroma of Christ” wherever
they are.
ESV

30. Every place is the Christian’s field of mission.
The Christian partner in a mix marriage should
understand this and reflect a spirit of gentleness.
This attitude will also bring sanctity to the children in
marriage.
ESV

31. If the non-believer wants to leave the marriage, the
Christian partner should not handcuff the non-
believing spouse to do so.
God has called the Christian “in peace” and cannot
and should not force the other to stay.
Having done all that is in their power they are to
leave the other to go.

32. ESV

34. Paul uses two applications in reference to what he
has said and will say.
He uses the examples of circumcision and slavery
to instruct to remain in their state ( , and ).
He calls them not to leave their state seeking
betterment.
Paul calls for contentment.
If partners (singles) are not content about their state
they will have a difficult time to be content about the
Christian life.

35. Among the first converts of Paul’s ministry were
some Jews ( ), and this is why Paul
appeals to circumcision.
Christian life in general, and marriage in the
immediate context, has nothing to do with racial
status.
Also, Corinth had a lot of slaves who were
discontent about their social state.
Again applying it to marriage, it should never be
sought that marriage or celibacy be about social
status.
In summary to these verses we can say that Paul’s
instructions about marriage and celibacy encourage
remaining in the state called without seeking
changes about racial or social status, being full of
contentment.

36. ESV

38. Marriage or singleness is not a sin.
It is a blessing when seen in the lights of eternal
choices.
We should see marriage and celibacy as way to
advance the eternal purposes of God in the body of
Christ, the church.
We should live in the present life, in view of eternity
with God.
This world is passing away, and we should avoid
deep connections with this world.

39. ESV
ESV

40. As seen in the verses , marriage carries
responsibilities, and added responsibilities translate
into added concerns.
Paul wants them to see the eternal future, more
than the present world.

41. ESV

42. God does allow for negligence in marriage.
If one marries, then they will also be concerned
about the spouse.
The time will be divided and so the focus.
Paul’s desire for the Corinthians virgins is
“ ” ( ).
Paul has in heart their “own good,” and not “to
restrict” them.
He does not want to cause trouble to them, but he
wants them to be devoted to God.
As Paul has written in the previous chapters there
are very much “worldly” or “carnal.”

43. ESV

44. Reading parallel versions makes it difficult to
understand if the question is about a young man
who is engaged (NIV, KJV, NET),
ESV, or a father who is thinking
about his engaged daughter
NASB, (RV, ASV, GW).
Paul answer is the same:
“Marriage and singleness are not sins.
The choice is marriage ( ) and celibacy ( ).”
In both cases Paul appeals for self-control.

45. ESV

46. Marriage is life commitment.
It should not be taken lightly.
If the partner dies, the other partner is free to
remarry. They do no sin if they remarry.
The only condition that Paul lays out is “must
belong to the Lord.”
Paul concludes this chapter with an appeal to
remain single, with the PS, “
.”

47. Paul’s encouragement in this letter is to remain the
state you are.
If two Christians are married they have no choice
but to remain married and fulfill reciprocally the
responsibilities in marriage.
He calls the single to remain single and encourages
those in mixed marriages not to initiate divorce but
leave in peace.

48. Paul calls for self-control.
If a Christian has self-control, they should remain
single and have undistracted devotion to the Lord.
Marriage and singleness are not about racial or
social status.
They are about servitude, gentleness and
contentment.
Marriage or singleness like every other aspect of
the believer’s life should be lived in view of eternity.