Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does 1st Corinthians Chapter 7 mean?

How should Christians think about marriage? Is it better to be married or not? Should married Christians have sex? Paul provides clear and sometimes surprising answers to these questions in 1 Corinthians chapter 7.

In prior chapters, Paul dealt with issues among the Corinthians which had been reported to him. Among these were dangerous attitudes towards sexuality, sin, disputes, and divisions. Paul now turns his attention to answer specific questions they had asked him in an earlier letter. The first comes in the form of a statement, likely quoted from the Corinthians themselves: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman” (1 Corinthians 7:1).

Since we don’t have the letter from the Corinthians to Paul, scholars are left to speculate from this statement and the context of the chapter. Apparently, some in Corinth believed that even married Christians should abstain from sex. In addition, some seem to have believed Christians should not be married, at all. This might have been due to the influence of Gnostic heresies. Perhaps this was a response to the overwhelming amount of sexual immorality in the Greek and Roman culture. Perhaps they were following some of the secular philosophy of the day that said not having sex led to a higher spirituality.

Wherever this idea came from, Paul rejected it firmly. Married people should have regular sex, he insists, because of the temptation to engage in sexual immorality. This is one purpose of marriage, Paul insists, by God’s design. Marriage is such an intimate bond that both husbands and wives have authority over each other’s bodies. They must not deprive each other except under specific conditions and for specific times in order to avoid becoming targets for Satan’s temptation to sexual sin (1 Corinthians 7:2–5).

Paul, though, is single, and happily so. He openly wishes all Christians could be as he is. By this he means that he has what is sometimes called the gift of celibacy: he is not distracted by overwhelming sexual desire. Those without this gift are not in the wrong, as they have other gifts from God. In all cases, it is better to marry—and have recurring sex—than to burn with passion and risk falling into sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 7:6–8).

In addition, nobody should get divorced attempting to achieve greater closeness to God. God intends for marriage to be a lifelong contract, unbroken except in very specific cases. Christians should not separate even from unbelieving spouses, though they should not resist if an unsaved spouse leaves them. In fact, by staying in the marriage, a believer may have the chance to lead his or her spouse to Christ (1 Corinthians 7:9–16).

Paul’s rule of thumb is that nobody should seek to change their situation in life after coming to faith in Christ. The context here is that of people forcing unnecessary changes for the wrong reasons. If God called you where you are, He is with you where you are. While it’s possible that God might call a person to radically re-order their entire life, that is not the case for all believers. Paul encourages born-again Christians to stay “as they are,” in the sense of their state of life. This means whether they are married or not, circumcised or not, slave or free, although slaves should welcome freedom if available. In Christ, slaves are, in fact, free, and free Christians are slaves to Christ (1 Corinthians 7:17–24).

Paul’s personal preference for a single life is not something binding on other Christians. This life is short (James 4:14), and the return of Christ is near (Revelation 3:11). All people are an instant away from being face-to-face with God, whether by natural death, unnatural death, or the return of Christ to earth. So, our temporary position in this world matters far less than our eternal position. Believers are servants of Christ who will share in His glory. Christians should hold on to everything in this life loosely, including marriage, mourning, rejoicing, doing business. The present form of this world is passing way (1 Corinthians 7:25–31).

Unmarried people do not sin if they get married. They should consider, though, the opportunity to serve Christ undivided by responsibility to a spouse. As with other decisions, they should be sure they marry, or not, for the right reasons (1 Corinthians 7:32–40).

Chapter Context
First Corinthians 7 follows Paul’s teaching in the previous chapter, which focused mostly on avoiding sexual immorality. Here he commands married husbands and wives not to deprive each other of sex, or get divorced, in a misguided attempt to be more spiritual. Unmarried people who can live contentedly without sex, however, should consider remaining single in order to serve Christ undivided. Getting married is good, but the time is short. The form of this world is passing away. Unmarried people should think about the opportunities to avoid trouble and serve Christ that come with staying single.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”

Paul has just concluded confronting several difficult issues going on in the church at Corinth. He had received reports from visitors about those problems. Now he begins to address an issue raised in a letter from the church directly. That letter is lost to history, but we can infer what they wrote to Paul from his responses.

The first topic has to do with sex within marriage. At the end of the previous chapter, Paul powerfully urged his readers to run away from sexual immorality. This concept is represented by the Greek term porneia, referring to sex outside of heterosexual marriage.

This verse starts with the statement that it is better for a man not to touch a woman: a euphemism for sexual intercourse. The statement can be read in one of two ways. On one hand, Paul might be suggesting that celibacy—a commitment to abstain from all sex—is a good option for men. What’s more likely, given the context of this chapter, is that this was one made by the Corinthians in their letter to Paul. This is why translations such as the ESV place those words in quotation marks, much as with the slogans Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 6:12–13.

Perhaps some among the Corinthians were saying Christians should never have sex for any reason. This would mean that Christians should stop getting married and that even married couples should not have sex. Perhaps this was a reaction to the overt sexual immorality of the culture or the idea that Christians were spiritual beings who should not serve this physical appetite, at all. While this is a common theme of Gnosticism—an early heresy—it is not something taught in Scripture.

In the following verses, Paul will correct and clarify God’s will for Christians when it comes to getting married and having sex within marriage.

Context Summary
First Corinthians 7:1–16 includes Paul’s teaching about sex and marriage for Christians. Some in Corinth apparently thought even married believers should not have sex. Paul rejects that idea, insisting that married Christians belong to each other and should not deprive each other in this way because of the temptation to sexual sin. Also, married believers should not divorce in order to somehow be closer to God. The Lord intends marriage to be for life. Those married to unbelievers may, by staying in the marriage, help lead the other person to Christ.

Verse 2. But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

Paul is just beginning to answer a question from a letter sent to him by the church at Corinth. Apparently, some among them suggested it was better for a man never to have sex with a woman, even within marriage. Scholars suggest that the idea being presented was that Christians should never have sex for any reason. This seems to be a comment made in a prior letter, which Paul quotes in the prior verse (1 Corinthians 7:1). Paul will now explain why this is wrong and clarify God’s will for sex within marriage.

He writes that each husband and wife should “have” each other. This, again, is a polite reference to sex and counters the earlier claim. Paul directly contradicts the idea that Christians who are married should not have sex. Why? The temptation to participate in sexual immorality is too strong, and the consequences of doing so are too dangerous (1 Corinthians 6:12–20).

Some misread this verse to imply that people should get married specifically for the purposes of having sex. Meaning, that people ought to actively seek marriage in order to have an outlet for sexual urges. That’s not, at all, what this statement means. The difference is in the word “have,” understood as a euphemism for sex. The Greek term is echetō, very different from the term zeteo, which Paul uses later (1 Corinthians 7:27) in reference to “seeking” something.

In other words, Paul’s point in this specific instance is those already married should be having sex with his or her spouse in order to avoid sexual sin. This comment is not about marriage in general. Paul gives a specific answer to a specific question about whether married Christian couples should be having sex. He addresses marriage more broadly in other letters (Ephesians 5:22–33). Later in this chapter, Paul will take up the question of marriage in light of sexual temptations.

The Bible is consistently clear that God designed sex as a good thing within marriage, even before sin entered the world (Genesis 2:24). Only sexual immorality—as a corruption of that good gift (1 Timothy 4:4)—is condemned in Scripture.

Verse 3. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.

Paul has rejected an idea, perhaps held by some of the Corinthians, that even married Christians should not have sex with each other. The statement made in verse 1 of this chapter seems to be a quote from the people of Corinth as posed to Paul: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.”

Instead, Scripture declares the exact opposite. Married people should have sex with their spouses because of the ongoing temptation to engage in sexual immorality.

Here, Paul makes this point more directly. Both spouses should fulfill the sexual rights that are due the other, the husband to his wife and the wife to her husband. As emphasized in verse 4, Christian marriage is to be understood as mutual surrender of oneself to meet the needs of the other person. Paul’s teaching here shows that God intends this surrender to include meeting the sexual needs of one’s spouse.

It’s important to note a few things. First, properly-functioning marriage is defined by the self-sacrificing love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. The command here is to act in love to meet the sexual needs of one’s husband or wife. Though Paul does not address it here, that same sacrificial approach may require not insisting that one’s “conjugal rights” be honored. In other words, the command to be sacrificially loving also encourages spouses not to be demanding or unkind in their sexual relationship.

Second, Paul avoids setting up any parameters. Scripture provides no list, description, or timeframe regarding how a spouse’s marital rights are to be honored. This teaching simply forbids a blanket refusal to participate in sex on some kind of regular basis. Christlike love should be the motive in all things. A spouse should neither withhold themselves sexually nor try to coerce sex from the other.

Finally, in great contrast to the standards of his culture, Paul does not distinguish between men and women here. Both sexes are understood to face sexual temptation. Both are commanded to honor the rights of the other. Although the statement in verse 1, apparently posed by the Corinthians, focuses only on men, Paul makes it perfectly clear in his answer that both husband and wife have sexual rights and both husband and wife must submit to each other in this area of marriage. Once more, Christlike love should be the motive in all things.

Verse 4. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Paul is revealing God’s will about sex within marriage. He has rejected the idea that married Christians should abstain from sex. Early heresies, such as Gnosticism, claimed that the body was evil and sex should be avoided, even in marriage. In fact, Scripture says the opposite is true because of the temptation to participate in damaging sexual sin.

In the previous verse, Paul wrote that husbands and wives must both give sex to each other, translated in various Bibles as “conjugal rights” or “marital duty.” Now Paul explains why this is true, using the language of authority. Neither wives nor husbands are entirely independent over their own bodies when it comes to sex. Instead, the wife has authority over the husband’s body and vice versa.

The Bible’s teaching on this subject runs counter to both the culture of Paul’s day and to our own. This is a uniquely Christian idea for several reasons.

First, in many cultures then and now, a wife’s body was thought to be the explicit property of her husband, but categorically not the other way around. In some cases, cultures essentially considered “male adultery” non-existent, requiring fidelity only of the woman. In Christian teaching, however, both parties in marriage are so closely connected, as if one person (Genesis 2:24), that they have mutual authority over each other’s bodies. This is the opposite of male dominance of women. This specific verse focuses on that idea of mutual submission in one specific area of marriage.

Second, especially in modern times and places, culture often recoils at the suggestion that a person does not have absolute, unrestricted autonomy over his or her own body. Christian teaching, though, is clear about this idea. Paul wrote in the previous chapter that, as Christians, we do not own our bodies, because God purchased us from sin and death with the blood of Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:19–20; Ephesians 1:7; Galatians 3:13). The two primary expressions of this are in avoidance of sin and in the mutual expression of sexuality in marriage.

Marriage is meant to be a picture of the relationship between Christ and those who have been redeemed in the church. In that picture, both the redeemed husband and redeemed wife surrender their right to exercise authority over their own bodies—in this area specifically—as part of their marriage commitment to become one.

Verse 5. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Paul continues to reveal God’s will about sex within a Christian marriage. He has written that one purpose of marriage is for mutual, unselfish sex to overcome the temptation to participate in sexual immorality outside of marriage.

To that end, both husbands and wives have an obligation to the other, as part of their mutual commitment, to be sexually available to each other. The connection between man and woman in a Christian marriage is pictured as being so close and intimate that neither has the authority over his or her own body in this area. That authority belongs to the spouse. This verse phrases this concept as a command, not a suggestion.

Since love is defined by self-sacrifice (Ephesians 5:25), that does not give either spouse justification to “force” themselves on the other. But neither does it justify withholding sex entirely. Both husbands and wives are being commanded, and this service to each other is meant to reflect the self-sacrificing love of Christ. It requires putting the other first in all areas of life. Paul offers no timetables or other details. Ultimately, both parties should be motivated by love and respect for each other.

However, the exception Paul offers here implies an underlying rule: the intention is for sexual union to happen on a regular basis. He allows that, by mutual agreement, sex may be put on hold while husband and wife devote themselves to prayer for a time. This does not mean a person can’t be devoted to prayer on a day they engage in sex with a spouse. Instead, Paul seems to be describing a special devotion to prayer, perhaps during a time of fasting.

Once that time is concluded, however, sexual activity should resume. Paul seems to assume that human beings who experience strong sexual desire will struggle with self-control after a while. He also reveals that Satan will take advantage of that struggle to tempt Christians with sexual sin. The closest thing to a rule or schedule Paul offers, then, seems to be that sex between spouses ought to happen with some mutually-agreed frequency.

Verse 6. Now as a concession, not a command, I say this.

This short verse refers to a concession on Paul’s part. However, it’s possible to interpret this either in reference to the statement just made in verse 5, or to the one about to be delivered in verse 7.

If Paul is referring to the prior verse as a concession, he would be making it clear that mutual abstinence is something married couples may agree to for a time, not something Paul is commanding. The “concession” aspect would be Paul allowing for sexuality and marital agreements despite his personal preference for celibacy.

More likely is that Paul is prefacing his remark in the next verse: that he, personally, would like every Christian to be unmarried and unattached as he is. This verse, then, would mean to clarify that the words which follow are merely Paul’s preference and his perspective. God does not command anyone to be like Paul in this way.

In the following verses, Paul implies that he’s single and unburdened by strong sexual desire. He considers this a gift from God for himself. Seeing it as a good thing, he wishes more people had such a gift, for reasons he will reveal in the following passage. However, he understands that other people have other gifts and that God allows and honors both marriage and sex within marriage.

Verse 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.

Paul has made clear in the previous verses that celibacy—life without sex—is not meant for every Christian. Paul finds great benefit in it, wishing others could be blessed in the same way. However, this variation in sexual interest is by God’s design. Paul states honestly that he wishes, personally—not as God’s command—that everyone was like him. Paul was apparently unmarried and celibate, and he saw the absence of a driving need for marriage and sex as a gift from God.

In the following verses, Paul will describe the advantages of being single for those who are in Christ. Primarily, it frees them up to focus more of their time and energy on serving Christ (1 Corinthians 7:32–34).

It’s important to notice that Paul calls this a gift, however. In no way does the Bible suggest unmarried and celibate Christians are more spiritual than married Christians. In fact, this passage will discourage those who “burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:9) from remaining single. Paul does not want anyone to try to overcome a God-given desire for sexuality out of a mistaken idea that lifelong abstinence is the best path for every person, in all cases. God has simply given the celibate and the married different gifts, not a lesser purpose.

Verse 8. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.

Paul now agrees, to a point, with the opening statement of this chapter. That statement appears to have been quoted from the Corinthian’s letter to Paul, asking him to clear up this issue for them (1 Corinthians 7:1).

Paul says, yes, for those who are not currently married, it is good to remain single. Paul himself is happily single. As he wrote in the previous verse, the ability to find contentment in the single, celibate life is a gift from God. To be single, in God’s eyes, is not better or worse than being married. It is a result of the specific gifts given by God to specific individuals.

Paul’s conclusion is that someone currently single should not seek marriage simply for the sake of being married. Marriage is not something Christians are obligated to pursue or attain. Marriage is not automatically better than singleness. This does not, of course, provide an excuse for sexual immorality, as Paul qualifies with a condition in the following verse.

Verse 9. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Paul has written in the previous verse that those currently unmarried should not seek to be married “just because.” Marriage, in and of itself, is not something believers must pursue or achieve. To be celibate and single as Paul was is a good thing. For one, it allows a Christian to devote more time and energy to serving Christ (1 Corinthians 7:32–34).

Paul adds a qualifier to this idea, as begun in verse 8. He refers to an unmarried person who “burns with passion.” The context doesn’t suggest someone who is oversexed or obsessed with sexuality. Rather, Paul means this in contrast to someone who has the gift of celibacy. A person who feels a strong desire for sexual activity ought to pursue marriage as would any other Christian. As a parallel application, those involved in romantic relationships or betrothals—engagement—should pursue marriage rather than engaging in sexual immorality because of a loss of self-control. This is something Paul will address more directly near the end of this chapter (1 Corinthians 7:36).

Paul does not mean a person ought to rush into marriage simply because they are frequently “in the mood.” Paul has directly stated that married couples ought to “have” one another, because of their sexual urges. He did not indicate one should “seek” a spouse for that reason: specifically so one can have sex (1 Corinthians 7:2).

Those content in singleness should not seek to get married. Those who desire to be married should prepare for marriage by honoring God with their lives and desires. In this verse, Paul instructs those not called to exercising lifelong self-control—those not called to singleness—to pursue getting married. Paul’s comment dissuades those with the common human desire for sexual intimacy from “burning with passion” by artificially taking on lifelong celibacy when God may not be calling them to it. Marriage is not better than singleness, nor is being unmarried better than being married. What’s best is submitting to God’s calling on our lives, at all times. Being married will not cure or “fix” sexual temptations. Marriage is, however, the appropriate place for sexual desire to be fulfilled. Those called to celibacy may still experience temptation, just as the married person may experience illicit desires; prayerfully submitting our desires to the Spirit is needed in all cases.

Paul’s main concern here has to do with correcting any wrong thinking about reasons to get married or to avoid marriage. Nobody should choose one over the other thinking it inherently more spiritual or more honoring to God. Those choosing to remain unmarried should make that choice based on the gifts God has given to them specifically. Those who choose marriage, or who are already married, however, should continue to honor their marriage commitments, as explained in the following verses.

Verse 10. To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband

Verses 10 and 11 deal with divorce, but Paul’s point here is not to address all divorce for all reasons. Prior verses have dealt with a mistaken view held by some of the believers at Corinth. Namely, that Christians should not have sex, even if they were married, and that the most spiritual Christian life is one of celibate and/or unmarried devotion to Christ. Perhaps this was a response to the pervasive sexual immorality in wider Corinthian culture. Perhaps it borrowed these ideas from other moral philosophies and teachings of the day.

In any case, this may have created some problems in the church. If this was a common misconception, some might have stopped having sex with their spouses.

Worse, others might have thought that in order to attain some higher level of spirituality, they would have to divorce their spouses.

Paul has clearly and firmly rejected these ideas. He addressed the issue of sex in marriage earlier (1 Corinthians 7:2–5). Now he states unequivocally that women should not separate from—or divorce—their husbands, especially for this reason. He will say the same for husbands in the following verse.

Verse 11. (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

Paul is completing a thought begun in the previous verse. He is answering a statement or question about sex and marriage for Christians (1 Corinthians 7:1). Some apparently believed it was more spiritual—morally superior—for Christians not to have sex nor be married. Paul has firmly rejected this false idea, showing that marriage is good, as is sex between married people (1 Corinthians 7:2–8).

Perhaps some in Corinth were thinking about divorcing their spouses in a misguided attempt to become more spiritual. In the previous verse, Paul declared it is absolutely against the Lord’s will for a wife to sever her marriage from her husband. This is especially so in the context of this false idea of becoming more spiritual through celibacy.

Paul now adds that if a woman does this—or has done it—she should remain unmarried. The intent seems to be a hope that she might be reconciled to her husband after they have been separated. Otherwise, according to Jesus’ teaching in Mark 10:12, she will be guilty of adultery when she marries another man. Jesus forbade divorce in all cases except for sexual immorality (Matthew 5:32).

Next Paul directs a similar command toward husbands, forbidding them from divorcing their wives, especially for the sake of achieving some higher spiritual connection with the Lord. Paul is clear throughout the passage that Christians who are married should stay married. He addresses the issue of Christians married to non-Christians in the following verses.

Neither this nor verse 10 is commentary on all divorces, for all reasons. Nor are they statements about all remarriages, for all reasons. The underlying principles are important, but not meant to be taken carelessly.

Verse 12. To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her.

Paul is answering a question from the Corinthians about whether Christians should be married or have sex with their spouses (1 Corinthians 7:1). He has been clear: Marriage and sex within marriage are God’s will for those who are already married. Christians married to each other should not get divorced, especially due to the false belief that being unmarried is more spiritual or pleasing to God than being married.

What if a Christian is married to an unbeliever? Should the Christian divorce an unsaved spouse? Paul answers that question in this and the following verses.

In the era when Paul wrote these words, Christianity was relatively new, and drastically opposed to the prevailing Greco-Roman culture. Much more so than in the modern world, it was quite common in the early church for converts to come to faith on their own, apart from their spouse. This would understandably create tension for the believer, joined in a union with Christ and with someone outside of Christ. Maybe, they thought, it would be better to dissolve that marriage and move on.

Paul says no. If a man is a Christian and married to an unbelieving woman, he should not divorce her, so long as she agrees to stay married to him. Paul will say in the following verses that if the unsaved spouse insists on divorce, however, the believer should allow it and will not be held accountable for the other person’s abandonment (1 Corinthians 7:15).

He adds that this instruction comes from him and not directly from the Lord. This does not mean we should discount Paul’s instruction as merely human advice. He writes these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and as the commissioned representative of Christ. For that precise reason, he acknowledges that this specific principle has not been explicitly revealed to him directly by Christ, as some of his other teachings were. As inspired Scripture, however, readers would be unwise to dismiss it.

Verse 13. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.

Great tension can exist in a marriage when one spouse is a Christian and the other is not. This would have been especially true in Paul’s day, when the difference between Christian spirituality and the wider culture was more pronounced. For example, a converted wife would no longer wish to participate in the worship of her husband’s gods or idols. Should they just get divorced in order to free each other?

In the previous verse, Paul said unequivocally that a Christian husband should not divorce his unsaved wife for this reason, so long as she is willing to continue being married to him. Now he says the same to Christian wives. If her husband is willing to stay married, she should not divorce him.

Paul explains how remaining married benefits the unsaved spouses and their children in the following verses, as well as what Christian spouses should do if their unsaved husbands or wives insist on a divorce.

Verse 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.

Paul has instructed Christians who are married to unbelieving spouses not to divorce, if the unsaved spouse is willing to stay in the marriage.

By God’s design, marriage is the most intimate of all human relationships (Genesis 2:24). Why, then, would a Christian man or woman imagine God desiring them to separate from their spouse? Perhaps the Christians in Corinth were concerned that being in union with an unbeliever would make them unclean in God’s eyes. Would their unsaved spouse cause God to see them as being guilty of the sin and unbelief of their spouse?

Paul’s answer is that the opposite is true. A Christian’s unbelieving spouse and children are, instead, “made holy.” This is true for both husbands and wives, but has to be carefully understood.

Paul is not saying a person’s unbelieving spouse and children are eternally saved simply by being married to or parented by a Christian. Saving faith cannot be borrowed, inherited, or willed to someone else. Scripture’s clear teaching is that individuals must come to faith in Christ on their own in order to receive the grace of God’s forgiveness for sin (Matthew 10:34–36; 1 Corinthians 3:13; Galatians 6:3–5). Further, Paul writes in verse 16 that an unbeliever might be saved through the witness of a Christian spouse. That, in and of itself, proves that simply being married to a believer does not automatically bring eternal salvation to a non-Christian.

What Paul does seem to be saying is that God regards the unbelieving spouse and children of a Christian person as a holy spouse and children. This is precisely because the husband and wife are united as one, and one of them is united with Christ. In this life, on this side of eternity, they are included with the people of God who have been set-apart for His purposes.

The Christian is not stained by his or her non-Christian spouse; the non-Christian spouse, instead, becomes blessed by God so long as they remain married.

Verse 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.

Paul has taught the Corinthians that Christians must not divorce their unbelieving spouses. What if their Jewish or pagan spouses are the ones who want to divorce? What if the unbelieving partner insists on separation? What should a Christian do in that case?

Akin to his advice about civil lawsuits among fellow Christians (1 Corinthians 6:7), Paul advocates for submission. In modern terms, Paul says “Don’t fight it. Let them go.” Since the Christian husband or wife did not initiate the break-up, he or she will not remain “enslaved.”

Some scholars take this to mean that the Christian spouse is simply released from any obligation to the marriage itself. Others understand Paul’s reference to “enslavement” here to refer to all the normal entailments of divorce, which would include not being able to remarry. Rather than being trapped in such a state by the sinful actions of another, this circumstance would include the freedom to marry someone else without being guilty of committing adultery (Matthew 5:32).

The final line of this verse can be read in one of two ways. Ancient writings such as this letter were composed without punctuation, and without modern conventions like chapter and verse divisions. So it’s possible the line “God has called you to peace” is meant to begin a new thought, continued in the following verse. In that sense, God has given believers peace with Him, in addition to the opportunity to live with peaceful minds and hearts. Perhaps the observation of that powerful and transformative peace will persuade an unbelieving spouse to consider faith in Christ, after all.

The other possibility is that Paul means God has called the two separating to peace in the sense that they should not fight the divorce or be overly anxious about letting the marriage go. They can have peace of mind and heart in moving on from their unbalanced marriage. The Greek term used by Paul here is hēmas, usually meaning “we” or “us.” Some manuscripts use a plural equivalent of you. In either case, the reference is to more than one person.

Verse 16. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Paul concludes his teaching about whether Christians who are married to non-Christians should get divorced. He has firmly said: no. Believers should not fight over it, if the unbelieving spouse wants to go. They should not, however, be the one to end the marriage simply because the other person is not yet saved.

Now Paul adds a hopeful note. Perhaps, by remaining in marriage to an unbeliever, a wife or husband will lead that spouse to faith in Christ. Some scholars link this idea to the last line of the previous verse: “God has called you to peace.”

Perhaps an unbelieving husband or wife will see God at work in the heart, mind, and actions of their Christian spouse and be drawn to Christ, as well (1 Peter 3:1–2). Or perhaps God has also called the spouse to the same peace and they simply have not yet believed.

Paul does not promise that the unbelieving spouse will absolutely be saved, but he wants Christian spouses to remain available to be used by God to help bring about the salvation of their husbands or wives by means of faith in Christ.

Verse 17. Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.

Previous verses contained Paul’s instruction that Christians who are married should stay married and that single people should not necessarily seek to be married. In other words, people ought not seek to change their marital status as if one option or the other was mandatory. He was not teaching that people had to, as a matter of Christian morality, maintain their current relationship statuses. In the upcoming verses, Paul expands on that thought.

He now writes that this general principle applies to many other areas of life. Becoming a Christian does not mean, automatically, that God desires a person to completely change all their relationships, occupations, or locations. Rather, speaking in general terms, Christians should stay as they were when the God called them to faith in Christ. The first opportunities for discipleship, service, and obedience are right there.

He says in this verse that God is the one who has assigned these particular places in life to His people when they were called to faith. God intends to make use of each of us. For the most part, that means serving and obeying in the exact positions and relationships we were in when He called us. Some, of course, are called to go or move, either physically or socially. But that’s not the case for everyone.

Paul intentionally adds that this isn’t just a rule for the church in Corinth. It is the same rule he teaches in every church. His examples of this teaching will include circumcision and slavery.

Context Summary
First Corinthians 7:17–24 expands on Paul’s rule of thumb: that Christians should remain in whatever situation they were in when they came to faith in Christ. Later text clarifies that Paul is not denouncing marriage or forbidding it in any sense. Married or not, circumcised or not, slave or free, Christians aren’t obligated to radically upend every aspect of their lives and relationships. Slaves, though, are encouraged to gain their freedom if available. A believing slave is, in fact, free in Christ, while a Christian who is free in this life is, in truth, a slave to Christ. We all belong to God. Our eternal position in Christ matters far more than our temporary position in this life.

Verse 18. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.

Paul is expanding on the idea that Christians who are married should stay married and Christians who are single should not necessarily seek to get married. He is applying this teaching to many of the areas of a Christian’s life.

He begins with circumcision: removing the foreskin from the penis, common especially to the Jewish people (Genesis 17:10–11). Circumcision was required for every male who lived under the law of Moses (Leviticus 12:1–3). Those who come to faith in Christ, however, do not live under the requirements of the law (Romans 6:14).

A primary complaint of the Jewish religious leaders against Paul is exactly what’s written in these verses. Not only did he say that new converts to Christianity were not required to be circumcised to be included in God’s people, he even forbids them from being circumcised.

This led to understandable tension between Jewish and Gentile Christians living amongst one another. Roman culture often included public baths or competing in the nude in sporting events, as was the custom. In such cases, a person could not very well hide whether they were circumcised. Nor could they avoid the judgments of others, including some Christians, that went along with that awareness.

Should a Jewish person who had been circumcised as an infant seek out surgery to hide or cosmetically reverse his circumcision? Should a Gentile get circumcised, as was required of converts to Judaism, just to be as acceptable to God as possible? In both cases, Paul says “no.” Rather, that condition is part of where and how a person was called to Christ. They should stay as they are, in those ways. In the following verses, Paul explains this idea.

Verse 19. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

Paul has written that those who are married or single should, in many cases, remain as they are when they come to faith in Christ. Now he has expanded on this idea to include other areas of life, such as circumcision. Christian men who are circumcised should not seek out the surgery to reverse or conceal circumcision. Neither should uncircumcised Christians get circumcised.

Why would a man wish to do either of these things? Greco-Roman cultures were far less modest, in terms of nudity, as compared to later western worldviews. It was common for men to be nude in front of other men, such as at baths, in athletics, or in military training. In some public baths or competing in official sporting events, men were often nude in front of public crowds. In that way, their circumcision status would be easily known.

A Jewish man might wish to be “uncircumcised” in order to help his standing among Gentiles. A Gentile might want to be circumcised for the same reason: to be more acceptable to the Jews. Some might have been persuaded by Jewish leaders that God required circumcision for genuine salvation. On the other hand, those convinced by Paul and other teachers that circumcision was a non-issue for salvation, might have sought to remove the evidence that they once trusted in it to save them.

Paul rejects all of this and commands men to stay as they are either way. He insists that circumcision simply does not matter to God. Salvation comes only by God’s grace and through faith in Christ. God cares about obedience that comes as a result of that faith. He does not care about whether a man is circumcised or not.

Verse 20. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.

Paul restates what he wrote in verse 17: “Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him.” As the following verse shows, this does not mean Christians should refuse to allow any changes to their life or circumstances. Instead, he is warning them not to worry about changing their status, or to change it for the wrong reasons.

Why might a new Christian seek to make an immediate, drastic change to their circumstances? Why rush headlong into celibacy, divorce, to leave behind a job, be circumcised, or break their commitment as a bondservant?

One wrongheaded reason might be an attempt to make oneself more acceptable to the Lord. As Paul wrote in the first chapter, many who came to Christ in Corinth were not considered respectable by the world. Few were conventionally wise or wealthy or of noble birth (1 Corinthians 1:26–27). Perhaps, once saved, they felt the need to become respectable by some measurable standard in order to be more acceptable to Christ.

Of course, God doesn’t accept us because of our worthiness in comparison to other people. He accepts us because of His love and by His grace.

Another reason for wanting to change circumstances after coming to faith in Christ may have been the desire to be considered more spiritual or worthy by other Christians. Paul has already addressed the proud and judgmental attitudes of the Corinthians. Perhaps they were competing to look more spiritual or worthy to each other. Again, Paul makes clear this is a worthless goal.

Paul wants the Corinthians to worry less about their standing in this life and to serve Christ in and through whatever status He has called them.

Verse 21. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)

Modern use of the term “slavery” conjures up images of racism, chains, kidnapping, and abuse. In the ancient era, however, the concept included a much wider idea of service, obligation, and debt. While the experience of being a “slave” in the Greco-Roman era differed significantly from, say, North American “chattel” slavery, it could still be a hard life. People frequently “sold” themselves into service for a set number of years to pay off debts or earn a living. Others became slaves by birth or war. Skilled slaves may have served as doctors or accountants.

Such details aside, in Roman culture, “slaves” were classified as property under the law. Those who owned slaves could freely mistreat or even kill them without consequence, in contrast to other cultures and their approach to servants.

Slavery was a fact of life in the world of Paul’s day. Historians tells us about a third of Corinth’s population were slaves, a third were former slaves, and a third were citizens.

Former slaves, freed by their master’s generosity or paying off their debts, often continued to work alongside slaves. Roman law, however, recognized former slaves as persons and gave them a limited version of the rights of Roman citizenship.

Early Christianity was bizarre among other religions in that it recognized slaves, women, and all people groups as full, equal persons. Unique to Christianity was the claim that all people, without exception, were loved by God and invited to trust in Christ and share in God’s glory without need of anyone else’s approval. The early church was populated by many slaves, women, and foreign transplants.

Paul now tells Christ-following slaves not to make the point of their lives to change their status to freedmen. In context, his point is that they should not pursue freedom in order to become more acceptable to God or to other believers. After all, God called them, wanted them, when they were slaves. He doesn’t require them to increase their social standing to be acceptable to Him.

Paul quickly adds, though, that if given the choice to be freed from slavery, they should take it. He does not command that slaves seek to remain slaves. Rather, he means they need not focus all their mental energies on gaining their freedom. He explains why in the following verses.

Verse 22. For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.

In the previous verse, Paul applied the principle message of this chapter to those defined as “slaves” in Greco-Roman culture. He has written that those who are married should stay married and those who are single do not necessarily need to get married. Those who are circumcised—or not—should stay as they are. Now he has added that even slaves should not make the primary focus of their lives changing that status, though they should absolutely take the opportunity to become free if it comes along.

Paul calls Christians to elevate the status they hold in God’s eyes above their status in the eyes of the world. Someone who comes to Christ as a “slave” under Roman law is seen by God as a freedman. He or she has been freed from the power and the penalty of their sin. By God’s grace and through faith in Christ, that human slave is free to share in God’s glory forever and will eternally enjoy all the rights and privileges of royalty in the kingdom of God.

The reverse is also true. Those who come to Christ as Roman citizens or freedmen must understand that, in the eyes of the Lord, they serve as “slaves”—as bondservants—of Christ. They exist in body and spirit to joyfully serve the purposes of God in this world and the next. Paul often referred to himself as a slave of Christ, holding that badge of honor high above his merely human status as a Roman citizen.

For these reasons, and in that context, Paul tells believing slaves not to become preoccupied with their human status. They should take opportunity when given (1 Corinthians 7:21), but don’t need to see it as mandatory. God will use them right where they are for His greater good.

Verse 23. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.

In words surprising to a non-spiritual mindset, Paul has written that even slaves who come to faith in Christ should not make the point of their lives to become freedmen. He has added, however, that if they get the opportunity to become free, they should take it (1 Corinthians 7:20–22).

Paul wants all Christians, slave and free, to place greater value on their position in God’s eyes than in the eyes of the world. In God’s eyes, all believing slaves are freedmen. All Christians are bondservants of Christ. God’s perspective matters far more than our status during the short time we will live on this earth before eternity.

Now Paul follows his comment that Christians, though free in this life, are “slaves” to Christ because God purchased us, body and spirit, with the blood of Christ through His death for our sin on the cross. We were redeemed by God (Ephesians 1:7; Galatians 3:13), meaning that He took possession of us from our former master of sin and death.

Because God owns those who are in Christ, Paul now adds that we must not become slaves to men. It’s possible to interpret this as a command to believers not to sell themselves into slavery for the purpose of paying off debt or making a living. Some take this as a condemnation of going into debt, even in a modern sense of loans or a mortgage (Romans 13:8). In context, though, it’s far more likely Paul is repeating the idea that God is a believer’s true and eternal master, not the human being who “owns” them for now in this short life.

Verse 24. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.

Paul concludes this section, repeating for the third time that the Christians in Corinth should remain in whatever condition or situation they had when they came to faith in Christ. This includes being married or single, being circumcised or uncircumcised, and being slave or free. This is not phrased as a command: “you must remain as you are.” Rather, it is Paul’s reassurance that Christians are not obligated to seek any of those statuses for spiritual reasons.

In fact, Paul has included circumstances under which it is sensible for a Christian to seek out a change their status. Single people who “burn with passion” should, in fact, get married (1 Corinthians 7:9). Those married to unbelievers should not fight their change in status if their spouse demands a divorce (1 Corinthians 7:15). Slaves with the opportunity to be freed should take it (1 Corinthians 7:21). In other words, Scripture’s command here is not a blanket restriction on changing from one situation to another, ever.

Instead, the Bible discourages believers from seeking radical change out of a wrongheaded idea that marital status, or social status, or even religious status will make them more spiritual or more acceptable to God. In a similar way, God doesn’t want them to attempt to change their status for the approval of other people.

Paul adds the words “with God” to his statement about remaining. God is with Christians, no matter their current status in the short time we will exist on earth before eternity. Believers should not seek out radical, self-driven changes in their lives in an attempt to get closer to God. He is already fully with them.

It is not, however, that our time on this side of eternity does not matter. Paul shows in the following verses that it matters a great deal how we serve Christ, how we are used by God, whatever our situation might be.

Verse 25. Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord ‘s mercy is trustworthy.

Earlier, Paul referenced a letter sent to him by the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 7:1). It’s possible this verse begins a response to a separate question from that letter. Paul may also be continuing to respond to the original statement in verse 1.

He begins by speaking, “about the betrothed,” according to the ESV. The actual Greek word used here is parthenōn, which more literally means “virgins.” The word, itself, doesn’t say exactly who Paul has in mind. Often, “virgin” is used in Scripture to describe young, unmarried women. The context of the verses that follow, however, indicates Paul is addressing males who are engaged to marry young women. For that reason, translations such as the ESV present this as a reference to “betrothed” instead of “virgins.”

What follows is not about whether Christians should have sex—that is, to lose their virginity—but about whether they should still get married if they are under an agreement to do so. Earlier passages dealt with a misconception among the Corinthians that becoming a believer meant renouncing marriage and sexuality. Paul disputed that, saying that God had plans for people in whatever state they were called to faith (1 Corinthians 7:17).

In the next verse, Paul will give his personal preference. He makes very clear, however, that his view is not a direct command from the Lord. He will add in verse 28 that someone who does not follow his advice here will not be guilty of sin. Instead, he asks his readers to receive his instructions about this one thing in view of his trustworthiness. He writes that it is only by God’s mercy—not his own merit—that Paul’s advice is worth trusting.

In other words, engaged people should carefully consider what he is about to say before deciding whether to go through with their marriage plans. As an experienced and reliable spiritual advisor, his opinion ought to carry weight.

Context Summary
First Corinthians 7:25–40 explores Paul’s response to a question about those who are engaged to be married. Should they go through with it, considering his teaching that singleness provides opportunity to serve Christ undivided? Both are permitted, Paul insists, and you do well in either case. Paul’s unique, personal view is that unmarried Christians can serve without the troubles that come with even the best marriages; they can remain fully focused on living for Christ. That is neither a command nor a judgment binding on anyone.

Verse 26. I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.

Paul repeats the main idea of this chapter again: that Christians aren’t mandated to seek radical, artificial change in their lives on account of their faith. And, that there are benefits to being single. This time, Paul adds additional reason for his personal stance. He has repeatedly instructed Christians to remain in whatever situation they find themselves, married or not, circumcised or not, slave or free. He has added several exceptions to this general rule (1 Corinthians 7:17–24).

Now, though, he adds the motivation of dealing with the “present distress” or “present crisis.” Bible scholars disagree about what distress, exactly, he means by this. Perhaps the Corinthians have or will soon come under persecution for their faith in Christ. Others believe Paul to be speaking, generally, about the stress that comes from living during the final arc of human history before the return of Christ.

In any case, Paul considers these troubles reason enough not to complicate life further. There is no point in going to great lengths to purposefully change one’s circumstances. Keep going on the path you’re on, he says. Later in this passage, though, he asks them to think about the extra anxiety and burden that comes with being responsible for and to a spouse.

Verse 27. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.

The Corinthians are living in difficult times. Paul has added that situation to his list of reasons that they should not seek to change their situation, married or not, circumcised or not, slave or free (1 Corinthians 7:17–24).

Now he is addressing whether those who are engaged should go through with the marriage. Should a man betrothed to a woman break off that commitment considering Paul’s teaching? Paul says they should not—but his suggestion for those not yet engaged is to not seek engagement. In other words, if you are bound by a promise to marry, go through with it. If you are not, don’t look for a wife.

This is the first time in this conversation Paul addresses only men and not women. Remarkably for his time and place, Paul has previously given equal status to both men and women on questions of sex within marriage, authority over their own bodies, and whether to divorce. Here, though, his emphasis on men reflects the reality of his era: young women arranged to be married by their fathers often had little say about the matter.

Paul reminds both genders in the following verse that this is his personal advice and not the command of the Lord. If they do get married, they will not be committing a sin. There will be some drawbacks to pursuing a spouse, as a believer living in an unbelieving world.

Verse 28. But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.

Paul’s ongoing instruction in this passage is that Christians should generally maintain their current status in life. Meaning, they don’t need to deliberately seek out radical changes such as marriage for the sake of marriage (1 Corinthians 7:17–24). Now he is addressing more specifically whether unmarried Christians should seek to be married. For the most part, his teaching is that they should not. Now he makes clear that they will not be guilty of sin if they do get married. The Lord is not commanding single people not to marry.

In fact, Paul has described two scenarios under which unmarried people should follow a typical path towards marriage. First, if their sexual appetite is so strong that they fight to maintain self-control and avoid sexual immorality, they should expect to get married. He wrote that it is better to marry than to burn with passion (1 Corinthians 7:9).

In the previous verse, he also added that a Christian who has committed to get married—one who is betrothed—should stay on that course and go through with it. Also, of course, a Christian who is currently married should remain married, to the extent that such a thing is up to him or her.

Beyond those expansive exceptions, however, Paul is definitely encouraging unmarried people to remain single. It’s important to remember that Paul explicitly labelled this as his own personal advice, and preference. That encouragement is not, in any sense, a command from God (1 Corinthians 7:25–26).

Paul will soon explain the benefits of being single. Here, first, he points to the downside of being married. Married people experience worldly troubles. Paul’s personal advice is for Christians who don’t need to marry to avoid those troubles.

What troubles, exactly, accompany becoming one in marriage with a spouse? That question, by and large, will never be asked by someone who has been married for any length of time. The typical husband and wife can detail multiple aspects of life which make marriage challenging. Paul describes marriage as bringing anxiety and divided interests, as each spouse attempts to please his or her mate. None of this is meant to imply that marriage is not worthwhile or meaningful. Rather, Paul understands that becoming “one flesh” with another person adds complexity to life that shouldn’t be embraced without clear thinking and pure motives.

Verse 29. This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

Paul indicates that he is getting to a main point, saying “this is what I mean.” Time is short in the sense that the Corinthians are living in the last arc of human history: between the death and resurrection of Jesus and the events that will trigger Christ’s return. Though two thousand years have passed since Paul wrote these words, Christians are still living during that season, watching and waiting with eager expectation (Romans 8:23).

The time is short in another sense: our individual lives on this earth are short and uncertain. We come and go very quickly from the earth (James 4:14) in comparison to the long history of man and our eternal future after this life. Paul urged believers to accept the permanence of their place in eternity with Christ and the temporary nature of everything on this side of that moment. Christ’s return to earth might yet be some years away, but any of us might be faced with eternity at any moment.

That’s what Paul means when he says those who have wives should live as though they had none. He clearly doesn’t mean this in an overly literal sense, given everything he has written so far. Spouses should not ignore each other or separate because the time is short. Paul has already taught clearly that husbands and wives should continue to be married and even to be sexually active (1 Corinthians 7:2–5). In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul commands husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the church. Christian men are to focus on their wives and marriages.

Having said that, all marriages are temporary. They end in death and do not continue in the next life (Matthew 22:30). No Christian should place their temporary commitment to their spouse above their eternal service to Christ.

Verse 30. and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

Paul is urging Christians to live as if our eternal future with God is more important than temporary lives and relationships in this mortal life. He has written in the previous verse that time is short, most likely referring to the events that will trigger the return of Christ, which could happen at any moment (1 Corinthians 7:28–29).

Paul has written about how an eternal perspective should influence our view of marriage. Now he builds on this idea in other ways. Believers should mourn as if we are not mourning and rejoice as though we are not rejoicing. We should buy products as if we had no products or, maybe better, as if we had received nothing for our purchase.

Just as with his remark about marriage, Paul does not literally mean a Christian should not experience the emotions of mourning and rejoicing. Paul writes elsewhere about his own mourning and weeping (2 Corinthians 2:4) and joy (Philippians 4:10). In fact, believers are commanded to share in these emotions with each other (Romans 12:15).

Instead, he is asking Christians to experience both pain and joy for what they are: quickly passing moments in our quickly passing lives on this side of eternity. We must not allow emotions, tied to things which are passing away, to keep us from serving Christ. We must not base our decisions about how to live on fear of mourning, or desire for rejoicing. We serve Christ first, even above our own emotions.

Next, Paul instructs us to shop as if it does not matter what we have purchased. We must still go about the necessary functions of life. Christians, however, must not be so tied to their possessions or desire to acquire temporary goods that we miss the opportunity to serve our eternal Lord.

Verse 31. and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

Paul is urging Christians to embrace the reality that our time on this earth is short. In any number of ways, each person’s earthly life can come to an end at any moment. The events that will trigger the Lord’s return could happen at any moment. Beyond that, our lives on this side of eternity are fragile and pass very quickly (James 4:14).

How should we live in the here and now? Paul has given a counter-perspective to the view that this life as all there is. His quip is that we should be married as if we are not married. We should mourn, rejoice, and make purchases as if we do not experience those emotions or end up with any products. Clearly, he has something in mind other than a shallow, literal approach. Paul’s point is that we should hold every temporary relationship and possession loosely while we grip tightly our commitment to serve Christ.

Now he adds a blanket statement to sum up this idea. Christians who deal with the world should live as if they don’t. Of course, everyone deals with the world in one sense or another. We live here. We must navigate through relationships and decisions and lifestyle choices. Paul does not call us out of the world. Instead, he calls believers not to put any hope in finding lasting meaning and purpose in the form of the world that is passing away.

Paul phrased this same concept in clear terms when writing to the believers in Colossae. Here’s how he put it in Colossians 3:1–4:

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1–4).

Verse 32. I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.

Paul is making the case that unmarried Christians should remain unmarried. He has made clear that this is not a command from God—those who marry are not guilty of sin (1 Corinthians 1:25–28). He has also made two broad exceptions to his personal preference. Those who “burn” with sexual “passion” should marry instead of being in a constant struggle against immorality. And those who are betrothed or engaged should follow through on their commitment. Everyone else, though, should seriously consider remaining single.

Paul gives a clear explanation in this and the following verses. He wants the Corinthian Christians to be free from anxieties or concern. In this context, this does not seem to mean anxiety in the sense of being overly worried all the time. Those in Christ can live free from the emotional state of anxiety no matter what their circumstances (Philippians 4:4–9).

Instead, Paul seems to be addressing a person’s attention and focus. An unmarried man makes pleasing the Lord the full focus of his life. In this sense, he is “anxious about the things of the Lord.” Those who are married, in contrast, have a spouse to consider (1 Corinthians 7:33).

Verse 33. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife,

The advantage for the unmarried Christian man is freedom to focus his time and energy entirely on pleasing the Lord. Pleasing God is, indeed, the primary goal of our short lives on this side of eternity. Paul has made clear throughout this chapter that marriage is good, but he is making the case that those who are unmarried should consider remaining single.

Christian men who are married are divided between living to please Christ and living to please their wives. Paul does not condemn them for this. Christian marriage binds two people into one. When pursued according to Christian principles, it is a life spent in service to the other (Ephesians 5:22–33). In marriage, a Christian man serves God and represents Christ in the way he loves His wife. It is a high calling.

Paul wants his readers to see, though, that married life is not the only calling we can get from God when it comes to relationships. Those gifted by God with contentment in singleness can lead undivided lives, entirely focused on service to the Lord.

Verse 34. and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.

Paul has written that unmarried Christian men have one advantage over their married brothers in Christ. They can focus their lives fully on pleasing the Lord, which is the main objective of the Christian life. Married men must focus both on pleasing the Lord and pleasing their wives.

Paul now turns to women with the same idea. Unmarried or engaged—”betrothed”—women can fully focus their time and energy on serving the Lord, as well. Paul adds that they have the undivided opportunity to grow in their understanding of how to be holy in both body and spirit. Obviously, this does not mean a married woman is not holy in her body or spirit. Her sexual union with her husband does not mean that she is less holy in some way. All Christians, married or single, can lead holy lives (2 Corinthians 7:1). Unmarried women, however, are not divided between this pursuit and that of pleasing their husbands.

Again, Paul is not condemning marriage or married women. They are not lesser Christians. Marriage is a high calling for both men and women. But by definition, Christian marriage is a life spent in self-sacrificing service to another human being (Ephesians 5:22–33). Paul is not lowering the value of married life; he is elevating the value of the single life as an opportunity to serve Christ without division or distraction. Every Christian woman should seriously consider this opportunity and not marry simply to follow custom or fulfill other people’s expectations.

Verse 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.

Previous verses described why Paul—personally, not as a matter of faith (1 Corinthians 7:25)—sees an advantage for a Christian to remain single. That person, man or woman, will be able to remain undivided in their service to Christ. The married person will be divided in their efforts: between their obligation to please Christ and their additional spiritual obligation to please his or her spouse.

Paul adds once more, for the sake of clarity, that he is not writing this as a command. He is not using his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ to tell unmarried people not to marry. He offers this instruction to his readers in order to be helpful to them in considering whether to get married or not.

He says he wants to promote good order among them. Given what’s been said in prior verses, this likely means Paul wants Christians to make marriage choices for appropriate reasons. Whether they marry or stay single, his intent is for believers to do so for the right reasons. Of course, Paul has his personal preference. He probably hopes more Christians will choose to remain single and take advantage of the opportunity to experience undivided devotion to the Lord.

Verse 36. If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry — it is no sin.

Having addressed the advantage to those who remain unmarried, Paul now returns to the issue of whether a man who is already engaged to be married should go through with it. As he did earlier (1 Corinthians 1:25), Paul breaks from his typical pattern of including men and women equally in these discussions. Here, as then, he speaks about engagements and marriage arrangements. Perhaps the culture of his day simply did not allow for a woman who had been betrothed to break the engagement.

Paul has already said to both men and women that they are free to marry in any case. This is not an issue of sin or even being less holy. Paul sees it as an issue of opportunity for those who choose not to marry.

He now addresses engaged men and encourages them to go through with the marriage under the right conditions. If the engaged man thinks breaking off the engagement will be dishonorable toward the woman, he should marry her. If his sexual passion is strong to the point of being difficult to control, he should marry her.

This and the following verses create difficult choices for translators working from the original Greek. Some see this verse as being addressed to the father of the potential bride, with a focus on her desire to be married, whether she has the gift of celibacy, and her age. If that is the case, the Christian father with the authority to decide his daughter’s marital fate should consider similar issues as a Christian man would weigh in deciding whether to marry.

Verse 37. But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.

Paul is addressing the issue of whether a man engaged to be married should go through with the marriage. This is in light of what Paul has already taught in this chapter. Paul has been careful to note that marriage is a good thing, and his personal preference for a single life is not a universal command from God (1 Corinthians 7:25). He’s been clear that those who are married should remain so (1 Corinthians 7:17–24). But, what about someone who is not yet married, but committed to someone else in an engagement—a betrothal? Should an engaged man back out of the agreement?

In the previous verse, Paul instructed the engaged man to go through with the marriage, for appropriate reasons. For instance, if he felt ending the engagement would be unfair or shameful for her (1 Corinthians 7:36). Or, if sexual desires were strong to the point of risking sexual immorality outside of marriage. Some interpreters suggest the previous verse was addressed to Christian fathers with daughters who were engaged to be married.

If Christian fathers are being addressed, they are encouraged to proceed with the marriage if ending the engagement would be dishonorable to their daughters. Or, if their daughters have given them any reason to believe they do not have the gift of celibacy, as Paul has described it. Paul repeats that it is not a sin for their daughters to marry.

Now, though, Paul says to these fathers that if they are firm in their conviction that their daughter should not get married, and assuming the items mentioned in the previous verse are not an issue, the father does well to keep her as his daughter and not allow her to marry the man she is betrothed to.

Still other translators believe these verses to be addressed to the engaged man himself, granting permission to break off the engagement if those other concerns are not an issue.

The reason for some of these alternate ideas is the underlying Greek of the passage. These specific phrases are difficult to translate from the original. Scholars have reached differing conclusions about the meaning of verses 36–38, but the principles are the same. Regardless of who is being addressed, the reasons behind these choices are the same, in practice. Paul is saying to all parties that they do well to get married or not to get married, based on the conditions he has laid out.

Verse 38. So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

This and the previous two verses provide challenges for modern translators of the original Greek texts. Are these verses written to Christian men who are engaged to be married or to the Christian fathers of young women who are engaged to be married? Bible scholars differ.

In either case, Paul’s bottom line is that the engaged man or the father of the potential bride does well to marry her or give her in marriage. Either of them also does well to break off the engagement or to refuse to give her in marriage, provided Paul’s conditions are met. The first condition is that the young woman will not be dishonored by an unseemly end to the engagement. The second one is that the man—or the young woman if the father is addressed—has the gift of celibacy, with his or her sexual desire under control.

At that point, with either decision being acceptable to God (1 Corinthians 7:25), Paul speaks again from his own personal preferences (1 Corinthians 7:6–7). If those conditions are met, the choice not to marry is one Paul, himself, prefers more than the good choice to get married. Nobody does anything wrong in either case.

Verse 39. A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.

Paul wraps up this long section about whether unmarried people should get married by addressing one more group: widows. He emphasizes once more that those who are already married should stay married. A wife is bound to her husband so long as he or she lives. In almost all cases, only death should end a Christian marriage.

However, if the woman’s husband dies, the widow is free to marry whomever she chooses. Paul offers one stipulation by saying “only in the Lord.” In other words, a Christian widow should not marry an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14).

In the culture of Paul’s day, the widow was in a very different position from young women considering her first marriage. Widows were no longer necessarily under the authority of their fathers and were free to choose their own husband, given the opportunity. At the same time, such widows were especially vulnerable to being exploited or abandoned. Young women generally relied on their fathers to find them a desirable husband. That’s why Paul’s instructions to widows differ from his earlier instructions to those who are “betrothed.”

Verse 40. Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Paul has written in the previous verse that a woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. He has been clear that most Christian marriages should be ended only by death. If her husband dies, however, a Christian widow is free to marry anyone she chooses, so long as he is a believer. Paul is clear that God does not forbid her to marry.

Paul, though, adds his judgment that the widow will be happier if she remains unmarried, likely for the reasons he has already given in this chapter. Marriage is good, but it also difficult, bringing worldly troubles (1 Corinthians 7:28). In addition, unmarried believers can give their full and undivided attention to serving Christ (1 Corinthians 7:34). Paul concludes here, according to his own non-binding preference (1 Corinthians 7:25) that, as a result, remaining unmarried will lead to a happier life for a widow than getting married again.

The apostle has repeatedly insisted that getting married is good and that nobody sins in doing so. Still, he does not want his readers to dismiss his views on marriage as mere opinion. He adds that he thinks he has the Spirit of God, too. Perhaps this last line is in response to someone in Corinth who has challenged his authority. That person might have claimed spiritual power or authority in their own declarations about sex and marriage.

End of Chapter 7.

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