God Given, Spirit Guided Wisdom
Happy New Year and God’s blessings to you and all those you love.
First Corinthians is a fairly long letter from Paul and so we are beginning our second year in this book, and we have not yet reached the halfway point. We find ourselves in the middle of a challenging part of this text. Paul has been addressing relationships and how we as Christians should approach each one. Most pointedly, Paul has addressed marriage and the struggles which take place when believers are married to unbelievers.
Today Paul speaks a word to those who are not married. Paul is clear, I have no command of the Lord, but I am offering direction as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. There are times when issues need to be addressed that have no direct word from God. This is the moment we must rely on our God given and Spirit guided wisdom. While this does not happen often, there are times when we must apply Godly Christian principles to situations in our world which are culturally different than they were in Paul’s day.
We will hear more of Paul’s reasoning in the upcoming weeks, but to be succinct, Paul believes Jesus is returning soon (vs. 29). It is because of the urgency of the Gospel message that he is encouraging the Christians of his day to devote all they are to proclaiming Jesus. Our whole text for today reads as follows:
Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I am offering direction as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. I think, then, that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people as yourselves will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. 1 Corinthians 7:25-28
This passage really bridges our discussion from the previous focus to the one upcoming. He has addressed marriage and the struggles of faith in a mixed marriage and the need to not be entangled in the things of this world which would consume a person’s time and resources. Paul will shift his focus to full devotion to the Lord’s work and the challenges which face God’s people in this world.
Paul’s opinion which He shares is that each person should remain as they are. If a person is married, then remain married. Remember, there were those who believed they should separate from their spouses and live a single life devoted to the service of Jesus. Paul has already addressed that issue, but what he has said is reinforced here.
For those who have experienced the misfortune and heartache of a divorce, Paul says to not seek a wife. This is Paul’s opinion, but he will not go so far as to make it a law or burden on the people. He says, But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned.
To sin is to violate the Law of God. There are many aspects of life to which there is no direct Word from God. In these cases, wisdom is needed but we cannot take what is opinion and make it a law upon our people.
Let’s discuss this for a moment. What are some things which are part of our lives to which there are no laws, but which people have made rules, regulations, and consequences? How about women wearing pants instead of dresses? There are those who insist that a woman wearing anything but a long dress or if they wear makeup, it is sinful. Where are these topics addressed in Scripture? Then there is the issue of men shaving or trimming their beards. Is it sinful for a man to have a clean-shaven face? Some say that it is. There is even the belief that celibacy is a purer devotion to God and thus those who seek to serve God must never marry. The confusion present in Paul’s day is still found in the Church today. We can see that the church has been really good at making rules for people to follow which extend far beyond what Scripture directs. When this happens, it is not about faithfulness to God, but rather control and manipulation. May this never be so among us!
Paul is seeking to help the Christians of his day understand who they can be in service to Jesus if they do not have any entanglements with this world. He ends our section with these words, Yet such people as yourselves will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. It is challenging to have our life divided by commitments and desires. For those of us who are married, our spouse is to be our first and greatest priority, second only to our own personal relationship with God. Beyond this would be the children God has blessed in this union. Way beyond this would come job or career. In our world so much gets turned upside down. We reverse the order and have our jobs as the highest priority and so many people live for their kids and as a result marriages suffer.
As we begin this new year together it is my prayer for Spirit and Truth that we will always use our God given Spirit guided wisdom when addressing issues not specifically addressed in Scripture. I pray we always do so with grace and love. It is also vitally important that we devote all that we are to be the people God has called us to be. Men and women who serve the Lord by living fully into our callings.
Blessings and Happy New Year,
Pastor Russ
First Corinthians is a fairly long letter from Paul and so we are beginning our second year in this book, and we have not yet reached the halfway point. We find ourselves in the middle of a challenging part of this text. Paul has been addressing relationships and how we as Christians should approach each one. Most pointedly, Paul has addressed marriage and the struggles which take place when believers are married to unbelievers.
Today Paul speaks a word to those who are not married. Paul is clear, I have no command of the Lord, but I am offering direction as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. There are times when issues need to be addressed that have no direct word from God. This is the moment we must rely on our God given and Spirit guided wisdom. While this does not happen often, there are times when we must apply Godly Christian principles to situations in our world which are culturally different than they were in Paul’s day.
We will hear more of Paul’s reasoning in the upcoming weeks, but to be succinct, Paul believes Jesus is returning soon (vs. 29). It is because of the urgency of the Gospel message that he is encouraging the Christians of his day to devote all they are to proclaiming Jesus. Our whole text for today reads as follows:
Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I am offering direction as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy. I think, then, that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people as yourselves will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. 1 Corinthians 7:25-28
This passage really bridges our discussion from the previous focus to the one upcoming. He has addressed marriage and the struggles of faith in a mixed marriage and the need to not be entangled in the things of this world which would consume a person’s time and resources. Paul will shift his focus to full devotion to the Lord’s work and the challenges which face God’s people in this world.
Paul’s opinion which He shares is that each person should remain as they are. If a person is married, then remain married. Remember, there were those who believed they should separate from their spouses and live a single life devoted to the service of Jesus. Paul has already addressed that issue, but what he has said is reinforced here.
For those who have experienced the misfortune and heartache of a divorce, Paul says to not seek a wife. This is Paul’s opinion, but he will not go so far as to make it a law or burden on the people. He says, But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned.
To sin is to violate the Law of God. There are many aspects of life to which there is no direct Word from God. In these cases, wisdom is needed but we cannot take what is opinion and make it a law upon our people.
Let’s discuss this for a moment. What are some things which are part of our lives to which there are no laws, but which people have made rules, regulations, and consequences? How about women wearing pants instead of dresses? There are those who insist that a woman wearing anything but a long dress or if they wear makeup, it is sinful. Where are these topics addressed in Scripture? Then there is the issue of men shaving or trimming their beards. Is it sinful for a man to have a clean-shaven face? Some say that it is. There is even the belief that celibacy is a purer devotion to God and thus those who seek to serve God must never marry. The confusion present in Paul’s day is still found in the Church today. We can see that the church has been really good at making rules for people to follow which extend far beyond what Scripture directs. When this happens, it is not about faithfulness to God, but rather control and manipulation. May this never be so among us!
Paul is seeking to help the Christians of his day understand who they can be in service to Jesus if they do not have any entanglements with this world. He ends our section with these words, Yet such people as yourselves will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. It is challenging to have our life divided by commitments and desires. For those of us who are married, our spouse is to be our first and greatest priority, second only to our own personal relationship with God. Beyond this would be the children God has blessed in this union. Way beyond this would come job or career. In our world so much gets turned upside down. We reverse the order and have our jobs as the highest priority and so many people live for their kids and as a result marriages suffer.
As we begin this new year together it is my prayer for Spirit and Truth that we will always use our God given Spirit guided wisdom when addressing issues not specifically addressed in Scripture. I pray we always do so with grace and love. It is also vitally important that we devote all that we are to be the people God has called us to be. Men and women who serve the Lord by living fully into our callings.
Blessings and Happy New Year,
Pastor Russ
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