Christians Marry Christians
Grace and peace today in the Lord Jesus Christ,
We have finally come to the end of Chapter 7 of Paul’s letter to the Christians at Corinth. This has been a long chapter focusing on marriage and the need to devote your life to serving God. While Paul has made it clear that he would prefer that everyone was as he was, single, it is not practical in this world.
It is important to remember that Paul, and the believers of his day, believed Jesus would be returning in their lifetime. There was an overwhelming urgency on the part of Paul to reach as many people with the Gospel as possible. The opposite of the urgency of Paul’s day is what we see in our world today where there is a since of complacency about sharing Jesus with others.
Now examine both! If every Christian in Paul’s day would have followed his advice and refrained from marriage, the church would have been effected negatively because of the lack of Christian families. We have moved to the other extreme. Very few individuals today set aside their personal desires for life in this world to devote themselves 100% in service to God. The total lack of urgency in the church today has resulted in the people of this world seeing the church as a closed organization which is unconcerned about anyone but themselves.
The World needs both Christian families, which reveal the full picture of God’s love in and through marriage, and those individual who give themselves totally to the service of the Gospel ministry. This balance is important, and we need to find this balance in the church today.
This said, Paul concludes this section on marriage with the following word. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 7:39-40
The culture of the ancient world was vastly different than our world today. Our country has come a long way with recognizing the rights of women both in the workplace and in society. If a woman finds herself alone today, she has the opportunity to move forward and build a life with or without being connected to a man.
In the 1st century world the rights and opportunities for women were limited. Please remember, in the Jewish culture there were no rights given to women. A woman was not able to own property, work a job, or have any voice in society. In the Greek/Roman world the rights of women were better, but still not equal to that of a man.
There were many situations in the ancient world where if a woman found herself alone, there was the need to become attached to a man in order to survive. Paul understands this and he opens the way for a woman to remarry if she desires to do so.
For Paul the issue has always been the need for Christians to be focused on the Lord. Over the past several weeks as we have heard Paul speak of marriage it has almost sounded like he has a negative view of marriage. The issue has never been marriage but the ministry. Paul does exalt marriage and he places the highest value on the union of husband and wife. In his letter to the Ephesians Paul pairs the relationship of Christ and the Church with that of husband and wife.
The church in Corinth has asked Paul some very specific questions, and it is obvious that there has been some misunderstandings concerning the role of husband and wife and what happens when a marriage ends.
The number one focus for Paul with regard to marriage is that Christians marry Christians. In Paul’s understanding there is never to be an instance when a Christian marries an unbeliever. If marriage is going to be part of a person’s life, then it is to be a marriage which exemplifies all God has designed marriage to be. To be in a marriage which reveals a negative witness to Christ would be a waste of the ministry opportunity.
As we move beyond the topic of marriage, we must never loose sight of who we are to be in this world. If we are single, use our singleness for the Lord. If we are married, then our marriage is to be a witness for Christ. In all that we are and in all that we do, Christ is to reign supreme.
In Christ,
Pastor Russ
We have finally come to the end of Chapter 7 of Paul’s letter to the Christians at Corinth. This has been a long chapter focusing on marriage and the need to devote your life to serving God. While Paul has made it clear that he would prefer that everyone was as he was, single, it is not practical in this world.
It is important to remember that Paul, and the believers of his day, believed Jesus would be returning in their lifetime. There was an overwhelming urgency on the part of Paul to reach as many people with the Gospel as possible. The opposite of the urgency of Paul’s day is what we see in our world today where there is a since of complacency about sharing Jesus with others.
Now examine both! If every Christian in Paul’s day would have followed his advice and refrained from marriage, the church would have been effected negatively because of the lack of Christian families. We have moved to the other extreme. Very few individuals today set aside their personal desires for life in this world to devote themselves 100% in service to God. The total lack of urgency in the church today has resulted in the people of this world seeing the church as a closed organization which is unconcerned about anyone but themselves.
The World needs both Christian families, which reveal the full picture of God’s love in and through marriage, and those individual who give themselves totally to the service of the Gospel ministry. This balance is important, and we need to find this balance in the church today.
This said, Paul concludes this section on marriage with the following word. A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 7:39-40
The culture of the ancient world was vastly different than our world today. Our country has come a long way with recognizing the rights of women both in the workplace and in society. If a woman finds herself alone today, she has the opportunity to move forward and build a life with or without being connected to a man.
In the 1st century world the rights and opportunities for women were limited. Please remember, in the Jewish culture there were no rights given to women. A woman was not able to own property, work a job, or have any voice in society. In the Greek/Roman world the rights of women were better, but still not equal to that of a man.
There were many situations in the ancient world where if a woman found herself alone, there was the need to become attached to a man in order to survive. Paul understands this and he opens the way for a woman to remarry if she desires to do so.
For Paul the issue has always been the need for Christians to be focused on the Lord. Over the past several weeks as we have heard Paul speak of marriage it has almost sounded like he has a negative view of marriage. The issue has never been marriage but the ministry. Paul does exalt marriage and he places the highest value on the union of husband and wife. In his letter to the Ephesians Paul pairs the relationship of Christ and the Church with that of husband and wife.
The church in Corinth has asked Paul some very specific questions, and it is obvious that there has been some misunderstandings concerning the role of husband and wife and what happens when a marriage ends.
The number one focus for Paul with regard to marriage is that Christians marry Christians. In Paul’s understanding there is never to be an instance when a Christian marries an unbeliever. If marriage is going to be part of a person’s life, then it is to be a marriage which exemplifies all God has designed marriage to be. To be in a marriage which reveals a negative witness to Christ would be a waste of the ministry opportunity.
As we move beyond the topic of marriage, we must never loose sight of who we are to be in this world. If we are single, use our singleness for the Lord. If we are married, then our marriage is to be a witness for Christ. In all that we are and in all that we do, Christ is to reign supreme.
In Christ,
Pastor Russ
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