1Corinthians 7
Outline:
I. \\#1:1-4:21\\ In Answer to Chloe’s Report
II. \\#5:1-6:20\\ In Answer to Common Reports
III. \\#7:1-16:4\\ In Answer to the Church’s Requests
A. \\#7:1-40\\ Counsel Concerning Marriage
1. \\#7:1-9\\ Principles for Married Life
2. \\#7:10-11\\ Principles for the Married Believers
3. \\#7:12-16\\ Principles for the Mixed Marriage (saved to
lost)
4. \\#7:17-24\\ Principle of Abiding in God’s Call
5. \\#7:25-38\\ Principles for the Unmarried
6. \\#7:39, 40\\ Principles for Remarriage
III. \\#7:1-16:24\\ In Answer to the Church’s Requests
A. \\#7:1-40\\ Counsel Concerning Marriage - This is one of the most
practical and personal chapters of the Bible, dealing with the
most intimate relationships of the human race—marriage. Yet,
God did not leave us without guidance.
1. \\#7:1-5\\ Principles for Married Life
a. \\#1\\ Keep your hands to yourself.
1Cor 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye
wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch
a woman.
(1) If it God’s will for a man not to touch a woman, it
is surely not God’s will for one to kiss, fondle, or
more.
(2) Obey or disobey, but this is what the Bible teaches.
b. \\#2\\ It is God’s will for men and women to marry.
1Cor 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let
every man have his own wife, and let every woman
have her own husband.
(1) Fornication - Can kind of sexual immorality.
(2) Here that would be sexual relationships outside of
marriage, include a couple having pre-marriage sex.
c. \\#3-5\\ Once married, each partner should care for the
other’s sexual needs.
1Cor 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife
due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto
the husband.
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but
the husband: and likewise also the husband hath
not power of his own body, but the wife.
5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be
with consent for a time, that ye may give
yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come
together again, that Satan tempt you not for
your incontinency.
(1) \\#3\\ "render… benevolence"
(a) "Benevolence" is a euphemistic term to refer to
sex.
i. Without doubt, Paul’s command was that each
faithfully give themselves to their
partner.
ii. Yet "render" is a term to tell us that the
giving is the decision of the each.
iii. The "benevolence is a kindness that should
be rendered and not a bondage that should
be enforced.
(b) By the word’s use, I think Paul was indicating
that there are basic needs that should be met,
but one partner is not to be mistreated by the
other to satisfy unnatural lusts.
i. What is natural should be granted.
ii. Nothing should be forced.
(2) \\#4\\ Our bodies were given to our mates when we
were married. Much in the same way that we gave our
bodies to the Lord at salvation, so we gave our
bodies to one another when we were married.
(3) \\#5\\ "Defraud ye not one another"
(a) Defrauding was mentioned \\#1Cor 6:8\\ in
relationship to the legal issue between two
Corinthians.
i. I defined it as "Someone was promised
something for payment and either the
payment of the ‘something’ was not
provided."
ii. Married couples promised to give one
another their bodies in return for
receiving from the other their body.
iii. To defraud would be to refuse to give
yours or to receive theirs.
iv. Married couples are not to do this.
(b) "except it be with consent for a time" - Unless
both members agree, but then only for a time.
(c) "that ye may give yourselves to fasting and
prayer" - And then the reason should be
spiritual (or physical) but never punitive.
(d) "that Satan tempt you not"
i. Least we give the devil an open door into
our lives.
ii. When one withholds this privilege from
another, their mate may the ones who
commit adultery, but the withholder
bears their share of the responsibility
and the sin as well.
2. \\#7:6-16\\ Principles for the Married Believer
a. \\#6-7\\ Paul’s Council
1Cor 7:6 But I speak this by permission, and not
of commandment.
7 For I would that all men were even as I
myself. But every man hath his proper gift of
God, one after this manner, and another after
that.
(1) \\#6\\ Paul stated that the following counsel was not
by God’s permission and not by God’s commandments.
(2) Is there a difference?
(a) Yes.
(b) Paul was saying that God and he were in
agreement with his next thoughts, but that God
had never and would never command this to be
the case.
(c) Anyone who has not married or is widowed may
marry with the best of God’s blessings.
(d) Paul was not attempting to "replace" or "be"
God.
i. The issues Paul was to discuss were not
issues of sin and righteousness or of
wrong and right.
ii. They were issues of good (getting married)
and better (not getting married) \\#38\\;
and Paul had an opinion that he knew the
Lord agreed with but would never command.
(e) \\#7\\ "But every man hath his proper gift of
God…" - Paul acknowledged that God did not
create all people to live as he preferred.
(3) But Paul’s preference was that the unmarried and
widowed not marry, as Paul had lived.
7 For I would that all men were even as I
myself…
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows,
It is good for them if they abide even as I.
(a) This would indicate that Paul had either never
married (most likely since he had been a
Pharisee) or was a widower.
(b) Paul will explain why he prefers this in
\\#29-34\\.
(4) But Paul would rather these marry if they cannot
control themselves.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry:
for it is better to marry than to burn.
(a) The "burn" that Paul spoke of was lust not
damnation.
(b) If there is a Biblical reason for remarriage
after divorce, this would be it; although I do
not think it is application of the context.
b. \\#10-16\\ Paul’s (the Lord’s) Commands
1Cor 7:10 And unto the married I command, yet
not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart
from her husband:
(1) \\#10-11\\ " And unto the married I command" - To
the saved and married:
(a) \\#10\\ Paul’s first command - "Let not the
wife… depart."
i. In most of what Paul said here, he was
speaking to the husband about the wife’s
action.
(aa) Since Paul was speaking to the
husband, the husband would have to
be saved.
(bb) Paul did not write epistles to the
lost.
ii. Paul’s first command was "Stay together."
(aa) The Christian man is NOT to initiate
divorce.
(bb) The only exception there might ever
be for a Christian man to initiate
divorce for adultery.
(b) \\#11\\ Paul’s second command - If the wife does
depart, she may not marry another.
1Cor 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain
unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and
let not the husband put away his wife.
(c) Paul’s third command - "be reconciled" - If the
wife does depart, Paul’s third command was to
fix the problems and reconcile.
(d) Paul’s fourth command was to the husband - "let
not the husband put away the wife"
i. The Christian husband was not to divorce
his wife.
ii. Regardless of what the wife does or wants,
the husband is not to divorce her.
(e) From these verses, there should be no such thing
as "irreconcilable difference," and if there
are, the Christians are to remain unmarried.
(2) Question - What if there has already been a
remarriage?
(a) There is no undoing what has been done.
(b) Once a couple is married, they are married and
there is nothing in the Bible that tells us
they are get a divorce.
(c) However before a remarriage, it is God’s desire
and design that marriages be fixed and not
discarded.
(d) The only exception to remarriage that "might
exist" is if one "burns" \\#9\\ with sexual
desire.
3. \\#12-16\\ To Mixed Marriages - One saved and one lost
1Cor 7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord:
If any brother hath a wife that believeth not,
and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not
put her away.
a. \#12\\ "But to the rest"
(1) Paul had spoken to the saved/saved marriages.
(2) In these verses, he spoke to the saved-unsaved
combination.
(3) "speak I, not the Lord"
(a) Here again, Paul acknowledged that he was
speaking of what he knew of the Lord not what
God had commanded.
(b) However, we should not discard the words of the
inspired apostle.
(4) God’s Commands
(a) If the unsaved wife will stay with the saved
husband, the husband is not to divorce her.
i. This likely would have been two lost
people who were married, but the husband
was saved after marriage.
ii. Salvation changes a man so that an unsaved
woman MIGHT NOT want to stay with him.
iii. If that is the case, the man is not to
divorce her.
(b) \\#13\\ Paul made the same application to the
saved wife.
1Cor 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband
that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell
with her, let her not leave him.
(c) Why stay with the unsaved?
i. \\#14\\ Because the saved produces a
sanctification for the lost and their
children.
1Cor 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is
sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife
is sanctified by the husband: else were your
children unclean; but now are they holy.
(aa) As Paul did not explain more fully
what he meant, all we can do is
guess.
(bb) Most likely Paul meant that—for the
sake of the saved mate—God will
separate (sanctify) the entire
family for blessings.
(cc) God’s blessings are powerful!
(dd) This act of grace would be especially
beneficial to any children born in
the marriage.
ii. \\#16\\ Because the saved may yet win the
lost to Christ.
1Cor 7:16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether
thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou,
O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
(d) \\#15\\ But if the lost leave, the saved is
under no obligation to bring them back.
1Cor 7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him
depart. A brother or a sister is not under
bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to
peace.
i. Even in the days of the Bible, it would
have been difficult to "force" a wife to
stay if she did not want to do so.
ii. "God hath called us to peace." - It is
better to let her go and both dwell in
peace than to live together and war
between one another.
4. \\#7:17-24\\ Principle of Abiding in God’s Call
a. The all-inclusive principal in these verses is "Live and
serve where you are."
1Cor 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every
man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let
him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him
not become uncircumcised. Is any called in
uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision
is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments
of God.
20 Let every man abide in the same calling
wherein he was called.
b. But there are other principals within that overall
statement.
(1) \\#17\\ "But as God hath distributed to every man"
God, in His sovereignty has placed or allowed us to
be placed where we are as we are.
(2) \\#18\\ "…let him not…" - Regardless of your
position or status in life, be content where you
are.
(3) \\#19\\ Our status in life is not that important.
(a) Granted, that is easy for the person who has
what you want to say.
(b) But Paul’s point is that we can learn to be
content with the things God has given to us,
and having learned contentment, we can
accomplish God’s will and be satisfied no
matter what is happening around us.
(4) \\#21-22\\ God can use you like you are.
1Cor 7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care
not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use
it rather.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a
servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he
that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
(a) Free or bond places no limits on our ability to
serve.
(b) \\#21\\ However, if a slave can be free, "use
it."
(c) There is no doubt that a free man could do more
for the Lord than a servant, but a servant can
still be used of the Lord.
(5) \\#23\\ Just remember, you are God’s servants and not
the servant of a man.
1Cor 7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye
the servants of men.
(a) This is the third time Paul has expressed to the
Corinthians that they are not their own but
Christ’s. \\#1Cor 3:16, 6:19\\
(b) Here he explained why. They and we are purchased
by the blood of Jesus Christ, a sentiment that
Peter also expressed.
1Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were
not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver
and gold, from your vain conversation received
by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as
of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
c. \\#24\\ Paul restated the overall truth again for
emphasis, "Live and serve God where you are."
1Cor 7:24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is
called, therein abide with God.
5. \\#7:25-38\\ Principles for the Single
1Cor 7:25 Now concerning virgins I have no
commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment,
as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to
be faithful.
a. \\#26-31\\ "I give my judgment" - Paul continued to give
what he felt was the mind of the Lord although he had no
direct revelation on the subject.
1Cor 7:26 I suppose therefore that this is good
for the present distress, I say, that it is good
for a man so to be.
27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be
loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a
wife.
(1) Paul’s first opinion, "Stay where you are."
(a) His view \\#27\\ was that it is good for a man
to stay as he is.
(b) \\#26\\ Part of the reason Paul had the views he
was expressing was due to the present
"distress," i.e. persecutions of the church.
(2) \\#28\\ Paul’s second opinion, "Or get married."
1Cor 7:28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not
sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not
sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in
the flesh: but I spare you.
(a) "thou hast not sinned" - Neither Paul nor the
Lord were against marriage.
(b) "shall have trouble in the flesh" - Paul’s
personal opinion on staying single was due to
the fact that being married takes away from
your service to the Lord.
(c) "I spare you" - But it was not Paul’s desire to
make a single man feel uncomfortable getting
married or a married man to feel like he was
handicapped.
(d) Side note: The way to fix the problem Paul saw
is to marry someone who helps you to be more
for the Lord than you are alone.
(3) \\#29-31\\ Paul’s third opinion, "Get busy for Jesus
while there is still time."
1Cor 7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is
short: it remaineth, that both they that have
wives be as though they had none;
30 And they that weep, as though they wept not;
and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced
not; and they that buy, as though they possessed
not;
31 And they that use this world, as not abusing
it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
b. \\#32-38\\ Paul explained
(1) \\#32-33\\ The single man has less world obligation
and is free to serve the Lord.
1Cor 7:32 But I would have you without
carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the
things that belong to the Lord, how he may
please the Lord:
33 But he that is married careth for the things
that are of the world, how he may please his
wife.
(2) \\#34\\ And so it is with a single woman.
1Cor 7:34 There is difference also between a
wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for
the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both
in body and in spirit: but she that is married
careth for the things of the world, how she may
please her husband.
(a) The responsibilities of the married are great and
should not be overlooked by the Christian who
truly desires to serve the Lord.
(b) Yet, there are no ministries that cannot be
helped by a good and godly helpmeet.
1Cor 7:35 And this I speak for your own profit;
not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for
that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon
the Lord without distraction.
(3) \\#35\\ And so being single is better for the Lord’s
service.
(a) "cast a snare" - Paul continued to emphasize
that it was not his desire to add more burdens
to the married or to those who desired
marriage.
(b) "I speak for your own profit" - His goal was to
help them consider what marriage would cost
them.
(4) \\#36-38\\ But if a couple thinks it is better, let
them marry.
1Cor 7:36 But if any man think that he behaveth
himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass
the flower of her age, and need so require, let
him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them
marry.
(a) "behaveth himself uncomely" - If the man is
getting a little too "free" with his actions…
i. The phrase "toward his virgin" has confused
some.
ii. Some think this somehow refers to a father/
daughter relationship since the possessive
(i.e. "his virgin") is used, especially
when we note it is combined with the word
"giveth" in verse 38, but it does not.
iii. It may help to replace the word "virgin"
with "girlfriend," i.e. "if a man thinks he
is behaving uncomely toward his
girlfriend…."
(b) "flower of her age" - Or if the woman’s
biological clock has kicked in and she wants
more than just a friendship…
(c) "Let them marry!"
(d) \\#37\\ "having no necessity" - But if they are
content, are exercising proper control, and have
no needs, it would be better to stay single.
1Cor 7:37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast
in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power
over his own will, and hath so decreed in his
heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.
(e) \\#38\\ And so Paul concludes that to marry is
good but to stay single is better.
1Cor 7:38 So then he that giveth her in
marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not
in marriage doeth better.
6. \\#7:39, 40\\ Principles for Remarriage
1Cor 7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long
as her husband liveth; but if her husband be
dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom
she will; only in the Lord.
40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my
judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit
of God.
a. \\#39\\ The only condition spoken of in the Bible for
remarriage is death.
(1) Every statement about remarriage that I know of in
the Bible makes it clear that Christians should not
get remarried as long as their mates are alive.
(a) Some see adultery of their mate as condition for
both divorce and remarriage, but that is a
point of view It is not actually a Biblical
statement.
(b) I have said that if there are a Biblical reasons
for divorce (i.e. adultery and hardness of
heart), and IF a person "burns" with lust so
that he cannot contain himself \\#1Cor 7:9\\,
that MIGHT be a cause for remarriage but that
is only my thought. It is not so stated in
the Bible.
(c) In this chapter, we were told:
i. That if two saved people cannot work out
their problems and split up, they are to
remain unmarried.
1Cor 7:11 But and if she depart, let her remain
unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and
let not the husband put away his wife.
ii. We were also told that if we are married to
an unsaved person and they depart, we are
NOT to divorce them.
1Cor 7:13 And the woman which hath an husband
that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell
with her, let her not leave him.
iii. And we have been told to STAY IN THE
CONDITION WE ARE IN A REPEATED NUMBER OF
TIMES. \\#1Cor 7:7-8, 17, 20, 24, 27\\
1Cor 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every
man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let
him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.
iv. In these verses, we are that a person
(wife) who remarries while her husband is
alive, commits adultery.
(aa) I know people want to say the
exception to this is if they had a
Biblical reason for divorce (i.e.
adultery and hardness of heart), but
NO EXCEPTION IS LISTED.
(bb) Since one is not listed, it is not
wise to read into the passage what
we WANT it to say.
(2) \\#39\\ We are told that if her husband is dead, she
is free to marry anyone she wants—as long as they
are Christ’s.
(a) So as far as what the Bible says, the only
condition for remarriage is death of a spouse.
(b) But again I will say that we cannot and should
not undo a marriage if one already exists.
b. \\#40\\ "she is happier" - Yet, Paul continued to advocate
for the single life.
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