1 Corinthians 7

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Recommended: Teaching on marriage in corinthians

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul opens this section in his letter to answering the first of those questions which Corinthians had written to him. From the verse one, it was clear that question had to do with marriage because that place was consisted of a moral dishonesty in their culture which allows all kinds of fornication, adultery, homosexuality, etc. In light of this, some believers had a conception of a marital confusion that, it would be better to be single than facing marriage problems and sexual sin. For that matter, some believers started to divorce their wives in order to be single and more spiritual. In the midst of these problems, Corinthians decided to send a letter to the Apostle Paul in Ephesus requesting his views on this matter. According to MacArthur study Bible, “The letter was probably delivered by Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus.” The whole of the message in chapter seven was written to help the believers in knowing how they can serve God with their circumstance. Especially, how singleness can labor for Christ and marriage believers can glorify God in the marriage.
The first instruction that was given in marriage from Apostle Paul begins in verse 1-9 with synonym that, “It is good for a man not to touch a woman” (V.1). The synonym or euphemism that Paul uses in the verse can be only understood from Jewish content, this is not basically talking about a man to touch a woman or celibate as a normal expression goes, but he was saying it is not good to have a sexual intimacy with a woman whilst you are still a single. He continued to give an accurate explanation in (V.2) of the sexual immorality each one should have his/her own wife or husband to prevent stressing the issue of sexual sin for the singles. From this evi...

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...But, unmarried people have more advantages to serve the Lord, then the marriage couples (v. 32). Because, the marriage couples care about how they can please their wife or husband in a worldly things. For this reason; they serve the Lord with problems and expectation. (v.35) Then again, it is not sin to marry, because it prevents “trouble in flesh” meaning the body demands of sexual intimacy (v.28-29). The second reasoning in verse 35 and 28 is that, to be married does not deprive you from serving God, but you can marry and serve the Lord with a diligent heart. With Paul’s encouragement to singleness in Corinthians, it is good to be a singleness believer if one is gifted. Because, singleness have more privileges to labor for the Lord, since they are not bound by any marriage laws of submission. For example, as a widow is not bound by any laws of marriage. (V39-40)

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