“But if any man think that he behaves himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sins not: let them marry” (vs36).
Marriage is good. It is an institution ordained by God for the good of mankind, and no one has the right to forbid it. When two believers are of legal age, they have a right to marry. Parents, society, and human opinion have no business defiling what God has made clean. We have NO RIGHT and lack wisdom to put any other qualification on marriage, like education, cultural harmony, or nearness in age. Marriage is given for those that cannot remain single, who are drawn together physically, and they have little or no choice, like the child who likes vanilla, in what they’re attracted to.
If you want happiness in this world, then live by what God says and NOTHING else. Don’t IMPRESS people or SEEK things for yourself in CONTRADICTION to the scripture. Put your trust in Christ, and you will live the BEST life can give you.
1. Take the peace that God gives, “God has called us to peace” (I Cor 7:12-15). No one wants the shame of a failed marriage, but you cannot stop the UNBELIEVING from departing. Live for God’s glory in the home, live that they know God, knowing that you are the light of the world and the home. But, if SERVING God in your home will not make the spouse happy, then let them go, be at peace yourself, and be free of sin. You may have caused the unbelieving to depart because of your past, and now you regret the errors of your ways. Perhaps, repentance came late, you saw your sins, but it was too late in the sinner’s mind, and they departed, breaking the marriage vows and living in fornication. If this is the case, repent of the evil you have done, and walk in peace now. The Lord God says that you’re free to marry (I Cor 7:27-28). It is not on you to keep your spouse happy in the marriage; it is only on you to serve God, and having done that, even if something fails… the marriage, the friendship, the church, the job… you have been called unto peace. Don’t try to rebuild what is destroyed, as if it is commanded.
2. We have a right to improve the condition that we were saved in, “Are you called being a servant? Care not for it: but if you may be made free, use it rather” (I Cor 7:20-21). If I’m a servant, I can work hard, be clever, pray to God, and improve my condition by promotion or being set free. I do not have the RIGHT to disobey God to gain my freedom, but I have every right to pray for and improve myself.
God is not opposed to wealth, but it isn’t the issue. He isn’t opposed to earthly happiness, having given us the herbs of the field and commandment to have a “little wine” for our often infirmities (I Tim 5:23). He doesn’t oppose us being happy and healthy in this world, so long as it is joined with obedience.
You don’t have to be sick, poor, or down and out because you are saved. You may be, but it isn’t mandatory and there is no extra holiness in these conditions. Often, people think, “I’m saved, so I can’t get promoted, I can’t finish school, and I can’t achieve anything, because God wants me miserable or poor, and he will reward me later”. Christ DIED for your sins, and He won’t use our self-imposed misery to accomplish His will; it is self-righteousness and a DENIAL of grace.
3. Trouble is involved in every marriage, “But and if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you” (I Cor 7:28). You and I cannot serve God as FREELY in marriage as we did as virgins. We have responsibility to someone else. Yet, we STILL have responsibility to serve God, and we cannot allow the spouse to DISTRACT from that, “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none” (I Cor 7:29). Serve God by SERVING the spouse and spend your life honoring Him.
4. Only marry, “In the Lord” (I Cor 7:39). Marry someone the scripture approves of, a brother, a sister, a spouse (I Cor 9:5).
Don’t marry to fulfill your lust; marry to fulfill the word of God. Don’t live by your passions and desires; live by the word of God. Enter things that He’s ordained and stay away from things that He has not (II Tim 1:8). Build everything on the right foundation, and you won’t have to moan and say, “I gave myself to what profits not”; I built on personality and pleasure, rather than the word. Build on God’s honor in every area of life (I Cor 3:11).
If you want happiness in this world, then live by what God says and NOTHING else. Don’t IMPRESS people or SEEK things for yourself in CONTRADICTION to the scripture. Put your trust in Christ, and you will live the BEST life can give you.
1. Take the peace that God gives, “God has called us to peace” (I Cor 7:12-15). No one wants the shame of a failed marriage, but you cannot stop the UNBELIEVING from departing. Live for God’s glory in the home, live that they know God, knowing that you are the light of the world and the home. But, if SERVING God in your home will not make the spouse happy, then let them go, be at peace yourself, and be free of sin. You may have caused the unbelieving to depart because of your past, and now you regret the errors of your ways. Perhaps, repentance came late, you saw your sins, but it was too late in the sinner’s mind, and they departed, breaking the marriage vows and living in fornication. If this is the case, repent of the evil you have done, and walk in peace now. The Lord God says that you’re free to marry (I Cor 7:27-28). It is not on you to keep your spouse happy in the marriage; it is only on you to serve God, and having done that, even if something fails… the marriage, the friendship, the church, the job… you have been called unto peace. Don’t try to rebuild what is destroyed, as if it is commanded.
2. We have a right to improve the condition that we were saved in, “Are you called being a servant? Care not for it: but if you may be made free, use it rather” (I Cor 7:20-21). If I’m a servant, I can work hard, be clever, pray to God, and improve my condition by promotion or being set free. I do not have the RIGHT to disobey God to gain my freedom, but I have every right to pray for and improve myself.
God is not opposed to wealth, but it isn’t the issue. He isn’t opposed to earthly happiness, having given us the herbs of the field and commandment to have a “little wine” for our often infirmities (I Tim 5:23). He doesn’t oppose us being happy and healthy in this world, so long as it is joined with obedience.
You don’t have to be sick, poor, or down and out because you are saved. You may be, but it isn’t mandatory and there is no extra holiness in these conditions. Often, people think, “I’m saved, so I can’t get promoted, I can’t finish school, and I can’t achieve anything, because God wants me miserable or poor, and he will reward me later”. Christ DIED for your sins, and He won’t use our self-imposed misery to accomplish His will; it is self-righteousness and a DENIAL of grace.
3. Trouble is involved in every marriage, “But and if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you” (I Cor 7:28). You and I cannot serve God as FREELY in marriage as we did as virgins. We have responsibility to someone else. Yet, we STILL have responsibility to serve God, and we cannot allow the spouse to DISTRACT from that, “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remains, that both they that have wives be as though they had none” (I Cor 7:29). Serve God by SERVING the spouse and spend your life honoring Him.
4. Only marry, “In the Lord” (I Cor 7:39). Marry someone the scripture approves of, a brother, a sister, a spouse (I Cor 9:5).
Don’t marry to fulfill your lust; marry to fulfill the word of God. Don’t live by your passions and desires; live by the word of God. Enter things that He’s ordained and stay away from things that He has not (II Tim 1:8). Build everything on the right foundation, and you won’t have to moan and say, “I gave myself to what profits not”; I built on personality and pleasure, rather than the word. Build on God’s honor in every area of life (I Cor 3:11).
