WEBVTT 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:06.219 Well, we come once again to our passage in the 00:00:06.219 --> 00:00:10.000 book of 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Lord willing, 00:00:10.099 --> 00:00:14.539 today I would like to complete this chapter as 00:00:14.539 --> 00:00:18.440 the Lord wills. I'm going to give my introduction 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:21.539 before we read it, because I think it will be 00:00:21.539 --> 00:00:29.300 helpful for you as we look at this unusual portion 00:00:29.300 --> 00:00:32.929 of Scripture. At the beginning of the chapter, 00:00:33.049 --> 00:00:35.530 Paul began answering questions that the church 00:00:35.530 --> 00:00:39.109 had sent to him. They needed wisdom on various 00:00:39.109 --> 00:00:42.250 matters and they wrote to him as their father 00:00:42.250 --> 00:00:45.590 in the faith. He began answering those questions 00:00:45.590 --> 00:00:48.570 with the subject of marriage. There was great 00:00:48.570 --> 00:00:52.909 need for wisdom on that matter. When I began 00:00:52.909 --> 00:00:56.250 this chapter back in June, I set forth competing 00:00:56.250 --> 00:00:59.090 perspectives that were creating confusion on 00:00:59.090 --> 00:01:02.679 marriage. in the corinthian church two of them 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:06.200 are likely in mind in our passage today and i'm 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:09.420 going to repeat them again one was the jewish 00:01:09.420 --> 00:01:12.659 view jewish christians that marriage was considered 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:16.599 obligatory a religious duty young men were expected 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:20.420 to marry between ages 16 to 18 and remaining 00:01:20.420 --> 00:01:23.939 unmarried at age 20 was viewed with suspicion 00:01:23.939 --> 00:01:28.239 and then there were the ascetics That is, believers 00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:32.560 who taught that self -denial, especially of physical 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:37.200 pleasures, elevated one's spiritual standing. 00:01:38.260 --> 00:01:44.000 Celibacy was prized as a superior calling, and 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:48.140 sex, even within marriage, was seen as demeaning, 00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:53.420 earthy, and sensual, and should be avoided. Now, 00:01:53.420 --> 00:01:57.409 with a few slight differences, the problems they 00:01:57.409 --> 00:02:02.129 faced are also problems we face as well. So this 00:02:02.129 --> 00:02:06.090 chapter has been very relevant to us. Having 00:02:06.090 --> 00:02:09.030 said that, though, there are some quite unique 00:02:09.030 --> 00:02:14.590 characteristics of the passage today which Paul 00:02:14.590 --> 00:02:18.310 wrote and which applied to his day. So our first 00:02:18.310 --> 00:02:21.969 responsibility is to attempt to understand the 00:02:21.969 --> 00:02:25.430 current situation at the time of this writing. 00:02:25.979 --> 00:02:28.800 and then to understand and interpret Paul's counsel 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:31.900 to them. The section before us deals with the 00:02:31.900 --> 00:02:36.719 question of virgins, that is, young unmarried 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:41.860 ladies. Should they get married, or is it better 00:02:41.860 --> 00:02:45.219 to be celibate, that is, to remain unmarried? 00:02:45.219 --> 00:02:48.919 That is the question here. And Paul goes at great 00:02:48.919 --> 00:02:52.800 length to answer this. He's already established 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:56.199 that celibacy is good for those whom the Lord 00:02:56.199 --> 00:03:00.000 has gifted for that calling, but it is not the 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:04.240 normal state of being. The normal course of action 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:07.780 is for young men and young ladies to get married, 00:03:07.900 --> 00:03:12.599 to have children, and to reflect a glorious picture 00:03:12.599 --> 00:03:16.319 of the glory of Christ's church in their marriage. 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:19.900 And so, in answer to their question, to this 00:03:19.900 --> 00:03:22.199 question, the Jewish Christians would have said, 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:25.639 absolutely, it is God's will. Virgins should 00:03:25.639 --> 00:03:29.120 marry. But the ascetics would say, no, they should 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:31.960 not marry. Singleness and devotion to God is 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:34.219 better, for they can serve God with a single 00:03:34.219 --> 00:03:39.080 mind. And thus, they write the question to Paul 00:03:39.080 --> 00:03:44.080 about virgins. This is the need. Paul begins 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:49.009 by saying, though, I have no commandment from 00:03:49.009 --> 00:03:54.069 the Lord regarding this subject. It says, Yet 00:03:54.069 --> 00:03:58.250 I give judgment as one whom the Lord in his mercy 00:03:58.250 --> 00:04:02.669 has made trustworthy. What Paul is saying is 00:04:02.669 --> 00:04:06.750 that this passage is not the revelation of a 00:04:06.750 --> 00:04:11.509 command from God. He has not received direct 00:04:11.509 --> 00:04:15.650 inspiration from God. In answering this question. 00:04:16.470 --> 00:04:21.430 But as a wise man. And as one as he says. Whom 00:04:21.430 --> 00:04:24.029 God has judged to be trustworthy. And to give 00:04:24.029 --> 00:04:28.170 good judgment. He will render his judgment on 00:04:28.170 --> 00:04:31.629 the matter to them. So it's important as we read 00:04:31.629 --> 00:04:34.689 this to understand. This is the whole book. This 00:04:34.689 --> 00:04:38.389 is the whole inspired word of God. In his revelation 00:04:38.389 --> 00:04:42.939 to us. And yet Paul is saying. I did not. Hear 00:04:42.939 --> 00:04:47.319 from God specifically on this matter. And so 00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:53.319 I'm giving you wise judgment on it. Now this 00:04:53.319 --> 00:04:57.040 passage is a rather difficult passage to teach. 00:04:57.240 --> 00:05:00.660 Probably one of the most more difficult of any 00:05:00.660 --> 00:05:05.100 thus far. So we need to search for interpretive 00:05:05.100 --> 00:05:08.139 keys that might open up our understanding of 00:05:08.139 --> 00:05:15.449 it. I think that key is in verse 26. And if this 00:05:15.449 --> 00:05:18.689 is understood, it opens up the meaning of this 00:05:18.689 --> 00:05:22.870 passage tremendously. If this clue is not understood, 00:05:23.069 --> 00:05:26.129 our whole understanding will be distorted. And 00:05:26.129 --> 00:05:29.430 in fact, in history, it has been distorted. So 00:05:29.430 --> 00:05:32.389 with the help of the Lord and wise commentators, 00:05:32.529 --> 00:05:35.569 we want to understand what he is saying and then 00:05:35.569 --> 00:05:37.769 make applications for us so that we might have 00:05:37.769 --> 00:05:41.410 some takeaways. to take home i will first read 00:05:41.410 --> 00:05:44.170 the passage and then i'll begin with this key 00:05:44.170 --> 00:05:49.649 in verse 26 so first corinthians chapter 7 verse 00:05:49.649 --> 00:05:54.509 25 now concerning virgins i have no commandment 00:05:54.509 --> 00:05:57.829 from the lord yet i give judgment as one whom 00:05:57.829 --> 00:06:02.089 the lord in his mercy has made trustworthy i 00:06:02.089 --> 00:06:06.560 suppose therefore that this is good Because of 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:10.120 the present distress. That it is good for a man 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:13.740 to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? 00:06:13.939 --> 00:06:16.699 Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from 00:06:16.699 --> 00:06:19.980 a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do 00:06:19.980 --> 00:06:23.399 marry, you have not sinned. And if a virgin marries, 00:06:23.459 --> 00:06:26.199 she has not sinned. Nevertheless, such will have 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:28.399 trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you. 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:31.040 For this I say, brethren, the time is short. 00:06:31.560 --> 00:06:33.980 So that from now on, even those who have wives 00:06:33.980 --> 00:06:36.819 should be as though they had none. Those who 00:06:36.819 --> 00:06:39.779 weep as though they did not weep. Those who rejoice 00:06:39.779 --> 00:06:42.720 as though they did not rejoice. Those who buy 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:45.920 as though they did not possess. And those who 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:50.379 use this world as not misusing it. For the form 00:06:50.379 --> 00:06:54.100 of this world is passing away. But I want you 00:06:54.100 --> 00:06:57.279 to be without care. He who is unmarried cares 00:06:57.279 --> 00:06:59.660 for the things of the Lord, how he may please 00:06:59.660 --> 00:07:04.230 the Lord. But he who is married, okay, I might 00:07:04.230 --> 00:07:06.689 have said that wrong. He who is unmarried cares 00:07:06.689 --> 00:07:08.829 for the things of the Lord, how he may please 00:07:08.829 --> 00:07:12.110 the Lord. But he who is married cares about the 00:07:12.110 --> 00:07:14.470 things of the world, how he may please his wife. 00:07:15.050 --> 00:07:17.389 There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. 00:07:17.930 --> 00:07:20.949 The unmarried woman cares about the things of 00:07:20.949 --> 00:07:23.290 the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and 00:07:23.290 --> 00:07:26.649 in spirit. But she who is married cares about 00:07:26.649 --> 00:07:29.509 the things of the world. how she may please her 00:07:29.509 --> 00:07:32.290 husband. And this I say for your own profit, 00:07:32.569 --> 00:07:35.750 not that I may put a leash on you, but for what 00:07:35.750 --> 00:07:38.449 is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without 00:07:38.449 --> 00:07:42.990 distraction. But if any man thinks he is behaving 00:07:42.990 --> 00:07:47.069 improperly toward his virgin, if she is past 00:07:47.069 --> 00:07:50.850 the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let 00:07:50.850 --> 00:07:53.810 him do what he wishes. He does not sin. Let them 00:07:53.810 --> 00:07:56.980 marry. Nevertheless, he who stands steadfast 00:07:56.980 --> 00:08:00.740 in his heart, having no necessity, but has power 00:08:00.740 --> 00:08:03.779 over his own will and is so determined in his 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:07.000 heart that he will keep his virgin does well. 00:08:07.339 --> 00:08:10.300 So then he who gives her in marriage does well, 00:08:10.459 --> 00:08:13.860 but he who does not give her in marriage does 00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:18.560 better. A wife is bound by law as long as her 00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:21.519 husband lives, but if her husband dies, she is 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:23.879 at liberty to be married to whom she wishes. 00:08:24.509 --> 00:08:28.110 only in the Lord. But she is happier if she remains 00:08:28.110 --> 00:08:32.149 as she is, according to my judgment. And I think 00:08:32.149 --> 00:08:38.009 I also have the Spirit of God. Let's pray. Father, 00:08:38.090 --> 00:08:40.289 as we go through this passage, Lord, we admit 00:08:40.289 --> 00:08:42.970 before you that this one is a bit difficult to 00:08:42.970 --> 00:08:45.870 understand in its entirety, especially when we 00:08:45.870 --> 00:08:48.629 look at many other passages of Scripture. So 00:08:48.629 --> 00:08:50.750 we ask, Lord, that you would open it up to us, 00:08:50.769 --> 00:08:53.370 that we might understand what is here in your 00:08:53.370 --> 00:08:57.070 word to us for today. We pray that we might learn 00:08:57.070 --> 00:08:59.710 and profit by it, that you would guide us, Lord, 00:08:59.769 --> 00:09:01.590 that our hearts might be right and pure before 00:09:01.590 --> 00:09:04.610 you, and that we would love you devotedly. We 00:09:04.610 --> 00:09:06.570 ask, Lord, that you would bless this time together. 00:09:06.990 --> 00:09:13.269 We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. I mentioned to 00:09:13.269 --> 00:09:19.149 you that there is an interpretive key. Because, 00:09:19.149 --> 00:09:22.250 as I already explained to you, he comes here 00:09:22.250 --> 00:09:24.950 and he says, concerning virgins, I have no commandment 00:09:24.950 --> 00:09:28.509 from the Lord, but yet I give judgment. He then 00:09:28.509 --> 00:09:32.750 says, I suppose that this is good. Why? Because 00:09:32.750 --> 00:09:37.850 of the present distress. That it's good for a 00:09:37.850 --> 00:09:41.769 man to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? 00:09:41.950 --> 00:09:44.590 Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from 00:09:44.590 --> 00:09:48.169 a wife? Do not seek a wife. What is Paul referring 00:09:48.169 --> 00:09:52.330 to in this present distress? This is something 00:09:52.330 --> 00:09:55.730 here. He says that this is present. Now, the 00:09:55.730 --> 00:09:59.049 word present is not necessarily used here as 00:09:59.049 --> 00:10:01.830 something that is immediate. It can be near. 00:10:02.009 --> 00:10:04.570 It could be coming on. In other words, it's something 00:10:04.570 --> 00:10:08.169 that is impending or soon to come. It is threatening. 00:10:08.649 --> 00:10:12.169 Something is near that will afflict as time presses 00:10:12.169 --> 00:10:16.309 on. And so Paul writes this whole passage passage 00:10:16.309 --> 00:10:22.049 in light of the present distress that which is 00:10:22.049 --> 00:10:28.330 soon to come distress means a calamity or straits 00:10:28.330 --> 00:10:32.389 or a great trial in other words something is 00:10:32.389 --> 00:10:36.330 on the horizon that will cause great problems 00:10:36.330 --> 00:10:40.370 it will be a severe trial of significant proportions. 00:10:40.889 --> 00:10:44.370 Paul does not say specifically what this was, 00:10:44.710 --> 00:10:47.889 but he says it is something that he was aware 00:10:47.889 --> 00:10:51.529 of, and thus he is expressing his opinion to 00:10:51.529 --> 00:10:55.370 the Corinthian church on this subject in light 00:10:55.370 --> 00:10:59.950 of the present distress. What is he speaking 00:10:59.950 --> 00:11:04.779 about? Well, He doesn't tell us. So this is kind 00:11:04.779 --> 00:11:07.320 of like reading someone else's mail. We have 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:11.320 to look for clues and things throughout the other 00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:13.980 scriptures or in history that might be possible. 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:17.960 I think there are several possibilities. He could 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:20.539 be referring to something specifically in Corinth. 00:11:21.149 --> 00:11:25.230 that we do not know about. There were times in 00:11:25.230 --> 00:11:27.250 Corinth where they had a prolonged grain shortage, 00:11:27.370 --> 00:11:30.490 for example, or a time of famine. We know that 00:11:30.490 --> 00:11:32.710 there was a time of great famine throughout the 00:11:32.710 --> 00:11:35.629 Roman Empire during the days of Claudius Caesar, 00:11:35.850 --> 00:11:38.830 the emperor before Nero. But that might have 00:11:38.830 --> 00:11:41.470 taken place before he wrote this. We're not exactly 00:11:41.470 --> 00:11:45.250 sure. He could also be referring to the time... 00:11:45.500 --> 00:11:48.960 That would be prior to the destruction of Jerusalem. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:51.519 Now, you might say, what does the destruction 00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:54.120 of Jerusalem have to do with the folks in Corinth? 00:11:54.440 --> 00:11:58.960 Well, Jesus himself says in Luke chapter 19, 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:03.059 I'm sorry, chapter 21, and also in Matthew 24, 00:12:03.259 --> 00:12:06.779 that there would be great natural disasters in 00:12:06.779 --> 00:12:10.840 various places in the world at that same time 00:12:10.840 --> 00:12:13.799 period. There would be earthquakes, Jesus said, 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:16.850 famines. pestilences, and it would be a very 00:12:16.850 --> 00:12:20.629 difficult time. Jesus said in Luke 21 verse 9, 00:12:20.909 --> 00:12:23.889 but when you hear of wars and commotions, do 00:12:23.889 --> 00:12:26.370 not be terrified, for these things must come 00:12:26.370 --> 00:12:29.309 to pass first, but the end will not come immediately. 00:12:29.789 --> 00:12:32.570 Then he said to them, nation will rise against 00:12:32.570 --> 00:12:35.549 nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there 00:12:35.549 --> 00:12:38.049 will be great earthquakes in various places, 00:12:38.210 --> 00:12:41.169 and famines, and pestilences, and there will 00:12:41.169 --> 00:12:44.690 be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:47.919 So it could be possible that this great earth 00:12:47.919 --> 00:12:50.840 -shaking event that took place at that time would 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:55.460 also affect Corinth in some way, as history would 00:12:55.460 --> 00:12:59.200 bear out that even in far -off places, this was 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:04.299 a great and tumultuous time. In AD 69 there was 00:13:04.299 --> 00:13:08.139 an intense civil war. Four different Roman empires 00:13:08.139 --> 00:13:11.379 reigned in one year. Some were murdered, others 00:13:11.379 --> 00:13:15.639 died and it was a time of great upheaval. So 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:19.840 perhaps he is referring to that. Paul knew this 00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:22.600 prophecy of Jesus and that it would take place 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:26.350 within the first generation after Christ. The 00:13:26.350 --> 00:13:29.950 word distress is the same word used in Luke 21, 00:13:30.070 --> 00:13:33.110 verse 23. Woe to those who are pregnant and to 00:13:33.110 --> 00:13:36.029 those who are nursing babies in those days, for 00:13:36.029 --> 00:13:38.190 there will be great distress in the land and 00:13:38.190 --> 00:13:41.970 wrath upon this people. So that's one possibility. 00:13:42.350 --> 00:13:46.070 Another option is that there was severe persecution 00:13:46.070 --> 00:13:51.700 under Nero. This happened around AD 64. Persecution 00:13:51.700 --> 00:13:55.820 broke out with great ferocity against the church. 00:13:56.059 --> 00:14:00.399 Now this was especially in Rome. There's a question 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:02.659 of how much this would have affected Corinth 00:14:02.659 --> 00:14:06.799 in Greece, but it is certainly possible. Now 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:09.620 both of these last options would fulfill the 00:14:09.620 --> 00:14:12.879 prophecy in the book of Revelation about the 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:16.059 beast of the sea and the beast of the land. And 00:14:16.059 --> 00:14:19.500 it was as if all hell was turned loose against 00:14:19.500 --> 00:14:22.899 the church. Paul might have had in mind the fulfillment 00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:26.360 of Revelation 12 when it says that the dragon, 00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:30.940 the evil one, Satan, made war against the saints 00:14:30.940 --> 00:14:35.330 of the church. Romans 12 verse 17 says, And the 00:14:35.330 --> 00:14:39.389 dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went 00:14:39.389 --> 00:14:43.090 to make war with the rest of her offspring, who 00:14:43.090 --> 00:14:45.669 kept the commandments of God and had the testimony 00:14:45.669 --> 00:14:48.889 of Jesus Christ. Paul might have had something 00:14:48.889 --> 00:14:51.690 like that in mind, although the book of Revelation 00:14:51.690 --> 00:14:54.769 was probably not yet written then. Now all of 00:14:54.769 --> 00:14:57.629 this happened in the first century. So we really 00:14:57.629 --> 00:15:01.470 don't know what this present distress was. But 00:15:01.470 --> 00:15:04.690 it was something that was really distressing. 00:15:04.870 --> 00:15:07.570 And I gave you here a number of options to think 00:15:07.570 --> 00:15:11.110 about. Therefore, as we examine this portion 00:15:11.110 --> 00:15:13.529 of Holy Scripture of Paul's advice to the Corinthians, 00:15:13.610 --> 00:15:18.990 this context must, I underline that, it must 00:15:18.990 --> 00:15:23.659 be kept in mind. Because we cannot interpret 00:15:23.659 --> 00:15:27.419 this passage as something that is normative. 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:31.320 Something that is just regularly practiced all 00:15:31.320 --> 00:15:36.200 the time. It's not the ideal. Virginity is not 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:39.000 more holy and righteous than marriage, as some 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:41.179 of the ascetics or some of the early church fathers 00:15:41.179 --> 00:15:44.419 thought. Because this would go against the express 00:15:44.419 --> 00:15:47.279 commands of other scripture. It would confuse 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:50.399 and twist the normal purpose and goal of young 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:54.200 men and women to live for God by marrying, having 00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:57.120 children, and living a normal Christian life 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:00.000 wherever they are in this world. Paul's advice 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:02.879 here is not a diatribe or a prohibition against 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:06.299 marriage, and it's not to be taken in a normative 00:16:06.299 --> 00:16:09.759 context. It does not contradict the commands 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.799 given to be fruitful and multiply in Genesis 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:16.860 1 and Genesis 2 and Genesis 9 or in Psalm 127 00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:23.080 and Psalm 128. I believe this verse is the interpretive 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:26.559 key to understand everything else in this passage, 00:16:26.620 --> 00:16:29.919 including this statement that he who gives her 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:32.940 in marriage does well, but he who does not give 00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:37.240 her in marriage does better in verse 38. So with 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:39.919 this understanding, in light of this interpretive 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:42.759 key, we'll now look through the rest of the passage 00:16:42.759 --> 00:16:45.519 to understand Paul's counsel to the Corinthian 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:48.600 church in light of the present distress. We're 00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:51.019 not going to examine all the meanings of every 00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:53.820 word. A lot of this is fairly plain. It just 00:16:53.820 --> 00:16:56.500 needs to be understood in light of this, which 00:16:56.500 --> 00:16:59.899 is why I've spent the amount of time in preparation 00:16:59.899 --> 00:17:04.700 for this. So the principle is, verse 26 to 28, 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:07.839 because of the present distress, a man should 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:12.700 remain as he is in his current state. So Paul 00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:15.819 says, if you are married, though, do not be loosed 00:17:15.819 --> 00:17:18.920 from your wife. It's in verse 27 in the beginning. 00:17:19.079 --> 00:17:21.970 Now the word loosed here means divorced. It means 00:17:21.970 --> 00:17:24.950 being set free from the bond of marriage. So 00:17:24.950 --> 00:17:27.970 the present distress does not mean that you have 00:17:27.970 --> 00:17:31.269 the authority to break the earlier command, which 00:17:31.269 --> 00:17:33.710 is that a wife is not to depart from her husband. 00:17:34.150 --> 00:17:37.150 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried 00:17:37.150 --> 00:17:39.730 or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband 00:17:39.730 --> 00:17:42.309 is not to divorce his wife. In other words, the 00:17:42.309 --> 00:17:45.569 present distress was no excuse for them to divorce 00:17:45.569 --> 00:17:49.089 or to separate. It's not an option on the table 00:17:49.089 --> 00:17:52.480 at all. Take it off. So what he's saying here, 00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:55.200 do not be loosed from your wife. He then says, 00:17:55.299 --> 00:17:58.940 if you are loosed from your wife, do not seek 00:17:58.940 --> 00:18:03.019 a wife. This is his counsel to stay in that state. 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:06.000 Now here the word loosed is slightly different, 00:18:06.140 --> 00:18:09.539 but it still implies that you're loosed from 00:18:09.539 --> 00:18:13.099 something that you were fastened to, such as 00:18:13.099 --> 00:18:16.599 a husband and wife joined together by the bond 00:18:16.599 --> 00:18:21.150 of matrimony. This again... It goes back to the 00:18:21.150 --> 00:18:25.230 possibility of divorce that came about because, 00:18:25.309 --> 00:18:28.990 or the possibility of divorce because of an unbeliever 00:18:28.990 --> 00:18:33.910 not wanting to stay. And so if in such case, 00:18:33.950 --> 00:18:36.309 Paul said, let the unbeliever depart, let the 00:18:36.309 --> 00:18:39.410 one who's abandoning depart. A brother or sister 00:18:39.410 --> 00:18:43.009 is not in bondage in such cases. But at the same 00:18:43.009 --> 00:18:45.849 time, here he is saying, if that is the case, 00:18:45.869 --> 00:18:48.390 in light of the present distress, don't seek 00:18:48.390 --> 00:18:54.200 a wife. This is his counsel. In other words, 00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:56.680 where there is abandonment and you have the opportunity 00:18:56.680 --> 00:19:01.059 to marry, Paul's counsel was, do not seek a wife 00:19:01.059 --> 00:19:04.380 in light of the circumstances. But he goes on. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:08.299 He says, even if you do marry, you have not sinned. 00:19:08.299 --> 00:19:11.019 And if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. 00:19:11.079 --> 00:19:13.960 In other words, Paul is again giving wise counsel, 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:17.319 but he is also demonstrating Christian liberty. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:21.680 The wise counsel, don't get married if you are 00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:24.759 loosed, and the Christian liberty, even if you 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:28.279 marry, you have not sinned. In this, the apostle 00:19:28.279 --> 00:19:32.480 is an example to us in how he is very careful 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:35.480 not to infringe on the liberty that comes to 00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:39.279 all Christians. This is a really good lesson. 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:42.220 It's a key point of this chapter. It's one that's 00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:45.279 very wise for parents as well as pastors and 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:48.480 teachers and any in authority or in a place of 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:51.859 influence. It is so easy for us to give our counsel 00:19:51.859 --> 00:19:55.579 and then fail to extend the liberty to the person 00:19:55.579 --> 00:20:00.640 to disregard that counsel. We can so easily pretend 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:04.940 to be the Holy Spirit instead of recognizing 00:20:04.940 --> 00:20:10.039 that both we and they, the other person, or persons 00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:14.339 are filled with the Holy Spirit, and he is not 00:20:14.339 --> 00:20:18.339 us. We are not he. There are many times when 00:20:18.339 --> 00:20:21.000 wise counsel must be given in light of current 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:24.720 circumstances, but great care must be taken so 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:29.119 as not to bind the conscience where God has not 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:34.789 bound it. We do not have. that authority. And 00:20:34.789 --> 00:20:38.829 here even the beloved apostle Paul, in all of 00:20:38.829 --> 00:20:42.369 his authority as an apostle, because he didn't 00:20:42.369 --> 00:20:44.970 receive this as revelation from the Lord, he 00:20:44.970 --> 00:20:47.529 said, if you do this, you have not sinned. If 00:20:47.529 --> 00:20:50.210 you have to do this, you have not sinned. You 00:20:50.210 --> 00:20:53.509 are at liberty, but here is my counsel. Very, 00:20:53.529 --> 00:20:57.250 very wise for us to consider and remember. Then 00:20:57.250 --> 00:20:59.250 he makes this statement, nevertheless, such will 00:20:59.250 --> 00:21:01.130 have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare 00:21:01.130 --> 00:21:04.730 you. This is the first reason that he gives for 00:21:04.730 --> 00:21:06.529 his counsel. He's going to give three reasons. 00:21:06.950 --> 00:21:09.150 What would this entail? What would this trouble 00:21:09.150 --> 00:21:12.490 in the flesh entail? Just think for a moment 00:21:12.490 --> 00:21:14.970 of a time of great tribulation, of persecution, 00:21:15.309 --> 00:21:18.990 or of peril, or of famine. The care of a wife 00:21:18.990 --> 00:21:22.190 and children, or the care of a husband and children, 00:21:22.369 --> 00:21:26.950 weighs most heavily on the mind of the one undergoing 00:21:26.950 --> 00:21:30.230 the tribulation. There have been times where 00:21:30.230 --> 00:21:32.930 people recanted because they couldn't take the 00:21:32.930 --> 00:21:37.390 pressure of all the care and responsibility that 00:21:37.390 --> 00:21:40.549 they are foregoing because of naming the name 00:21:40.549 --> 00:21:43.690 of Christ or of living for Christ. And so Paul 00:21:43.690 --> 00:21:45.730 says this is a care. You're going to have trouble 00:21:45.730 --> 00:21:49.789 in the flesh about this. A good example is John 00:21:49.789 --> 00:21:54.490 Bunyan, the author of Sinners Abounding as well 00:21:54.490 --> 00:21:57.960 as What is more well known is that is the pilgrim's 00:21:57.960 --> 00:22:01.279 progress. He was an English nonconformist preacher 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:04.339 who preached without the appropriate license 00:22:04.339 --> 00:22:06.500 or authority from the state and consequently 00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:11.920 was imprisoned for 12 years. He had a wife, he 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:15.539 had a family, and he was not able to be there 00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:18.099 with them. He could see them occasionally, but 00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:21.559 it was a great hardship for him and for them. 00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:26.059 And yet he continued steadfast in this. I will 00:22:26.059 --> 00:22:28.900 not yield to the authority of the state in their 00:22:28.900 --> 00:22:31.700 matter because that would be to go against God. 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:36.079 And he remained faithful to the Lord in it. But 00:22:36.079 --> 00:22:39.220 it was a great hardship for him to be thinking 00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:42.359 about the care that he could not give. And his 00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:45.480 children growing up. without Him there in the 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:48.140 home to lead them in family worship, to love 00:22:48.140 --> 00:22:51.220 them, care for them, discipline. This indeed 00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:54.799 is what the Apostle Paul is talking about. We 00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:56.740 can also think of those who are married and have 00:22:56.740 --> 00:23:00.559 children during a time of severe famine, and 00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:03.980 you don't have the food to give to your children. 00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:06.819 And they have hungry bellies, and they're crying 00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:09.660 out for food, and you can't give it to them. 00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:13.240 These are the kinds of things that Paul has in 00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:17.779 mind as he thinks of the current distress, the 00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:21.400 present distress. The care is so much more difficult. 00:23:21.960 --> 00:23:25.339 This is why Paul was counseling singleness for 00:23:25.339 --> 00:23:27.900 times like that so that they are spared from 00:23:27.900 --> 00:23:31.480 the trouble in the flesh. Then he moves on to 00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:33.559 the urgency of the times and to live in light 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:37.000 of eternity, verses 29 to 31. He says, but this 00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:39.740 I say, brethren, the time is short. So that from 00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:42.140 now on, even those who have wives should be as 00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:44.480 though they had none. Those who weep as though 00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:46.700 they did not weep. Those who rejoice as they 00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:49.299 did not rejoice. Those who buy as though they 00:23:49.299 --> 00:23:51.539 did not possess. And those who use this world 00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:54.519 as not misusing it. For the form of this world 00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:58.839 is passing away. Second reason to remain single 00:23:58.839 --> 00:24:02.200 right now is because the time is short before 00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:06.019 these troubles will come. The pressure is on. 00:24:06.599 --> 00:24:09.339 And that's the idea here is that of pressure. 00:24:09.740 --> 00:24:13.700 The persecution or the distresses are coming 00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:16.539 soon. And therefore earthly relationships and 00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:20.200 circumstances need to be held loosely. He said 00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:22.039 those who have wives as though they had none. 00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:25.380 That is they must not set their hearts too much 00:24:25.380 --> 00:24:29.180 on the comforts of life. And the joyful companionship 00:24:29.180 --> 00:24:32.470 with their wife. Rather. they must be prepared 00:24:32.470 --> 00:24:36.150 to be separated from their wife if it was persecution. 00:24:36.609 --> 00:24:39.589 He might need to escape for his life or to meet 00:24:39.589 --> 00:24:43.170 death, being drug from her to appear before the 00:24:43.170 --> 00:24:47.069 magistrate. These kinds of things happened at 00:24:47.069 --> 00:24:51.809 times like this. Those who weep as though they 00:24:51.809 --> 00:24:54.640 did not weep. Again, those who rejoice as though 00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:57.240 they did not rejoice. Those who buy as they did 00:24:57.240 --> 00:24:59.619 not possess, as though they did not possess. 00:24:59.900 --> 00:25:03.119 The distress or confusion may be such that private 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:07.299 sorrows or private joys will be absorbed up into 00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:11.180 horrors of the time. Those who use the world 00:25:11.180 --> 00:25:15.039 is not misusing it as holding it lightly, so 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:17.900 to speak. Possessing them, but not letting them 00:25:17.900 --> 00:25:21.920 possess you. This is a good reminder for us. 00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:24.559 And I'll speak of this again a little bit later. 00:25:24.779 --> 00:25:28.759 In fact, this whole passage right here would 00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:32.900 almost sound like times even far in the distance. 00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:35.940 I believe Paul is referring to it here specifically. 00:25:35.980 --> 00:25:40.579 And yet certainly this is something for us all 00:25:40.579 --> 00:25:43.700 to consider as we live constantly in the light 00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:47.339 of eternity with God and not knowing the future. 00:25:48.750 --> 00:25:51.970 why is this he paul gives the reason by saying 00:25:51.970 --> 00:25:56.230 he says the form of this world is passing away 00:25:56.230 --> 00:25:58.950 he's not saying the world is passing away he's 00:25:58.950 --> 00:26:01.269 saying the form in other words the particular 00:26:01.269 --> 00:26:05.730 order of the time this would be one inclination 00:26:05.730 --> 00:26:11.099 that paul could be referring to the upheaval 00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:13.220 and tribulation around the time of the destruction 00:26:13.220 --> 00:26:15.799 of jerusalem even though that did not occur for 00:26:15.799 --> 00:26:19.000 some time after he wrote this but he may have 00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:22.180 had that in mind because that was a tremendous 00:26:22.180 --> 00:26:26.680 upheaval where the form of the current world 00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:30.680 system was greatly changed so it's a possibility 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:34.750 i don't know exactly I don't think though it 00:26:34.750 --> 00:26:37.150 fully means the second coming of Christ because 00:26:37.150 --> 00:26:39.390 it's not talking about the world but rather the 00:26:39.390 --> 00:26:43.470 form of the world and it fits into the context 00:26:43.470 --> 00:26:50.549 better that way. Then he moves on to verse 32 00:26:50.549 --> 00:26:54.210 to 35 and gives the third reason and that is 00:26:54.210 --> 00:26:56.509 the advantage of singleness. That is freedom 00:26:56.509 --> 00:27:01.190 from anxious care for undivided devotion. He 00:27:01.190 --> 00:27:05.730 says, but I want you to be without care. He who 00:27:05.730 --> 00:27:08.430 is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, 00:27:08.549 --> 00:27:12.410 how he may please the Lord. But he who is married 00:27:12.410 --> 00:27:15.789 cares about the things of the world, how he may 00:27:15.789 --> 00:27:19.130 please his wife. There's a difference between 00:27:19.130 --> 00:27:21.990 a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares 00:27:21.990 --> 00:27:24.009 about the things of the Lord, that she may be 00:27:24.009 --> 00:27:27.049 holy both in body and in spirit. But she who 00:27:27.049 --> 00:27:30.450 is married cares about the things of the world, 00:27:30.490 --> 00:27:33.980 how she may please. her husband. And this I say 00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:36.839 for your own profit, not that I may put a leash 00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:39.599 on you, but for what is proper and that you may 00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:42.539 serve the Lord without distraction. So the third 00:27:42.539 --> 00:27:45.759 reason here, Paul says this counsel that he is 00:27:45.759 --> 00:27:48.519 giving is that I want you to be without care. 00:27:48.660 --> 00:27:51.920 And this word care is referring to anxiety. Now, 00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:54.430 why would one be anxious? because of the present 00:27:54.430 --> 00:27:57.349 distress. He therefore gives this counsel so 00:27:57.349 --> 00:28:00.210 that they would not be anxious, but devoted completely 00:28:00.210 --> 00:28:03.769 to the Lord during this difficult time. Look 00:28:03.769 --> 00:28:06.609 back at Deuteronomy 6 and verse 5. You shall 00:28:06.609 --> 00:28:09.589 love the Lord your God with all your heart, with 00:28:09.589 --> 00:28:12.009 all your soul, and with all your strength. And 00:28:12.009 --> 00:28:14.950 that verse applies, that command applies in every 00:28:14.950 --> 00:28:18.779 situation. But depending on where you are, you 00:28:18.779 --> 00:28:21.900 might have some times of being anxious and you 00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:25.559 might easily be diverted from an intense love 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:29.700 for the Lord to anxiety about your current situation. 00:28:29.740 --> 00:28:31.880 What's going to happen here? What's going to 00:28:31.880 --> 00:28:35.359 happen if I'm persecuted and taken away? Or what's 00:28:35.359 --> 00:28:37.680 going to happen if a famine comes or whatever 00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:42.359 else it might be? He says here, I want you to 00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:46.700 not be anxious, to be without care. He then gives 00:28:46.700 --> 00:28:50.480 a contrast. Note that he's not referring to the 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:54.500 man and the woman as sinning by caring about 00:28:54.500 --> 00:28:56.960 each other. In fact, that's commanded in many 00:28:56.960 --> 00:29:00.880 places. It's fully intended by God that a husband 00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:05.619 and a wife care about pleasing each other and 00:29:05.619 --> 00:29:09.420 thus care about the things of the world. In other 00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:12.220 words, things that are not sinful, but that are 00:29:12.220 --> 00:29:14.859 earthy, that are connected to our marriage right 00:29:14.859 --> 00:29:18.930 here. We care about it. We want to love each 00:29:18.930 --> 00:29:21.769 other and to please each other. In fact, if you're 00:29:21.769 --> 00:29:24.609 a husband or a wife and you don't want to please 00:29:24.609 --> 00:29:27.170 your spouse, there's something wrong. And you 00:29:27.170 --> 00:29:30.309 are sinning against God if you are not seeking 00:29:30.309 --> 00:29:35.269 to please Him in it. But he notes the difference 00:29:35.269 --> 00:29:37.930 between married and unmarried in the level of 00:29:37.930 --> 00:29:41.130 responsibility and in the time of great difficulty. 00:29:41.960 --> 00:29:44.559 that responsibility can be overwhelming, it can 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:48.299 create anxiety, and can add a great burden, thus 00:29:48.299 --> 00:29:52.420 distracting one from serving the Lord wholeheartedly 00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:55.900 in this difficult time. And so he breaks it down. 00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:59.480 Unmarried man cares for the things of the Lord, 00:29:59.579 --> 00:30:01.980 how he might please the Lord. Unmarried woman 00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:04.400 or virgin cares about the things of the Lord 00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:06.940 that she may be holy both in body and spirit. 00:30:07.180 --> 00:30:09.660 The married man cares about the things of the 00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:12.160 world, how he may please his wife. The married 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:14.720 woman cares about the things of the world, how 00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:17.940 she may please her husband. None of these are 00:30:17.940 --> 00:30:22.109 sinful. It's just a fact of life in the way that 00:30:22.109 --> 00:30:25.730 it is. So in no way can we interpret these verses 00:30:25.730 --> 00:30:28.849 to mean that God is not pleased with married 00:30:28.849 --> 00:30:32.349 men and women serving Him by loving and pleasing 00:30:32.349 --> 00:30:36.029 each other, by making sure that their physical 00:30:36.029 --> 00:30:39.450 and sexual needs are fulfilled, and that a husband 00:30:39.450 --> 00:30:42.990 provides for his wife and family as to the Lord. 00:30:43.400 --> 00:30:46.740 No, dear brother, as Proverbs 5 exhorts you, 00:30:46.839 --> 00:30:50.299 let your fountain be blessed. Rejoice with the 00:30:50.299 --> 00:30:53.920 wife of your youth. As a loving dear and a graceful 00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:56.720 doe, let her breast satisfy you at all times 00:30:56.720 --> 00:30:59.880 and always be enraptured with her love. That 00:30:59.880 --> 00:31:03.480 is biblical counsel and wisdom and it is a foundational 00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:07.900 principle for marriage. You can do this with 00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:11.019 a heart filled with love and delight in God your 00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:13.980 creator through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. 00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:18.039 But know that in a time of great persecution 00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:22.380 or famine or pestilence, the care, the anxiety, 00:31:22.559 --> 00:31:25.539 and the responsibility can rise exponentially 00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:30.140 and be overwhelming. So Paul's counsel is, in 00:31:30.140 --> 00:31:32.779 light of that, if you are thinking of getting 00:31:32.779 --> 00:31:36.430 married, it might be good to delay that. It might 00:31:36.430 --> 00:31:39.430 be good for you to remain in the state in which 00:31:39.430 --> 00:31:45.789 you are right now. Paul clearly means this when 00:31:45.789 --> 00:31:48.470 in verse 35, he says, I say for your own profit, 00:31:48.609 --> 00:31:51.410 not that I may put a leash on you, but for what 00:31:51.410 --> 00:31:54.230 is proper and that you might serve the Lord without 00:31:54.230 --> 00:31:58.509 distraction, without distraction. I think this 00:31:58.509 --> 00:32:02.309 is the key to understanding this. Finally, then 00:32:02.309 --> 00:32:06.809 we come to verses 36 and 38. And he gives guidance 00:32:06.809 --> 00:32:12.710 for those considering marriage. He says, But 00:32:12.710 --> 00:32:15.269 if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward 00:32:15.269 --> 00:32:17.750 his virgin, if she has passed the flower of youth, 00:32:17.789 --> 00:32:20.210 and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. 00:32:20.390 --> 00:32:23.990 He does not sin. Let them marry. Nevertheless, 00:32:24.170 --> 00:32:27.289 he who stands steadfast in his heart, having 00:32:27.289 --> 00:32:30.230 no necessity, but has power over his own will, 00:32:30.410 --> 00:32:32.650 and has so determined in his heart that he will 00:32:32.650 --> 00:32:36.730 keep his virgin, does well. So then he who gives 00:32:36.730 --> 00:32:39.769 her in marriage does well, but he who does not 00:32:39.769 --> 00:32:43.869 give her in marriage does better. Here again, 00:32:43.990 --> 00:32:47.589 we have some significant challenges in understanding 00:32:47.589 --> 00:32:53.089 these verses. Who is the any man? Or depending 00:32:53.089 --> 00:32:57.630 on your translation, it might be man or he. Who 00:32:57.630 --> 00:33:01.490 is this in these verses? Is this speaking of 00:33:01.490 --> 00:33:09.680 the girl's father? of the unmarried person, or 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:12.839 even the fiancé, the betrothed. This has been 00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:16.079 much debated by good biblical scholars and teachers, 00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:21.460 and it is not explicitly plain in the text, because 00:33:21.460 --> 00:33:24.160 the words that are used do not indicate this 00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:27.619 exactly. It's just any man and then he. Who's 00:33:27.619 --> 00:33:34.700 the he, in other words? Many of the early church 00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:38.660 fathers and many of those in several hundred 00:33:38.660 --> 00:33:41.759 years ago believe that this is speaking of the 00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:45.200 father. This is speaking of the father in these 00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:49.279 particular verses. However, as much as I appreciate 00:33:49.279 --> 00:33:53.759 them, I will take a different view of that. I 00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:57.339 think that this is speaking of the betrothed 00:33:57.339 --> 00:34:02.380 man. the betrothed man although verse 38 could 00:34:02.380 --> 00:34:05.720 be speaking of the virgin's father therefore 00:34:05.720 --> 00:34:07.920 i understand it like this and i'm going to paraphrase 00:34:07.920 --> 00:34:11.719 it here and see if this makes sense to you but 00:34:11.719 --> 00:34:15.860 if a betrothed man the fiancee thinks he is behaving 00:34:15.860 --> 00:34:19.880 improperly toward his virgin if she has passed 00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:23.059 the flower of youth and thus it must be let him 00:34:23.059 --> 00:34:27.159 do what he wishes he does not sin let them marry 00:34:27.929 --> 00:34:30.630 Nevertheless, the betrothed man who stands steadfast 00:34:30.630 --> 00:34:34.190 in his heart, having no necessity, but has power 00:34:34.190 --> 00:34:36.789 over his own will, and is so determined in his 00:34:36.789 --> 00:34:39.670 heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. 00:34:40.769 --> 00:34:42.670 Now, I understand either way you could look at 00:34:42.670 --> 00:34:45.110 it. It could go either way, but I think this 00:34:45.110 --> 00:34:47.710 fits it a little bit better. To make this person 00:34:47.710 --> 00:34:50.789 be the father does not fully make sense. Although, 00:34:50.829 --> 00:34:53.090 again, I say wise men have interpreted it so. 00:34:53.769 --> 00:34:56.750 I find the argument compelling. In the pillar 00:34:56.750 --> 00:34:58.730 commentary, and I'm going to quote them, it says, 00:34:58.969 --> 00:35:03.070 Although it is a very difficult exegetical decision, 00:35:03.389 --> 00:35:07.530 it seems to make the most sense, in light of 00:35:07.530 --> 00:35:11.409 verse 26 and 27, to see Paul distinguishing between 00:35:11.409 --> 00:35:15.989 two kinds of betrothed men. One who feels he 00:35:15.989 --> 00:35:18.210 should not wait any longer before marrying his 00:35:18.210 --> 00:35:21.530 fiancée. and the other who feels free to follow 00:35:21.530 --> 00:35:24.949 Paul's advice not to change his and her status 00:35:24.949 --> 00:35:28.130 during the present crisis, and who prolongs the 00:35:28.130 --> 00:35:31.590 engagement for the time being, keeping his girl 00:35:31.590 --> 00:35:35.730 as his fiancée rather than marrying her. He is 00:35:35.730 --> 00:35:38.789 bound to her, but he seeks neither to be released 00:35:38.789 --> 00:35:41.969 from her nor to conclude the engagement with 00:35:41.969 --> 00:35:47.070 the marriage for the time being. Let me explain 00:35:47.070 --> 00:35:49.809 this a little bit further. past the flower of 00:35:49.809 --> 00:35:54.630 her age refers to the lady's prime now the Greeks 00:35:54.630 --> 00:35:56.849 believed and so this is in the context of this 00:35:56.849 --> 00:36:01.130 that a woman was in her prime at age 20 that 00:36:01.130 --> 00:36:05.829 was the age of prime for a young lady of course 00:36:05.829 --> 00:36:08.050 the Jewish girls they viewed that a little bit 00:36:08.050 --> 00:36:11.429 differently it was more 16 to 18 because that's 00:36:11.429 --> 00:36:14.909 often when they got married so he who stands 00:36:14.909 --> 00:36:18.929 steadfast in his heart He has no necessity and 00:36:18.929 --> 00:36:21.469 he is over his own will that could be referring 00:36:21.469 --> 00:36:25.050 to his own sexual desires or to societal pressure 00:36:25.050 --> 00:36:28.929 from parents or peers or simply societal expectations. 00:36:29.489 --> 00:36:31.909 So in other words, he's looking at this, he's 00:36:31.909 --> 00:36:35.050 considering the situation, he is able to stay 00:36:35.050 --> 00:36:38.489 pure and thus he says, I'm not going to marry 00:36:38.489 --> 00:36:41.909 at this time in light of the present distress 00:36:41.909 --> 00:36:46.889 or whatever else it may be. In conclusion, though, 00:36:47.070 --> 00:36:50.909 Paul then again says, he who gives her in marriage 00:36:50.909 --> 00:36:54.369 does well, but he who does not give her in marriage 00:36:54.369 --> 00:36:58.769 does better. And this again could be referring 00:36:58.769 --> 00:37:02.050 to from the he could be the father or it could 00:37:02.050 --> 00:37:05.239 be the engaged man. And the word give her in 00:37:05.239 --> 00:37:07.960 marriage is which, when you think about who is 00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:10.079 it that gives someone in marriage, it's the father, 00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:12.500 right? So the father gives the one in marriage. 00:37:12.559 --> 00:37:15.099 So if you look at that word, it's actually one 00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:17.500 word that's used as being given in marriage, 00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:20.710 it would seem to be the father. However, it does 00:37:20.710 --> 00:37:23.570 not always mean this. It can simply mean to marry 00:37:23.570 --> 00:37:26.750 because it has two definitions. It could be given 00:37:26.750 --> 00:37:30.510 in marriage or simply marriage. So thus he could 00:37:30.510 --> 00:37:33.010 be referring to the father giving away his daughter 00:37:33.010 --> 00:37:36.110 in marriage or it could simply mean the fiance 00:37:36.110 --> 00:37:39.050 marrying such as he who marries her does well, 00:37:39.230 --> 00:37:44.050 but he who does not marry her does better. This 00:37:44.050 --> 00:37:46.070 is my understanding of these. So I submitted 00:37:46.070 --> 00:37:48.730 to you for your as just. I don't want to spend 00:37:48.730 --> 00:37:51.070 a lot of time on it. I'm just saying this is 00:37:51.070 --> 00:37:56.210 a difficult one to fully understand. Two final 00:37:56.210 --> 00:37:59.309 notes as we look at this. In either case, Paul 00:37:59.309 --> 00:38:05.269 says, there is no sin. There is no sin. There 00:38:05.269 --> 00:38:07.769 is Christian liberty. Paul's giving his counsel. 00:38:07.949 --> 00:38:11.409 This is not a command from the Lord. And this 00:38:11.409 --> 00:38:14.269 is all in light of the present distress and must 00:38:14.269 --> 00:38:18.500 not be considered normative. This is not normal 00:38:18.500 --> 00:38:22.480 Christian living. Normally, long, open -ended 00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:25.059 engagements should not take place. It can be 00:38:25.059 --> 00:38:28.780 very difficult. But this was an unusual circumstance. 00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:32.239 Therefore, this makes the most sense. But again, 00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:36.300 I submit it to your own thought. number six then 00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:39.159 is counsel he gives he closes with counsel to 00:38:39.159 --> 00:38:43.039 widows says a wife is bound by law as long as 00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:45.400 her husband lives but if her husband dies she 00:38:45.400 --> 00:38:47.900 is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes 00:38:47.900 --> 00:38:51.519 only in the lord but she is happier if she remains 00:38:51.519 --> 00:38:54.760 as she is according to my judgment and i think 00:38:54.760 --> 00:38:57.480 also i have the spirit of god so as a conclusion 00:38:57.480 --> 00:39:00.440 to this whole matter he's now ending the chapter 00:39:00.440 --> 00:39:06.170 on marriage And Paul then applies the same reasoning 00:39:06.170 --> 00:39:10.269 to be a widow. He's going to move on to the subject 00:39:10.269 --> 00:39:13.389 about idols and Christian liberty beginning in 00:39:13.389 --> 00:39:16.250 chapter 8 and eating the food offered to idols. 00:39:16.429 --> 00:39:19.170 But first, he makes sure that the Corinthians 00:39:19.170 --> 00:39:23.570 understand that living single because of the 00:39:23.570 --> 00:39:26.730 present distress is not an option if you are 00:39:26.730 --> 00:39:30.849 married. Therefore, he says a wife is bound by 00:39:30.849 --> 00:39:36.369 law as long as her husband lives. So in other 00:39:36.369 --> 00:39:39.349 words, it's not an option to say times are tough. 00:39:39.550 --> 00:39:42.130 I'm going to divorce you. So he's saying here 00:39:42.130 --> 00:39:46.369 very clear. This is the law by God. She is bound 00:39:46.369 --> 00:39:49.369 to him as long as her husband lives. This distress 00:39:49.369 --> 00:39:52.469 does not give permission to depart and to divorce 00:39:52.469 --> 00:39:55.360 or to separate. which is right in line with the 00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:57.920 earlier command as we already looked at it. Do 00:39:57.920 --> 00:40:00.659 not even think about it. Do not contemplate it. 00:40:00.739 --> 00:40:03.699 This is not advice or counsel. This is a directive, 00:40:03.820 --> 00:40:08.239 a command with the weight of God's law. But if 00:40:08.239 --> 00:40:11.440 her husband dies, then she is at liberty to be 00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:14.360 married to whom she wishes, but only in the Lord. 00:40:14.460 --> 00:40:17.860 And here again, we see Christian liberty. within 00:40:17.860 --> 00:40:20.940 guardrails of God's law. She is at liberty to 00:40:20.940 --> 00:40:24.300 be married again if her husband dies. At liberty, 00:40:24.300 --> 00:40:30.239 but only to marry in the Lord. Only to marry 00:40:30.239 --> 00:40:34.739 a fellow believer. Marriage after becoming a 00:40:34.739 --> 00:40:39.539 Christian is only to be between Christians. And 00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:42.239 this applies to all Christians who marry, and 00:40:42.239 --> 00:40:44.239 not only the case of widow in which it's given 00:40:44.239 --> 00:40:48.269 here. And yet Paul says, She is happier if she 00:40:48.269 --> 00:40:51.269 remains as she is. And this is according to his 00:40:51.269 --> 00:40:53.769 judgment. And he believes he has the spirit of 00:40:53.769 --> 00:40:57.949 God. But it's not law. This is wise counsel given 00:40:57.949 --> 00:41:03.309 in light of the present distress. What can we 00:41:03.309 --> 00:41:06.269 take away from this? This could be, okay, so 00:41:06.269 --> 00:41:09.690 how does this really apply to us? What can, you 00:41:09.690 --> 00:41:11.949 know, but it's here. It's here for our instruction. 00:41:12.639 --> 00:41:14.980 It's part of my responsibility to teach the whole 00:41:14.980 --> 00:41:17.559 counsel of God. And this is right here in the 00:41:17.559 --> 00:41:20.420 word of God. So what do we take away from this? 00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:22.579 Well, there's a few things that I think are valuable 00:41:22.579 --> 00:41:26.760 for us as we close this. First, marriage is good 00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:30.619 and honorable. It is not sin. It is both commanded 00:41:30.619 --> 00:41:33.739 by God in most circumstances for most people. 00:41:34.380 --> 00:41:37.320 It is a great mystery that speaks of Christ in 00:41:37.320 --> 00:41:41.699 the church. Ephesians 5, 32. And as the wonderful 00:41:41.699 --> 00:41:44.039 wedding vows and the preparation for that in 00:41:44.039 --> 00:41:46.840 the book of common prayer says, marriage is not 00:41:46.840 --> 00:41:52.900 by any to be enterprised nor taken in hand unadvisedly, 00:41:52.900 --> 00:41:58.559 lightly, or wantonly, but reverently, discreetly, 00:41:58.559 --> 00:42:04.800 advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God. That 00:42:04.800 --> 00:42:08.380 is what marriage is to be. It should be entered 00:42:08.380 --> 00:42:11.460 with deep thought and care and respect with spiritual 00:42:11.460 --> 00:42:14.780 seriousness and clear judgment and with the choice 00:42:14.780 --> 00:42:17.300 made deliberately and with good counsel and full 00:42:17.300 --> 00:42:21.059 awareness of the responsibility and the lifelong 00:42:21.059 --> 00:42:26.380 obligation to care, to provide, to love, to respect 00:42:26.380 --> 00:42:29.820 and all of the other commands even in the midst 00:42:29.820 --> 00:42:34.820 of times of great upheaval. It is a great responsibility. 00:42:36.940 --> 00:42:39.659 But dear Christian, let no one put you on a guilt 00:42:39.659 --> 00:42:43.039 trip about marriage. The normal Christian life 00:42:43.039 --> 00:42:46.179 is that you love God, you serve Him, and in most 00:42:46.179 --> 00:42:48.940 cases you get married, have children, and live 00:42:48.940 --> 00:42:52.960 life together before the face of God. And this 00:42:52.960 --> 00:42:57.059 is good and acceptable with God and His will. 00:42:58.019 --> 00:43:02.059 So do not tear these verses, kicking and screaming 00:43:02.059 --> 00:43:05.320 out of their context, as Votie Bauckham used 00:43:05.320 --> 00:43:08.780 to say, and apply it across the board in every 00:43:08.780 --> 00:43:12.719 situation. No, it was not meant for that. Number 00:43:12.719 --> 00:43:16.860 two, singleness with self -control offers practical 00:43:16.860 --> 00:43:20.039 advantages for undivided service, especially 00:43:20.039 --> 00:43:23.860 in times of distress. Therefore, if one either 00:43:23.860 --> 00:43:26.500 has the gift from God of singleness or is self 00:43:26.500 --> 00:43:28.300 -controlled in light of present circumstances, 00:43:28.599 --> 00:43:32.760 it is acceptable before God. There is a place 00:43:32.760 --> 00:43:35.710 for singles. There is a place where you can serve 00:43:35.710 --> 00:43:38.670 God and give yourself in a way that can be very 00:43:38.670 --> 00:43:43.250 freeing, especially in difficult times. So use 00:43:43.250 --> 00:43:46.510 it for the glory of God if that's where God has 00:43:46.510 --> 00:43:51.269 you. Use it for the glory of God. There's no 00:43:51.269 --> 00:43:56.030 condemnation with this. But if one cannot succumb 00:43:56.030 --> 00:43:59.750 without, or if one cannot exist without succumbing 00:43:59.750 --> 00:44:04.630 to sexual temptations of self -abuse, or fornication 00:44:04.630 --> 00:44:08.230 then it's better to marry first corinthians 7 00:44:08.230 --> 00:44:11.510 verse 9 if they cannot exercise self -control 00:44:11.510 --> 00:44:14.789 let them marry for it is better to marry than 00:44:14.789 --> 00:44:19.869 to burn with passion so but apart from that if 00:44:19.869 --> 00:44:23.190 you're here you're a single before the lord then 00:44:23.190 --> 00:44:26.190 use it for the glory of god and be content with 00:44:26.190 --> 00:44:29.449 where he has you until the lord provides for 00:44:29.449 --> 00:44:34.900 you in one way or another Number three, in this 00:44:34.900 --> 00:44:38.199 passage, we are taught to hold God's gifts and 00:44:38.199 --> 00:44:41.860 the things of the world loosely. As the fires 00:44:41.860 --> 00:44:45.539 of the last weeks have shown us, the things of 00:44:45.539 --> 00:44:50.780 the world, possessions, houses, lands, cattle, 00:44:50.920 --> 00:44:56.460 can be taken away in just one night of a raging 00:44:56.460 --> 00:45:00.719 fire with 40 to 50 mile an hour winds. Just that 00:45:00.719 --> 00:45:06.190 quickly. Let us hold them lightly. Job is such 00:45:06.190 --> 00:45:09.409 a great example of this. With so many things, 00:45:09.610 --> 00:45:12.329 and his life turned into a complete upheaval 00:45:12.329 --> 00:45:17.429 so quickly. His vast herds, his servants, his 00:45:17.429 --> 00:45:20.610 children, and his health. And yet the scripture 00:45:20.610 --> 00:45:25.130 says, in all this, Job did not sin with his lips, 00:45:25.250 --> 00:45:28.920 nor charge God with wrong. This is a wonderful 00:45:28.920 --> 00:45:32.460 example of how to hold things loosely. It's not 00:45:32.460 --> 00:45:34.599 wrong to possess great things if that's what 00:45:34.599 --> 00:45:37.780 the Lord gives you, but hold them loosely. Don't 00:45:37.780 --> 00:45:40.980 wrap up yourselves together in them so tightly 00:45:40.980 --> 00:45:44.340 that when they're gone, you get upset at God 00:45:44.340 --> 00:45:47.139 or you get angry at God or you turn against him. 00:45:47.260 --> 00:45:51.619 No, Job did not sin with his lips. Rather, he 00:45:51.619 --> 00:45:55.039 worshiped. And he said, naked I came from my 00:45:55.039 --> 00:45:57.380 mother's womb and naked shall I return there. 00:45:57.500 --> 00:46:00.719 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed 00:46:00.719 --> 00:46:04.960 be the name of the Lord. That's how we hold things 00:46:04.960 --> 00:46:10.119 loosely. Paul reiterates this principle as he 00:46:10.119 --> 00:46:12.400 teaches how to view the world in light of the 00:46:12.400 --> 00:46:16.900 impending calamity and distress. Number four. 00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:21.840 This passage dramatically shows the need to understand 00:46:21.840 --> 00:46:26.659 context in the understanding of a passage. It's 00:46:26.659 --> 00:46:29.619 very important. Some of these verses have been 00:46:29.619 --> 00:46:32.320 dragged out of context to say that singleness 00:46:32.320 --> 00:46:37.039 is altogether superior and marriage is inferior. 00:46:37.500 --> 00:46:40.260 But in order to properly understand and rightly 00:46:40.260 --> 00:46:43.300 divide the Word of God, we must pay attention 00:46:43.300 --> 00:46:47.610 to the context in which it is written. including 00:46:47.610 --> 00:46:51.369 wherever possible, the who, the what, the why, 00:46:51.590 --> 00:46:56.230 the where, and the when, whenever we can. Finally, 00:46:56.289 --> 00:47:00.030 I submit this to you. I believe and hope that 00:47:00.030 --> 00:47:02.449 this has been a faithful interpretation and exposition 00:47:02.449 --> 00:47:05.829 of this difficult passage. I pray that it has 00:47:05.829 --> 00:47:07.869 been edifying for you and that it builds you 00:47:07.869 --> 00:47:10.449 up in Christ's kingdom. And indeed, if anything, 00:47:10.690 --> 00:47:13.289 I have not taught it correctly. I pray for God's 00:47:13.289 --> 00:47:16.469 forgiveness and mercy and submit it to him. Let's 00:47:16.469 --> 00:47:19.929 close in prayer. Father, we thank you so, so 00:47:19.929 --> 00:47:19.989 much.