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1 Corinthians 7
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 (7:1-2)
"It is good for a man not to touch a woman."
Paul would prefer that no one marry. But he says "to avoid fornication, let every man
have his own wife.
Is marriage a good thing?
Is polygamy OK?
What the Bible says about marriage
 Instructions
on Marriage
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| 7:1
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not
to touch a woman.
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| 7:2
Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife,
and let every woman have her own husband.
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| 7:3
Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also
the wife unto the husband.
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| 7:4
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. |
 (7:3)
Husbands and wives should be kind to each other.
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| 7:5
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. |
(7:5-9)
"I would that all men were even as I myself. ... But if they cannot
contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn."
Paul recommends that all men and woman would abstain from sex. But those who can't control themselves
should get married, for "it is better to marry than to burn."
Is marriage a good thing?
What the Bible says about marriage
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| 7:6
But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
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| 7:7
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.
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| 7:8
I say therefore to the
unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
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| 7:9
But if they cannot
contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. |
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| 7:10
And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife
depart from her husband: |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
"But to the rest speak I, not the Lord."
Really? So this stuff is in scripture but is not inspired by God?
Was all scripture inspired by God?
"If any brother hath a wife that
believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her
away."
Is it OK to marry unbelievers?
"But now they are holy."
Is only God holy?
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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. |
"But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is
not under bondage in such cases."
Is divorce ever permissible?
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| 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?
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| 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. |
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| 7:18
Is any man called being
circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in
uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. |
"Is any man called being
circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised."
Paul says those who are circumcised should
"not become uncircumcised." (It's pretty hard to undo.)
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| 7:19
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of
the commandments of God.
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| 7:20
Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. |
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| 7:21
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be
made free, use it rather. |
(7:21, 23)
Slaves should not desire their freedom. Yet they should
not be the servants of men.
Does God approve of slavery?
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| 7:22
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.
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| 7:23
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. |
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| 7:24
Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. |
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| 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.
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"Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment."
So this is just Paul's opinion and is not divinely inspired scripture?
Was all scripture inspired by God?
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| 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.
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| 7:27
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife?
seek not a wife. |
"Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife."
Those who are unmarried should never marry.
What the Bible says about marriage
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| 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.
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| 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; |
"The time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none."
Paul, like Jesus and the other New Testament
writers, expects the end to come soon. "The time is short." So there's
no time for sex and marriage since the world will be ending soon.
What the Bible says about the end of the world and
marriage
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| 7:30
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;
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| 7:31
And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this
world passeth away.
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| 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: |
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| 7:33
But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he
may please his wife. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 7:38
So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her
not in marriage doeth better. |
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| 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. |
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| 7:40
But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also
that I have the Spirit of God.
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