LIVE IN UNDIVIDED DEVOTION TO THE LORD

Passage: 1 Corinthians 7:25-40

Key verse: 35b

NIV

Concerning the Unmarried

25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord,(A) but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy(B) is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.(C) 27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife.(D) 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned;(E) and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short.(F) From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.(G)

32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs(H)—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.(I) But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided(J) devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong[a] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning.(K) They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right,(L) but he who does not marry her does better.[b]

39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives.(M) But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.(N) 40 In my judgment,(O) she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage
  2. 1 Corinthians 7:38 Or 36 If anyone thinks he is not treating his daughter properly, and if she is getting along in years (or if her passions are too strong), and he feels she ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. He should let her get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind to keep the virgin unmarried—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who gives his virgin in marriage does right, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Unmarried and the Widowed

25 Now concerning[a] the betrothed,[b] (A)I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as (B)one who by the Lord's mercy is (C)trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present[c] distress (D)it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman[d] marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: (E)the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy (F)as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For (G)the present form of this world is passing away.

32 I want you to be (H)free from anxieties. (I)The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, (J)not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed,[e] if his[f] passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed (K)does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

39 (L)A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only (M)in the Lord. 40 Yet (N)in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think (O)that I too have the Spirit of God.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 7:25 The expression Now concerning introduces a reply to a question in the Corinthians' letter; see 7:1
  2. 1 Corinthians 7:25 Greek virgins
  3. 1 Corinthians 7:26 Or impending
  4. 1 Corinthians 7:28 Greek virgin; also verse 34
  5. 1 Corinthians 7:36 Greek virgin; also verses 37, 38
  6. 1 Corinthians 7:36 Or her
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. The time is short (25-31)

Paul urged the Corinthian Christians to live in a right way-in other words, according to the gospel. People get distracted with things of this world. Married people are distracted by the well-being of their spouses. Happy, or sad, people are distracted by what is making them happy, or sad. People who are wealthy, or poor, are distracted by their possessions. Rather than being distracted, Paul urges his readers to have in mind the things of God. Paul urged God's people not to live as who they were. Married people shouldn't live as married people, etc. Rather, we should live in total devotion to the Lord.

2. Live in undivided devotion to the Lord (32-4

)

Paul pointed out that there was nothing wrong with being either married or unmarried. There is nothing wrong with having possessions or not. Paul's point is that our hearts and minds should not be on what our own condition is. Our devotion should not be to ourselves. The time is short. This world will soon pass away. Thus, we should live in devotion to the Lord. We do this when we put him first and foremost in our hearts and minds.

Prayer: Father, help me not be distracted by this life. Help me live in a right way, in total devotion to you.

One Word: Live in total devotion to the Lord.