What is the most important
thing in life? Everything in life is significant like birth, childhood,
puberty, adult, and death. Each period and moment of life have its own
turbulence and enjoyment which come to all mankind without exceptions. One
thing we never forget is that there is one who is more important than anything
else including marriage. He is Christ Jesus the Lord. That is the theme Apostle
Paul is tackling here in the latter part of First Corinthians Chapter 7—how to
live a life worthy of God’s calling because the time is short.
“Now about virgins: I have no
command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is
trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man
to remain as he is. 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. But if you do marry,
you have not sinned; 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.” (1
Corinthians 7:25-28)
Although Paul says here that he
had no command from the Lord about virgins, it doesn’t mean that it is out of
line with the Lord’s revelations. It is totally and completely in line with the
mind of Christ the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:40). So, his judgment is trustworthy
and truthful. Marriage and celibacy are both acceptable and holy in the sight
of God. Both are God’s gifts to humanity. Marriage is not sinning nor is celibacy.
But Apostle says that living as a virgin is better than marrying if possible.
Those who marry will face troubles in this life. Paul says that he wants to
spare them this.
What do the present crisis and
troubles mean? It could mean a particular crisis or trouble only applicable for
Corinthians back in the first century. It could mean the looming crisis
approaching in Jerusalem, the destruction of the city by Romans, which happened
in seventy A.D. But it is hardly true because the scriptures are written for
all readers beyond time and space. It means crisis and troubles happening every
day in the lives like working for living, paying mortgages, raising kids,
dealing with neighbors, studying for degrees, etc. For example, parenting is
extremely exhausting and strenuous for a baby demands the whole attention
twenty four hours. A recent report by the journal Demography tells that
parenting is worse than divorce, unemployment, and even the death of partner.
It may not be true to all parents, but it has a point in telling the difficulties
and troubles of parenting. How about work, driving, or study? If not married,
much troubles may be spared.
“What I mean, brothers and
sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should
live as if they do not; 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; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them.
For this world in its present form is passing away.” (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)
The primary reason to make life
simple and focused is that the time is short. There is no time to waste for
this world in its present form is passing away. There is a life to come beyond
its present form. Prophet Isaiah was told to cry out, saying “All people are
like grass.”
A voice says, “Cry out.” And I
said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their
faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the
flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people
are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God
endures forever.” (Isaiah 40:6-8)
Apostle James joins to tell
that our life is like a mist. “Why, you do not even know what will happen
tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and
then vanishes.” (James 4:14)
How can we live as if we do not
have wives or husbands? It doesn’t mean forgetting all the house works and
doing the religious works only. There are some people who literally do like
that, causing a lot of problems in the families. Marriage, death, property,
enjoyment in life are the tools to learn what we truly are. They are not made
by man but by God the Creator. Nor are they eternal. Jesus says so there will
be no marriage in heaven. “You are in error because you do not know the
Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry
nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.” (Matthew
22:29-30)
No husband or wife can be
replaced with God in terms of worship. Marriage is a tool for us to learn how
to love one another. We shall love each other as Lord Jesus commands just as He
loved us first. Through the turbulences and enjoyments in marriage we may learn
the love of Christ demonstrated in the Calvary’s cross for the church. We’re
not living for husband or wife but for the Lord Jesus Christ. Things in the
world are necessary for living, but not eternal. For example, car is an
essential tool for living but it is wearing out and being rusted. Nothing in
the world will last, even the heavens and the earth shall pass away. That’s why
Paul says we won’t be engrossed in things.
“I would like you to be free
from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can
please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this
world—how he can please his wife— 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. But a married woman is concerned about the
affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your
own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in
undivided devotion to the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:32-35)
Paul is saying that he would
like them to be free from concern. Concern for the partners can distract the
mind and heart from devotion to the Lord. The affairs of this world can easily distract
us from the Lord’s affairs. Paul is saying this for our own good, not to
restrict us, but that we may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the
Lord. That’s what it means to live as if they do not have wives or husbands. Our
interests should not be divided in this earthly life regardless of the status—married
or not.
“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 and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he
wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 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. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who
does not marry her does better. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he
lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he
must belong to the Lord. In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she
is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.” (1 Corinthians 7:36-40)
It is not sinning to marry, Paul
says. All is free to choose to marry as they want, especially if their passions
are too strong and they feel they ought to marry. They should get married. But
if they have settled the matter and are under no pressure but have control over
their own will and have made up their mind not to marry they also do the right
thing. How do they settle the matter and have control over compulsion? Obviously
it is not working naturally. Neither does it work by devotion and will. It can
be working only through following the principle of new covenant. What is it? Everything
is coming from heaven above and nothing coming from the earth (us). God draws the
heart and mind and provides power to follow and obey Him. It is the
resurrection power that raised Christ from the dead. We are not our own but
were bought a price. We’re not running the course of life any more. We’re no
longer living our own but Christ’s life. That’s it! “Christ in you, the hope of
glory!”
Both are right and acceptable
to God. But those who do not marry by settling the matter in Christ do better
and are happier because the time is short. The coming of Christ is near as Apostle
Paul says in Romans Thirteenth Chapter. “And do this, understanding the present
time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because
our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly
over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put
on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:11-12)
The life worthy of the calling we
have received is to love another as our Lord Jesus gave us as the new command. “As
a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling
you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with
one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through
the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3)
Prayer: Thank Lord Jesus Christ
for your concern for our benefits because the time is short. No one knows the
time and the seasons even the Son but the Father in heaven. May God help us to
be ready pure and holy for the Lord’s coming is near. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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