1 Corinthians - Chapter 8 Introduction

Introduction:

What does ‘liberty’ in Christ mean? Paul just finished a long discussion of the concept of Christian marriage. It seems that in the very next breath as he was dictating this letter, the subject changes.
As mentioned at the beginning of chapter seven, Paul is responding to questions being sent to him about how to live the Christian faith. Although Paul almost always started a missionary visit in a synagogue in the town he was visiting, we should remember that many of his ‘converts’ were not of Jewish background. Paul was called by God to spread the gospel to Gentiles. I suspect that most non-Jewish people, not living in Jerusalem or Judea, would ‘know’ some Jews, but know very little about the Jews or their faith, or their scripture.

It might be like it is today in America. Most people know there are churches in their towns, but unless they are regular attendees they only have a vague notion of Christian teachings and beliefs.

Even as we look back to chapter seven, it is quite possible the concept of marriage being a permanent bond because God wanted it that way may be ‘news’ to the Gentiles. Paul’s teaching about the permanence of marriage, through God, would be a major change in the way people think about marriage. Again, looking at the United States today, marriage is not the revered institution Paul is discussing in this letter. Sometimes is seems our leaders or entertainers change marriages like we change underwear. The marriages are thrown away like we throw our dirty clothes in the hamper.

Paul deals with ‘living the Christian life’ more in this letter than any of the others. He deals with more than canonical issues (how to run the church, elders, deacons, pastors, teachers). He is addressing how you live your life for Christ, because you will be unique in your community. You may be the only Christian there. Make sure people see Christ in the way you live, and see Him in such a way that they want to be His also!

1 Cor. 8:1-6 - Sacrifices to Idols

1 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.
2 If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;
3 but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
4 Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one.
5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords,
6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

Now On to Other Matters

V. 1 - “Now...” - Change of subject. We’ve answered the question about marriage thoroughly. On to the next.

“concerning things sacrificed to idols” - This seems to be a huge change of subject. However, Paul is answering questions or responding to problems that have arisen in the Corinthian church. There are a couple of things to consider when reading this letter. Paul was called to witness and win Gentiles to Christ. Many of the Christians asking the questions grew up in cities, or city-states, that did not have a history or tradition based on the Jewish faith. The religions, whether from Greece, Rome, Egypt, Babylon, etc., had idols - statues or symbols of their gods.
The Jews were given very strict instructions regarding idols. (Lev 19:4, 26:1, 26:30; Deut 32:21; 2 Ki 23:24; 1 Chr 16:25; 2 Chr 15:8, 24:18) Not only were the Jews to worship no one but Yahweh, the Lord God, but they were to not have any idols representing the Lord.
We tend to think the pagans worshipped the idols. Michael Heiser, in his book “Unseen Realms”, says the idols were the ‘home’ for the gods here on earth - the people were worshipping the god who occupied the idol. In similar fashion, the Tabernacle with the Holy of Holies was where God resided when He came to visit the Jews on their travels. It was His ‘home-away-from-home.” The Jews had no idols they worshipped. The closest thing we might consider an ‘idol’ is the tabernacle or temple. There is where the offerings were presented, the bulls, goats, lambs, etc., were sacrificed.

Sacrificing to idols meant the worshipper was giving credence to the god the idol represented. They were buying into the rituals and religion of that particular god. It may start off simply or innocently (“I’m just being polite so I don't offend my neighbors”), but worship of another god will change the person, and begin to take away their dedication to the Lord. They will fall away completely, sooner or later.

Christians have no idols we worship, similar to the Jewish faith. The cross of Christ should never be an idol for us. We do not pray to the cross. We do not pray to the empty tomb. We pray to God the Father in heaven, to Christ the Lord in heaven (and in us), to the Holy Spirit given to us as a guarantee that Christ will return for us. We have no images or statues that we worship.
I understand there are believers who pray to persons or saints other than Jesus. These saints are former famous or revered believers in church history. I personally not comfortable praying to anyone other than God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We never see someone in the Bible praying to an angel, or to the spirit of Moses, David, or any of the prophets. I've heard it said that angels carry our prayer requests to the Lord. That makes no sense to me, since God hears all, knows all. Plus we have the Holy Spirit given to us as a gift to help us when we live and worship. We don't have to go out of our own head or heart to have access to the Lord our God, the Savior of the world.

“we all have knowledge” - If the believers in Corinth (or elsewhere) had been listening to the apostles and missionaries, they know that idols can do nothing for them.

“Knowledge makes arrogant” - It seems the problem is not just that some of the new Christians have idols in their homes - whether idols set up to represent Jesus or idols for the pagan religions - but some believers who “know better” are making life difficult for the others. Or perhaps some of the Christians are being ridiculed - some (or many) of the believers are Gentiles, and most likely had idols in their homes because of their former beliefs. It is possible that Jewish Christians were giving the others a bad time. On the other side, it is possible that Gentiles were mocking Jews because, how could the Jewish Christians know who to worship without an idol to focus on. 

Paul is saying we all know stuff, but that ‘knowledge’ is no good reason to feel proud. We are all on the same footing - we do not deserve salvation, it is a gift from God.

“but love edifies.” - Instead of shaming someone (for almost any reason) let the love of God flow through you to them. Let them know, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23)
And teach them, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8)
Plus, they need to know, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”(Titus 3:5)

V. 2 - “If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know” - If you think that deriding a new believer because they do not have the same understanding as you, then you are missing a significant part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You are operating on a “little knowledge”, which can be a dangerous thing. The idiom, “jumping to a conclusion” is focused on making a decision based on incomplete information. Sometimes this can be justified. If you see a deer lying along side of the road, broken, busted and dead, concluding the deer was struck by a car or truck is probably a correct assumption. But - if you assume a person in dumb or stupid because of their race, or if you assume a person is racist because the other person is white, or you will be killed because the other person is a police officer, or... Decisions made on faulty or incomplete information can be deadly.

I just read a devotional thought by Watchman Nee. "Here is the simple basis of all our fellowship with others. It is that they belong to the Lord and so do we... Instead of dwelling on the Lord we have in common, we turn to the negative ground of our differences sand stress what is right or wrong in them... The question is not whether he believes exactly what I believe, or has had the same experience as I have had. The sole question is: has God received him." (See note 2, below)

V. 3 - "but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him"- God knows who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God alone makes that call. God knows what is in the heart of every person. God knows if you are faking it - saying you believe, but living and acting based on your former beliefs. God knows if you are simply immature in your faith, and haven’t yet figured out how to leave your old beliefs behind. We are reminded, “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.” (Heb. 4:13-16)

I am not saying that when we see a fellow Christian stumble or have difficulties in the faith, that we are to ignore it because it is their personal problem. Again, we are instructed, “But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called ‘today,’ so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” (Heb. 3:13);
“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2)
“Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.” (1 Thes. 5:11)
“We urge you, brothers and sisters, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thes. 5:14)
“and let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds.” (Heb. 10:24)

V. 4 - “we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world” - This is an interesting translation of this phrase. Other versions read, “an idol has no real existence” (ESV), or:
“An idol is nothing at all in the world” (NIV). It’s not that the idols people worship are images of gods do not exist (that is: gods, or spiritual beings who are not God, the Lord, Yahweh). Of course they exist. In comparison to the Lord, our God, idols and the gods they represent are inconsequential. Why can I say this?

“there is no God but one” - There is no other. See the following: “For this reason You are great, Lord GOD; for there is no one like You, and there is no God except You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.” (2 Sam. 7:22)
“See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded and it is I who heal, And there is no one who can save anyone from My hand.” (Deut. 32:39)
“Hear, Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!” (Deut. 6:4) (See Note 1, below)  
“Then he said, ‘Tomorrow.’ So he said, “May it be according to your word, so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.” (Exo. 8:10)
“Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, Israel! The LORDis our God, the LORD is one.” (Mark 12:29)

The other gods are imposters, impersonators. They are created by the Creator - our God, Yahweh!

V. 5-6 - “For even if there are so-called gods... yet for us there is but one God, the Father” - We will not be drawn away to other gods. Compare this to Hos 11:2, in which reminds them that it was the Lord God who rescued them from Egypt, but still the people call out to the ineffectual false Gods.

“from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus” - No one says it better than Paul in one of his other letters. See: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” (Col. 1:15-20)

***

Note 1: This verse (Deut 6:4) is known as the Shema, a holy prayer of the Jews. It is repeated when they go to bed, and when they arise. Our pastor gave us a detailed explanation of the Shema in his sermon on 25Jan26.
Note 2: Watchman Nee; "A Table in the Wilderness"; CLC Publications; 2022.

1 Corinthians 7:39-40 - Widows and Re-Marriage

39 A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
40 But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

‘Til Death Do Us Part...

V. 39 - “A wife is bound as long as her husband lives” - This whole chapter is about marriage. If you get married and are a Christian, you are to stay married as long as the other partner lives. Again, looking back at the beginning of the chapter, remain married unless the non-believing partner insists. (See vs. 10, 11) You need to live in such a Christian manner that the non-believer does not want to leave, instead wants to know Christ for themselves. If at all possible win your mate to Christ.

“if her husband is dead, she is free” - The bond of marriage is broken by death. The widow can remarry. Paul urges her to consider carefully, and to be sure this is the way God wants you to go. Prayerfully take the matter to God, ask Him to show you what He wants for you.

V. 40 - “But in my opinion” - Paul thinks you should stay single. This is a repeat of his opinion given earlier in the chapter, and he is sticking to it.

---

End of Chapter (2-20-2026)

1 Cor. 6:12-13 - All Things Lawful

12 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.
13 Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body.

We Do Not Commit More Sin in Order to Receive More Forgiveness

V. 12 - “All things are lawful for me” - Some people link this verse to the list in verses 9-10 above. I don’t think so. This phrase is used by Paul twice in this verse. Most commentators think this is from the Corinthians stating that now they are forgiven of all their sin, so anything they do is acceptable. They probably may have said this when they were upbraded for living licentiously. Paul refutes this saying twice - “not all things are profitable” and “I will not be mastered by anything”. 

How could adultery be ‘lawful’ as a Christian? How could any of these sinful practices by ‘lawful’? To be lawful would be behavior that is acceptable to the Lord and does not require forgiveness. I understand that Christians are forgiven their sin. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection took care of that.

Forgiveness is not license for licentiousness! We do not commit more sin in order to receive more forgiveness. Deliberately committing sin, especially those on the list above, must seriously throw doubts on your belief and faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. I cannot pass judgment on the efficacy of your faith in Christ. I do not know your relationship with Him. However, if you do not follow His teaching and commands, your commitment may be in question. This is between you and God.

“but not all things are profitable” - Just as a starting point, anything forbidden in the Ten Commandments would not be ‘lawful’, it is sin - therefore ‘not profitable’. Many of the things we do in life are not on a list of acceptable or unacceptable activities. But some may cause distress, anger, or harm to another person. Those are ‘not profitable’.

There is no list for these things. We must be led by the Holy Spirit to recognize when we are drifting away. I suspect we do not get a flash of light, a majestic being standing before us saying in stentorian tones, “Don’t do that!” (That may and could happen, but I am sure it is rare.)
God deals with our conscience, we feel ‘not right’ doing this. Accepting that leading, that nudge can sharpen our tuning to His leading. Likewise, rejecting the guidance of the Holy Spirt can de-tune our conscience. That makes it harder for us to repent of the sin, turn away from it, accept the forgiveness, and choose to go a different way when the situation crops up again.

“I will not be mastered by anything.” - Rejecting the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit is ‘not profitable’. The Holy Spirit has been promised and given to us so that we may follow Christ in our daily lives. We are not towed through life like a car attached to a wrecker, or a rail car attached to a freight train. Our daily life is not to be passive, but an active relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit - they do not force us to follow.

We may do wrong as we go through life. We do not need to be addicted to sin. We do not need to commit a sin again when the Lord has indicated it is ‘not profitable’. “Tell them, ‘As I live -- this is the declaration of the Lord GOD -- I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked person should turn from his way and live. Repent, repent of your evil ways! Why will you die...’ “ (Eze. 33:11) Do not be deceived. This way of Christ’s is not hard. He himself has said, “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11:30)

V. 13 - “God will do away with both of them” - We are physical beings. As long as we remain alive, we will need food to keep our bodies going. At some point, either when we die or when Christ returns, the body will no longer need food. (See: Note 1, below) How does this connect with the “lawful... profitable” discussion in verse 12? All food is available to me. But eating too much, gaining weight, etc., is not profitable. I am responsible to take care of my body. It is profitable for me to stay healthy.

“Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body” - Does this seem like a huge logical jump? We (humans) like to compartmentalize, trying to believe that two different activities in our lives are not connected. Paul has led us from the subject of Christians defrauding one another (see: 1 Cor. 6:1-8), to unrighteousness (vss. 6:9-11), to immorality (vss. 6:12-13).
These are not disparate subjects, but all part of one message: Christians are to live differently than non-Christians. God has saved you. You are His own. No longer should you allow yourself, spirit and body, to be used for immoral purposes - whether immoral interpersonal relationships (6:1-8), or immoral behaviors and activities (6:9-11), or personal immorality (6:12-13).

Why? Because you are the Lord’s; you are Jesus’ own people.

***

Note 1: This brings up an interesting dilemma. Our spiritual bodies do not need food because God is eliminating the physical body. So, in the new earth and city (Rev. 20 & 21) there are trees along the river which flows from the city, and the trees bear fruit. I always assumed the fruit was for food. “Eating” is not mentioned much in the book Revelations, so why the fruit? It probably is important, and interesting.

 

1 Corinthians 7:36-38 - More on Marriage and Family

36 But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter, if she is past her youth, and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry.
37 But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well.
38 So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better. 

Virgin Daughters

V. 36 - “But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter” - This may not be prurient. Paul recommends that no one get married, in order to serve the Lord unencumbered. In this case, the man is already married and has a daughter. The problem is the daughter is unmarried, and hanging around the house. When we see the words ‘acting unbecomingly’, our minds immediately jump to incestuous behavior.  I do not think this about fathers being tempted to do immoral things with his daughter. As she gets older, the chances of her getting married decrease. My best guess: the daughter is in love and wants to marry. If the father acts harshly, refusing to let his daughter marry, he is being overly strict or cruel, i.e., ‘acting unbecomingly’.

“let her marry” - Rather than force her into spinsterhood... It is not a sin to be married! It would be wrong to deny your daughter the chance for marriage and happiness because you (the father) insist she remain a virgin in order to serve the Lord as you believe needs to be done. If she wants to remain unmarried, it should be her decision - just as only she can believe and accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! You cannot believe for your child. (Oh, how I can attest to that! How I pray for my children, and long for them make the decision for Christ!)

V. 37 - “But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will” - Basically, if the father is confident that Christ is leading him in this direction, or is not wavering in this matter... There are no hard and fast rules in these matters.
This whole discussion is odd to our way of thinking. We do not run our families with same authority hierarchy as in those ancient cultures. Women did not run the families, the father had absolute control - not over just the women, but the children, boys and girls. (See note 1) Whether it was Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, or David

V. 38 - “both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage, and he who does not give her” - Again, no hard-and-fast rules here. Pray and take the matter to the Lord, and as He leads you, follow.

I don’t know if the the term “virgin daughter” is significant, other than if your daughter had already married and was now single (through divorce or loss) she was no longer under the father’s authority umbrella. The father could only give advice. I do not think this was addressing a family situation in which a daughter was no longer a “virgin daughter”, because she was having pre-marital sex. An unmarried daughter having pre-marital sex may be disowned and banned from the family (that’s my reading of the situation, I could be wrong).

“does well” - If you follow the Lord’s leading, and have prayerfully considered the situation your are doing all the Lord requires. He does not want us to strike out on our own, but to talk with Him to get the guidance needed to make proper decisions.

Personally, I believe that if Paul was talking about fathers having purient thoughts or actions towards their daughters, he would be appalled and would have written accordingly. Doing such things would have set Paul's hair on fire! He would have chastised them and warned them to flee from that sin. He would have prayed that the fathers would cease and desist (stop now, and stop doing it!). Advising them to let their daughters marry is a pretty mild reaction to an evil like having sex with your daughter!
Then, I decided to compare various translations of verse 7:36. I was surprised that several translations treat the "virgin" as the woman the man plans to marry. Which puts a slightly different twist to the verse.  So Paul, if writing about a man contemplating sexual encounters with his bride-to-be, would advise them to get married so nothing untoward happens.

---

Note 1: There are many examples of women entrepreneurs in the Bible, and I do not mean the prostitutes. In Proverbs, there are verses in which the industrious woman works and invests, and becomes wealthy. She even travels to other countries to buy goods for her business. In Acts, some of the most influential contributors to the church’s early growth were successful business women. Some are mentioned in the apostles’ letters. Women were not restricted to doing only what a man tells her to do. I do not see women as powerless in the Christian households, mere pawns dominated by the men. It appears that women got more respect in the Christian milieu than in the pagan family settings around them. The concept that a woman could accept and believe in Christ as Lord and Savior on her own, by her own will and understanding was a major step in religions. No longer were women just an adjunct of their husbands’ wishes and beliefs. They did not need permission to believe in Christ!

1 Corinthians 7:25-35 - Demands of Marriage

25 Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give an opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.
26 I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is.
27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.
29 But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;
30 and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess;
31 and those who use the world, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away.
32 But I want you to be free from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord;
33 but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how he may please his wife,
34 and his interests are divided. The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35 This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. 

Good Advice

V. 25 - “Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord” - Paul’s comments for the next few verses are not commands from the Lord, but best advice as he sees it, at least. This section of the letter is advice to men, women, married and unmarried, and virgins. 

“who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy” - Paul is not bragging here. If the Lord can trust Paul with the message of salvation, then Paul must be trustworthy. Paul is an apostle, called by Jesus Christ personally. (See: Acts 9:1-31) He did not earn this, it was by the grace and mercy of Christ. (See: 1 Tim. 1:15-16)  

V. 26 - “it is good for a man to remain as he is” - In view of the turmoil the church and church members were going through - the persecution of Christians in the world at that time -  Paul’s advice is to make no big changes in your life. (See v. 24, above.) These Corinthians have become Christians, and as a result they are being persecuted by the authorities, especially the Jews. The Jews were not in power in very many cities, but they were more than willing to create trouble for believers. They had no trouble lying when making accusations. Look at what they said about Jesus at his ‘trial’. The Jewish leaders, scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and priests knew what would spin-up the local governments. They would accuse Christians of being insurrectionists, rebels bent upon over-throwing the Roman rule. That accusation always got the local government's attention - because nobody wanted the Romans to come into quell the uprising. The Romans were brutal when they felt they needed to restore order.  

I don’t think this advice is aimed at men only - “good for a man” - but for believers in general.  

V. 27 - “Are you bound to a wife?” and “Are you released from a wife?” - Are you married to an unbeliever? Don’t get a divorce.  

Did your unbelieving wife divorce or leave you because of your new faith? If you have been left, don’t get remarried, or don’t marry a believer. Paul is not anti-marriage. He is focused, driven to be an apostle. He knows that a wife or a husband will require some of your attention.  

V. 28 - “But if you marry, you have not sinned” - Get married if you feel the need. It is not a sin, nor violates any commandment from the Lord. God instituted marriage, How could it be wrong?  

“Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you” - Paul knows that your attention will be split between your spouse and Christ. 

V. 29-31 - “the time has been shortened” - I think Paul looked at the world around him, the persecution the church was suffering, the evil that was being done - and figured the Lord would be returning any moment. Paul was obviously wrong, but I feel the same way now. Look at the evil being perpetrated: abortion - millions of babies killed. Consider the insane “woke culture” and “cancel culture” - absolutely asinine decisions being made almost daily. People trying to erase history because it doesn’t meet the ‘woke’ paradigm - so no one will be able to learn from history. There cities and states seriously considering ways to de-legitimize Christianity, to make it illegal. “The end is near” has a ring of truth in it. We may be as wrong as Paul was about the timing, but can understand his feeling.  

“those who have wives... those who weep... and those who rejoice... and those who buy... and those who use the world...” - Don’t make any long term plans. Paul lists five (5) examples of things we do in life that take up our time and energy. I don’t think he is telling us not to do these - to become hermits living in a cave, looking out over the horizon for the signs of Christ's return. Live your life, day-to-day, knowing that Chris can come at any moment. Don’t let your plans for your life replace Christ as the center of your life.  

V. 32 - “I want you to be free from concern” - Don’t let your daily life be the center of your life. That is hard to say, let alone live up to.  

“One who is unmarried” - All of the concerns and attention can be directed at the work of the Lord. 

V. 33-34 - “one who is married... his interests are divided” - If you are married, do not neglect your wife. You are responsible to love and care for her. It is not a bad thing to be married, and therefore not able to give full attention to the Lord, just a fact of life.  

“The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin” - Just as with the bachelor, the single, unmarried woman can focus her service on Christ. Again, being married is not a sin, and being single does not mean automatic sainthood. 

“She may be holy in body and spirit” - That is the goal of every believer, married or not. Peter put it quite clearly,”but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written: “You shall be holy for I AM Holy.” (1 Pet. 1:15-16) 

“ one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband.“ - If you are married, do not neglect your husband. You are responsible to love and care for him. It is not a bad thing to be married, and therefore not able to give full attention to the Lord, just a fact of life. 

V. 35 - “This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you” - Paul is not trying to “cramp your style.” He is reminding us that it is the Lord Christ whom we serve. He is worthy of our worship and dedication. 

“to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.” - That’s the aim of this instruction from Paul.

 

---

***

1 Corinthians 7:17-24 - As You Were

17 Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.
18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.
20 Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called.
21 Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that.
22 For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave.
23 You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.
24 Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.

You Were Bought With A Price

V. 17 - “Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one” - It is possible this verse should be included in the previous section regarding marriage. I think this verse applies equally to the subject to be discussed here. Each of us had a life before we met Jesus, before we accepted and believed in Him.

“in this manner let him walk“ - That is, if you were married when you were saved, stay married. If you were single when saved, stay single.
Paul is not teaching that each of us is assigned a particular job or life - you were not born to be an ax murderer, nor a super-villain. You are who you are and where you are in life based on the choices you have made. You can accept or reject God’s guidance. Your decisions have led to where you are now. You have a new life in Christ; you do not need to stay in that life, living in sin. If you have been a criminal up to the point you accepted Jesus Christ, do not continue on that evil path. You can use the skills you have obtained to help others rather than hurt and destroy.

Do not give up what you have been doing (unless it is sinful and hurts or destroys others). If you were a school teacher, continue to teach. If you were a brick mason, lay it on. But, don't continue to steal or lie, or hurt people.

V. 18 - “Was any man called when he was already circumcised? ... Has anyone been called in uncircumcision?” - Don’t try to change the past, eliminate what has been done. (I have no idea how you would undo a circumcision!) However, with respect to Jews and Gentiles: when you ‘met Christ’, and believed in Him as Lord and Savior - those designations no longer are relevant. Being a Jew gains you nothing; it is the Lord Christ who has given His life as a sacrifice for your sin. Jewish-ness has not saved you. Being a Gentile has not condemned you; God loves you and sent His Son to save you. We are called to not live in the past. Jesus is our Savior, and our new life. 

In the United States at this time, we are experiencing what called “cancel culture”. Some people are trying to wipe clean the history books. They claim to be “woke”! They want to erase from history books, from the public square, from society in general, things done in the past. As if tearing down a statue of Robert E. Lee will eliminate what was done in the slave-states prior to the Civil War. They want to tear down to the ground and build anew. This was the aim of the Jacobin movement during the French Revolution. The old, bad thoughts and practices will be torn down and replaced with new, good thoughts. By the way, we will destroy you and your home and business if you don’t comply. Our past actions may not be laudatory, but we cannot be confined by them. We can learn, and change - through the leading of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Destroying the records of the past prevents us from learning what was evil and what was good. 

Paul is instructing you to accept the new life and purpose Jesus has given you. Use it to build upon, and improve your life and those around you. You are saved! You can say, “I once was lost. Now I am saved!” Jesus has given you the opportunity to share the Gospel that others may come to know Him also. This is not tearing down, destroying in order to rebuild. It is a chance to start anew, living for Jesus. There is a difference between the two ways of living - destroy/rebuild vs. new life in Christ. (See 2 Cor 5:17) One method tries to eliminate from memory what has gone before, the other knows we can learn from that time and thank God that He has given us a chance of new life in Christ. Thank God! Jesus has saved me from my sin. I know what I have done, and be sensitive so as to not fall back into it again.

V. 19 - “Circumcision is nothing” - What an astounding statement, considering it comes from a devout Jew, a Pharisee! This emphasizes what Paul has stated previously that it does not matter what you were, only what you are now. You are a child of God. You are a believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. You have been changed. You have new commandments from Jesus. Follow them.

V. 20 - “Each man must remain in that condition” - The NASB notes that “condition” can also be translated “called”. The big message here is that Jesus Christ has saved you, and is now sending you out in the world from which you came to be his messenger to that world. If you were a Jew when you accepted Christ, now you are a Christian Jew. If you were an engineer, now you are a Christian engineer. The engineering doesn't change; you have since you are now in Christ. Go be an engineer, giving glory to God and Jesus, letting your faith in Him be known. The physical parameters of the universe remain the same. Your spiritual condition has changed.

A caveat that comes to mind is that if your way of life, or making a living violates God’s moral laws - that way of life must change. If you were a bank robber, and are now saved - you must give up robbing banks. If you were are prostitute - Christ in your life dictates a career change.

All other things - job, ethnicity, family, country, education, etc., - are not important when compared to salvation offered to you.

V. 21 - “Were you called while a slave?” - Would you give up life eternal with Jesus to be able to cling to something here on earth. Being a slave of another man does not prevent you from having Jesus Christ in your life. All this you see around you is of little importance compared to knowing Jesus. Being a slave is not good. We all want to be free. Being a slave is not important for salvation to be yours.

On the other hand, if your master/owner grants you freedom, jump on it! This is a hard concept for us to grasp. Slavery has such a horrible history, especially here in the United States. I suspect that the slavery here was no worse than slave conditions anywhere or anytime. The juxtaposition of ‘freedom’ here in the U.S. with slavery being the opposite of freedom makes it seem more odious. I am not denigrating the horribleness of slavery. Other cultures and times accepted slavery as a way of life. These places and people did not champion FREEDOM! Our country broke free from England and claimed all people to be free. Yet, we allowed slavery to exist. It took a war, and thousands upon thousands of deaths to establish in fact what we espoused in words. Although slavery was officially banished, some of the thoughts and ways of slavery persisted, and oppression of the blacks was tolerated.

V. 22 - “For he who was called in the Lord” - It does not matter if you were a slave or not. Now you are Christ’s own. You are free in Christ. You are now free from sin, that is the penalty of sin as well as the coercion of sin in the life. (See: Luk. 4:18; John 8:32, 36; Rom. 6:20, 8:2, 8:21; 1 Cor. 9:1; Gal. 4:7, 5:1; Heb. 2:15) Free from sin, but beholden to Christ who saves you from your sin. You are not your own, you are Christ’s. He has paid the price - death on the cross for you. (See: Rom. 6:20; John 8:34, 15:15; 1 Cor. 12:27, 15:23; 2 Cor. 10:7)

It does not matter where you are from, what you were before. There is no difference between us when we are in Christ. We have all been purchased from sin by Christ. We could not do this ourselves. We do not have the power to overcome sin on our own. So now we are all the same - we are His own. (See: 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11)

V. 23 - “You were bought with a price” - Christ’s life, death, burial, and resurrection.

“Do not become slaves of men.” - We are required to do what Jesus Christ tells us to do. When men begin making rules on what you have to do to be saved, these rules almost always have the effect of taking us further away from Jesus. When we follow their lead, we become their followers and not the Lord’s.
Jesus died for your sin, the pastor did not, nor the priest, bishop, pope, nor any of the deacons or elders. When any of these start piling on requirements (maybe not all at once) they begin to ‘own’ you.

V. 24 - “Each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.” - Don’t make any big moves. (You’ve already made one - you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Can’t get much bigger than that.)