Epistles of Paul 35

Well, good evening, brethren. Tonight we're going to cover a section of 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. In his epistle to the Corinthians, Paul addresses various issues in the spirit of love and gentleness. He started by addressing sexual immorality in the church, and the issue of judging others in situations that may occur. Then he moved on to the topic of marriage, which is what we are covering today, and that is in 1 Corinthians 7. So we could call it the marriage chapter. He addresses in this chapter two basic issues. One, whether the unmarried should marry, and two, whether the married ought to continue to live together. So those seem to be the two main issues that he addresses. We hope to cover today up to verse 16 of chapter 7. So let me read verse 1. Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me. So we see here that Paul is addressing a number of things that they were written to him. So he was not addressing the whole issue of marriage, but he is addressing things that or specific issues that they wrote to him about or they questioned him.

So there are a number of things that we need to keep in context here. One is the culture of the day. At that time, quite often marriages were arranged for one. And so the culture was very different than it is today. But he's addressing things that they asked questions about. And so continuing reading in verse 1, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. Now what do you mean by not to touch a woman?

Obviously, in the context, he's talking about touch a woman in an inappropriate manner, in a manner which is inappropriate. For instance, being sexually involved with a woman that you're not married. So he says, is it good for a man not to touch a woman? That's what we know. And basically, he says it's not good to practice fornication or adultery or any immoral activity. Nevertheless, verse 2, because of sexual immorality, in other words, to avoid sexual immorality, like lusts, passions that people may have, whatever, let each man have his own wife and let each woman have her own husband. So let people, therefore, get married. And then he goes on in verse 3, let the husband render to his wife the affection due to her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. And here he's talking about sexual obligations in marriage. And it was also basically meaning that we're not to use those as a weapon to get your own way. So he's talking about these sexual obligations. And so it says, let husband render to his wife the affection due to her. Now affection due to her, of course, it's hugs and kisses, but in this context we should include, and mostly that is the main meaning of it, is the conjugal or the duties as a husband and wife, the conjugal duties. Basically, the husband and wife, they become one flesh, and there's a proper relationship between the two, which is godly, and they're not to deprive one from the other. And EI is explaining that the maid has authority in this area. So he says, let a husband render to his wife the affection due to her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body in these conjugal duties, but the husband does. And likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. So EI is a loving, caring relationship, but fulfilling those conjugal duties, and thus again, ties in to the point of verse two, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let them give each other the due authority in a godly way of their sexual duties within the marriage union, which is godly. Let's go on to verse five. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time. And so you're not to say, well, I'm going to deprive, I'm going to go on a fast, or something like that for the next number of days, and then deprive the other, unless you both agree on it, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer, and then come together again, so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. So in these sexual matters, if one does not have control, it's better to make sure that you come together with those conjugal duties, unless one has consented to it, if they both agreed to it.

But I say this as a concession, not as a command. And so isn't it, is it at this moment saying, I am talking about things which are my judgment, my understanding, and then it continues, for I wish that all men were even as I am. And he was single, and he may have been the only unmarried apostle, and he had a certain self-control, a certain, let's call, temperament in his passions, a certain temperament. And so I wish all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift, his own talents, his own abilities, but also his own temperament and way of dealing with things, particularly in this context, dealing with things related to sex, one in this manner and another in that. And so we need to understand why was Paul referring to this situation that he says to let each one as his own gift, and he says, let all men be even as myself. Why? It's good to understand something that was happening at the time. And if we just jump briefly to verse 26, it basically says the same thing. And then it says in verse 26, I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present stress, that it is good for a man to remain as is. So there were certain difficulties in the church, maybe in the society, maybe there were certain persecutions, and therefore under those conditions, which seemed to be a temporary situation, it was good for people to just remain as they were. So something was happening in Corinth, and the Bible doesn't tell us what it was. That was happening in that congregation. There motivated Paul to say that. So therefore, let's understand, it could not be Paul's wish that marriage should cease between people because definitely society wouldn't survive. So it was not that to stop marriage and people to just stay single. So that's why it says, because of the present, to stress. There was some specific persecution or difficulty in the church or around that area, that it was wise for people to just leave things as they were for the time being.

So basically, again, he's saying, I wish that all men were as myself. They had a temperament like I do. But again, he says, be careful that Satan doesn't tempt you. He's also saying that because we read that in verse five. So if a person's temperament is one that he struggles with his passions and he's restless and ill at ease and full of natural cravings, then he says, well, then get married. Don't stay single or in a situation that is going to put you in a way that is going to be ungodly. Then marry. He says, then marry.

Therefore, Paul is not saying that one must or must not marry. But he is saying that in the present, the stress, there may be some situations and the present stress that some people should remain as they are. And so basically, there's no sin in not marrying or there's no sin in changing your situation. So Paul was not by any means saying that marriage was a morally inferior condition. I mean, you and I just have to go to Ephesians chapter five. And so let's go to Ephesians chapter five very briefly, because Paul there in Ephesians chapter five, starting from verse 23, he says, for the husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church. And he is the saviour of the body. Christ is the saviour of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let wives be to their own husbands in everything. So he is raising up the marriage to a level of a relationship between Christ and the church. He then says husbands love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. And so that he might sanctify and cleanser with the washing of water by the word. And so he's actually raising up the responsibility of a husband to a very high level. And then, as we read in verse 32, he's saying, this is a great mystery, this whole marriage relationship and the loving, nourishing, cherishing care of one towards another, of being one flesh, one flesh of being together as one. He says this is a great mystery because he says I speak concerning Christ and the church. So the relationship between husband and wife is very important to Paul. So Paul was not saying that one being married was inferior in any way than one being single. But he is clearly in 1 Corinthians chapter 7 referring to a present, a present situation, a present distress that we're encountering. Look at also in verse 32 and 33.

Look at verse 32 and 33 of 1 Corinthians 7. But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world how he may please his wife. So he's saying under the present distress it was very important to be focused on specific things regarding the church. So there was some issue happening at that time. And therefore those that were unmarried were very available and valuable for the church in that situation. But he also understood that for some people remaining unmarried was not possible. And so he said that's why he said this is not a commandment but this is what I say. He says here I say this is a concession not as a commandment. He says that in verse 6. So he understands very clearly that what is good for one man is not necessarily good for another. Every man must have sustained for himself what is best for him. And this is also another important point here. Some people feel incomplete and unsatisfied or not fulfilled in society unless they marry. And so they say, well, I've got to marry. I've got to marry. But you've got to be careful because if you just marry to just say, well, I'm getting married to be happy, marriage is not necessarily always the solution to one's unhappiness. True marriage is one but one of the many paths or paths to happiness. But to some people staying single may be a straight path to happiness as well. So God needs people of all kinds. So that's why some people stay single. Some people get married. Of course God wants people to get married because he wants children. But we can't prejudge if some people don't get married.

So to then marry, they should be considering how can our best serve Christ. With the married, they should do the same thing. But they also need to have other considerations like the family and the wife or the husband and other things related to the commitment that they've made at marriage. So that's why we read in verse 33 of 1 Corinthians 7, that he who is married cares about the things of the world, how he may please his wife. So not saying that's wrong, but that's a commitment, a promise he's made, a vow he's made at marriage. Therefore, he has to do that. Whilst one that is single, that he says in verse 32 of 1 Corinthians 7, but I want you to be without care, he who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. So the one that is unmarried may have more time for things related to serving the church. And so under the current situation, he saw that as a wise way to consider, but he was not saying you should be single. Again, you're going to read in that in the context of verse 5. At the end of verse 5, he says that Satan, you've got to be careful, you've got to beware that Satan does not take advantage of you, and that you may be under constant temptation, and because of that, you end up sinning. So you've got to be careful that if your temperament is such, it is better for you to marry, or also if you agree to be, if you consent not to have the conjugal rights for a little period, then it must be in a mutual agreement. And so that's what he's talking about here. So those were instructions up to verse 9, from verse 2 and 3 to verse 9, were instructions to the unmarried and obviously to widows as well, because it says in verse 8, I say to the unmarried and to the widows. It's good for them if they remain even as I am, but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. So that was his instruction here around the point that they asked him, as we read there in verse 1, that they wrote to him, and he was addressing that question. Then they had another question, another specific question about married, and then they had another question also about the rest. The married is in verse 10 and 11, and the rest starts in verse 12. So in verse 10 and 11, let's read. Now to the married, I command, I command yet, not I, but the Lord. So there is a very specific instruction from God that it says, a wife is not to depart from her husband. It was not to separate from her husband. And verse is clearly talking about to the married that both are in the church. So he is talking about two married people, brethren, brother and sister, married, that are members of the church.

And so it's a very clear instruction. Don't separate. Don't think, oh well, now I'll give more time to God by being separated. Don't do that.

And so it refers to what Christ says. Now what does Christ say about this matter? Well, let's read it in Matthew 19 verse 6. Matthew 19 verse 6. Matthew 19 verse 6 is talking about, so then they're no longer two but one flesh.

And is, well, let's start reading with, they asked him, is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason? That's in verse 3. That's how the Pharisees. And verse 4, he said, he answered and said to them, have you not heard that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female? And for this reason man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. And so then they no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate. And clearly this is applicable to two people in the church, two people married in the church.

Continue. Then they said to him, then why did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce and to put them away? Well, Moses didn't command, gave them an allowance. But anyway, verse 8, he said to them, Moses, because of their hardness, of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning, it was not so. That's not what God intends. That's not what it should be. And so that for two people in the church, they should not separate, as we read in verse 6, Matthew 19 verse 6. Also in Mark 10 verse 9, Mark 10 says basically the same thing. Mark 10 verse 9 says, says, therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate. So that's what Paul is now referring here to what Christ said in 1 Corinthians 7. 1 Corinthians 7, it says, a wife is not to depart from her husband. In verse 10, 1 Corinthians 7 verse 10. And continuing, but even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled. Let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled. And her husband is not to divorce his wife. So let's go back to Matthew 19. It says, Matthew 19, and now we're going to read verse 9. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual sexual immorality. So if the two separate, it says, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, he commits adultery. And whoever marries her, who is divorced, commits adultery. So two members in the church, two brethren in the church, that separate. Not because of sexual immorality, they just separate. That's what it says here. In 1 Corinthians 7 verse 11, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband. Why? Because if they go and divorce somebody, say, go and marry somebody else, they're committing adultery. Because let no man depart or separate. Because once, as we read in Matthew 19, it says, therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate. So if two people are in the church, you are to remain married, or if you separate, you can't remarry.

So let's continue reading in verse 11. So it says, an husband is not to divorce his wife, not to separate, and specifically not to divorce. In verse 10, the word is not to depart, which is more just separate. In verse 11, it says not to divorce. So in either case, just separation or divorce, they are not to do it. And if they do separate, if they do depart, they're not to marry again. So two people in the church are not free to remarry. So when you marry someone in the church, you're going to understand the commitment, the consequences that you marry till death do us part, not to divorce, or not to separate. Now, granted, in Matthew 19, Matthew 19, it did give an exception clause, except for sexual immorality. In fact, there are two reasons for divorce and an annulment as well. So we'll go on to that a little later. So these were the instructions to the married. Married in the church, and he refers to what Christ says. They are not to separate. All right, let's now continue in verse 12 and 13. And now it addresses a different group. And this group is but to the rest. To the rest. So who is the rest?

To the rest, I, not the Lord. Why? Because there's no biblical instruction about this group of people. Previous biblical instruction, let's put it this way, there was no previous biblical instruction. Yes, there is a biblical instruction now, because we've got it here in 1 Corinthians 7 verse 12 from Paul. But it says to the rest. And who are the rest? The rest is one might is in the church, and the other might is unconverted. And so there's no previous written instruction, specifically from the Lord, in this matter. So we're talking about one is in the church, and the other one is not in the church, or let's call it an unbeliever. So, let's read this verse completely, verse 12. But to the rest, I, not the Lord, say, if any brother as a wife who does not believe, and was an unbeliever, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, and he's willing to live with her, let her not divorce. So, just because one is unconverted, one is an unbeliever, that's not a reason to divorce. Note that the word divorce is the word used at the end of verse 11, at the end of verse 12, and at the end of verse 13. It's the same word. And so, just because one member is an unbeliever, is not a reason to divorce. What basically saying is, the other member is willing to accept your religion. Well, he's not willing to live it. The other member doesn't live it. But he is not causing you problems and headaches and heartaches that makes life miserable and a bondage. So, the other member is not causing those problems. So, he's willing to live with her. Willing to live, it's important to understand, is actions, is a way of living, is not just words. It's really actions. So, let's continue verse 14. For or because the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife. In other words, he's set apart. He's separated, set apart. He's in a separate group. And the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband. In other words, they are in a separate category. They could respond to God's to God and they could come to God. Otherwise, your children would be unclean. Now, they are holy. They are, the children, have now a chance to understand and to be in a different category. They are set apart, the children. So, one member of the family is in the church or in the faith and another member of the family is not in the church. The one that is not in the church is set apart. It could, it could come to the truth. It could accept it. God is opening up a way for him or her to accept it if he's willing to respond and to change. Likewise, the children. Likewise, the children. Verse 15. But, verse 15, if the unbeliever departs, let him depart. If the unbeliever says, I want to go, let him go.

A brother or sister is not and bondage in such cases. What do you mean, bondage? You see, you made a bond, you made a vow, you made a commitment at marriage to be devoted to your mate in sickness, in health, in ritual, poor, in good days or bad days. You made a bond, you made a commitment. But if the unbeliever departs, you're not under that bondage, that bond anymore. And it could be that he is departed, as it says here. Or it could be, as it says in verse 12 and 13, he's willing to live with her or with him.

In other words, he's showing by actions that he's willing to live. Now, what about the believing one? Because yeah, in verse 15 says, if the unbeliever departs, yes, there is a big responsibility that is left on the unbeliever, and the believer departs, but what if the believer is being abused? What if the believer is being physically threatened? His life or her life is physically threatened. But it says, well, I'm willing to live with you, but it's abusive or she's abusive. Or she's abusive. It says you're not under bondage.

You're not under bondage, because, as it says in verse 12 and 13, he or she is not willing to live at peace with the other, is not willing to live at peace. And so, when we talk about divorce and remarriage, there are two reasons that we believe in the Church for divorce and a third one, which is an annulment.

So there's two reasons for divorce. The first one is sexual immorality, and that is what we read in Matthew 19 verse 9. It says, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality. The word there is porneia, which obviously includes any sexual form of sexual misconduct. Let's put it this way. So it could be fornication, and it could be adultery. Now, in years before, in the Church, we thought that it only meant or applied to fornication that there was something before marriage. But the word porneia is sexual immorality, which includes adultery. So it's not just something before marriage, but during marriage, and could be any form of sexual misconduct.

Now, does it mean that if there is one slip-up, you're not going to forgive? No, this is talking about habitual, because there should be willingness to repent, opportunity for repentance and change, and willingness to forgive. That obviously is a whole different subject, but it's actually talking about an unwillingness to change and to repent. If a person did something once, and he's repented, look, maybe the relationship will never be the same, but one has to forgive.

We've got to forgive, right, upon repentance, particularly in this case, upon repentance. So that's one reason of divorce. The other second reason for divorce is the one we just read in 1 Corinthians 7, in which the unbeliever is not pleased to dwell with the believer. So that's the second reason of divorce. Now, I also mentioned there is also a third, which is what we call an annulment.

So there's two reasons for divorce, and the other one is an annulment. An annulment is when there's a fraudulent marriage, or put it in other ways, deception in the marriage. The biblical example is based in Matthew chapter 1, and we'll start reading in verse 18. Matthew chapter 1 verse 18. And this is about the birth of Jesus Christ, and Hothrie's mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph.

So they had made a commitment that they were going to marry, and so for all practical purposes, as if they already married, they had made a commitment, we're going to get married, they will be betrothed, and before they came together. So before they got married, and actually married before they had any sexual activity between the two, Mary was found of child of the Holy Spirit. So imagine what would a man that if suddenly sees the woman pregnant, they have made a commitment, they're going to be faithful to one another, and then suddenly she's pregnant. Obviously, in his mind, he's going to think that she had a sexual relationship with somebody else.

I mean, you're not going to think, oh well, this woman had conception from the Holy Spirit. Obviously, you're not going to think of that. So Joseph, her husband, being a just man, verse 19, in order wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away quietly, secretly, we'll divorce, we'll separate, we'll annul this engagement, and we'll do it nice and quietly. And while he thought about these things, beyond the natural of the Lord appeared to him in the dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, don't be afraid to take to you, Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit, is of the Holy Spirit which proceeds from the Father, right?

The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. And so that's the seed that proceeded from the Father. And she, Mary, will bring forth her son, and you shall call him his name, Jesus, Savior, for he will save his people from their sins. And so if this was done, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord concerning through the prophets, saying, Be all the Virgin shall be of child and be the son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is translated, God with us.

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, that was you got up, you woke up, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took to him his wife, and he did not know her. He had no sexual relationships with her till she had brought forth a firstborn son, and he called his name Jesus. And so what we have here is an example that if there was a fraud, or when there is a fraud, an annulment is permitted. So this is a case in which there's some deception, or some information that was withheld from that person, and if that other person knew about it, they would have not married.

Let me give you some examples. Say for instance, one of the two, a man or a woman, is not a virgin.

They should declare to one another before marriage.

Otherwise, later on, the other one could say, well, had I known, I would have not married you. It's a decision that they would have to make. It doesn't say, just because one of the parties says, well, I'm not a virgin, does not say, well, I'm not going to marry you. But it says that you told the other party before marriage, and they were willing to forgive and move forwards, and they get married. But at least there's no fraudulent action before the marriage that was not declared.

For instance, it could be in a case that one person maybe was a prostitute, and they did it for a certain period. Now they stopped, and they repented, and now they converted, and now they got baptized. Now before they married, they need to declare to the other person before marriage, so the other person is aware. Maybe the person was addicted to drugs. They need to know that this was the case before marriage. Maybe a person is mentally ill. They need to declare these things before marriage. The other party has the right to know before marriage. Well, for instance, it's not maybe tell all the details, well, I had an unfaithful relationship with this person on this date, at this time, and whatever. No, it's not a question of those details, but it's a question of saying, hey, I did have a relationship, and I've changed, I've repented, and that's it.

And so those are the two reasons for divorce, sexual immorality, and an unbeliever not pleased to dwell. And we also talked about the possibility of an annulment, which is there was deception that was not declared before marriage, and the other party had a right to know and wasn't told, so it can annul that marriage. There are also a number of differences from case to case, even though we said these are the two basic reasons, and the annulment. Every little case, the specifics are different. Every case specifics are different. And so as a minister, and in the church we have a specific group of ministers that may be convened if the couple wants to, to address, to make decisions, and to address, and to give counsel in those matters. So each case is different. There are details that vary from case to case, but if both are in the church, they should not separate, and if they do, they should reconcile sooner or later. It is advisable to reconcile, as Paul said, he said in verse 11, 1 Corinthians 7, verse 11, but even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled. So if that happened, and they both are in the church, they're going to remain unmarried, or they need to reconcile if they're both in the church. So what about if there was some sin like before one is converted?

For instance, what if a person married, got divorced, and whatever, and now is single, and now married, and now is converted? Well, the baptism, as we know, baptism, when we're baptism, all our past sins are forgiven, and so all sins are forgiven, even sins related to the sex act are forgiven, all past sins upon baptism. And so at baptism, God forgives all our past sins on the conditions of belief and repentance, and then repentance means a permanent repentance, a genuine repentance, and therefore we need also likewise to forgive. So continue now to conclude in verse 15 and 16. But if the unbeliever departs, so this is the unbeliever that does depart, living the part, a brother or sister is not under bondage in such cases. So that's what we talked about. Therefore that bond, that commitment, in sickness or in health, in good times or bad times, and richer or poorer, that bond, they're not under that bond anymore, because the unbeliever has departed. And that's what he says and that's to the rest. In verse 12, 1 Corinthians 7, to the rest. Now we continue reading verse 16. For how do you know a wife, whether you will save your husband, or how do you know a husband, whether you save your wife? And so if they're willing to live together, if there is a genuine willingness to live together, even though one is in the church and the other is not, one of them is sanctified, even though he's not in the church, the other is sanctified, even though he's not in the church. And so how do you know, through your example of sticking to it, not talking about situations where people are abused, but how do you know a wife or a husband, whether you save your other, your spouse? So brethren, that's today what I wanted to cover. 1 Corinthians 7, verse 1 through verse 16. And next week we hope to continue starting from verse 17.