Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 7:25 –

“Now concerning virgins, I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.”

What do we do with a text whose author’s advice is based on a premise that turned out to be incorrect – at least in the way he expected? That’s precisely what we find in 1 Corinthians 7:25-40, where Paul based a series of opinions about marriage on the assumption that Christ’s return was just around the corner and life as usual was coming to an end. [DD]

He was wrong.

Almost 2,000 years later, the world is still chugging along and Christ has not returned.

But Paul was also right.

People who follow Jesus no longer belong entirely belong to the world as it is, but are called to live as citizens of God’s kingdom who seek to realize kingdom values in their daily living.

What do we do with a text like this? Many choose to ignore it, while others misinterpret it. Let’s see if we can take a responsible and helpful approach to Paul’s comments about sex and marriage in an uncertain world.

Personal opinions (vv. 25-28)

We begin with a word of context. Chapter 7 marks a clear shift in 1 Corinthians, as Paul turns from issues that had been raised by “Chloe’s people” to questions raised in a letter he had received from the church. [DD]

While chapter 6 addressed an apparent faction of church members who had adopted an anything-goes approach to sex outside of marriage, in chapter 7 Paul responds to some who apparently promoted the ideals of a sexless marriage – a possible contributor to the problems addressed in the previous chapter!

Paul was unmarried, but understood that sexual relations are an innate and appropriate aspect of marriage that should continue, lest people be tempted to seek sex outside of marriage (vv. 1-2). Husbands and wives should willingly engage in conjugal relations with their spouses, he said (v. 3), recognizing that each had a certain authority over the other’s body (v. 4). [DD] Paul conceded that spouses might abstain from relations for a set period to focus on prayer, but only by mutual agreement, and then to avoid temptation (vv. 5-6).

While Paul wished that others shared his choice of a single and celibate life, he saw celibacy as a spiritual gift that few people possessed (v. 7). He encouraged unmarried persons to remain unmarried and focus on Christian service, but recognized that marriage was preferable to continual frustration for those who did not have the gift of celibacy (vv. 8-9), and believed that married people should stay married, even if they had converted while their spouses had not (vv. 10-16). [DD]

After digressing to state a general belief that all believers should remain in the state they were in when called to faith (vv. 17-24), Paul returned to the questions asked by the church, one of which had to do with “virgins” (v. 25).

We can’t be certain, but Paul was probably addressing a question about whether young people who were engaged should proceed with their marriages. Here he chose to tread carefully, noting that he had no clear “word of the Lord” on the subject, but was willing to share his opinion “as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.”

And Paul was not short on opinions. He believed it was better for believers to remain as they were, whether married or unmarried. The basis of Paul’s opinion was “in view of the impending crisis,” or better, “in view of the present necessity” (v. 26) – his belief that Christ would return soon.

Those who were married need not dissolve their marriage, and those who were single need not be in search of a partner, he said (v. 27). Speaking from the perspective of a bachelor who cherished his freedom from marital obligations, Paul added “Yet those who marry will experience distress in this life, and I would spare you that” (v. 28b).

The one-sided nature of Paul’s experience is apparent. Without having experienced the positive and fulfilling aspects of marriage, Paul could not appreciate the ways in which a shared life can reduce stress and multiply joy, enabling spouses to live more happily and effectively in other areas of life, as well.

Eschatological assumptions (vv. 29-31)

With v. 29 we come to the crux of Paul’s position: “And I say this, brothers and sisters: The time is short. So then those who have wives should be as those who have none, those with tears like those not weeping, those who rejoice like those not rejoicing, those who buy like those without possessions, those who use the world as though they were not using it to the full. For the present shape of this world is passing away” (vv. 29-31, NET).

This reminds us that Paul’s advice in this chapter is largely situational. His unequivocally eschatological outlook rendered long-term planning about marriage, work-related matters, or other cares of the world almost irrelevant. In his view, even states of mourning or happiness had become immaterial. Likewise, poverty, wealth, and social engagement become inconsequential if the present world is about to end.

Paul was speaking to a very different situation than the one in which we live. He was dealing with a church in which some had responded to the eschatological expectations by thinking it didn’t matter how much sex they had, or with whom – while others thought any sex was inappropriate as they awaited the end of the age.

Many years later, it is evident that Paul’s apocalyptic predictions were misplaced, and we have no reason to think we should not be planning for the long haul in life and in relationships.

Thus, Paul’s opinion that concerns about marriage were entirely secondary to evangelizing the world before Christ’s imminent return don’t necessarily apply to us. Jesus’ teachings suggested the expectation of a quick return, but he also made it clear that no one knew when the end would come, and that even he did not know (Mark 13:32 and parallels). [DD] This means we do need to be thinking about long-term commitments such as marriage and child-raising and involvement in matters affecting both society and the environment.

This is one of those cases where too much attention to a single biblical text – without an appropriate understanding of its situational context – can be more harmful than helpful. Some modern Christians, for example, see no need to be concerned about global warming, the depletion of energy resources, or overpopulation, because they believe the second coming of Christ will circumvent any need for long-term planning or care for the environment.

None of us can say how long we will be on this earth, whether our end comes through death or through divine intervention – but all of us should live responsibly and with an eye toward caring for future generations as well as our own.

Devotional distractions (vv. 32-40)

In the latter part of the chapter, Paul continues discussing the pros and cons of marriage, though clearly from a satisfied bachelor’s point of view. In vv. 32-34, he said “I want you to be free from anxieties,” but what he meant was “I want you to be worried about pleasing God and not about pleasing your spouse.”

It is true that married persons have responsibilities and cares (including children) that celibate singles do not have. It is also true that the steady love and mutual support one finds in a good marriage can nurture a stable foundation for effective Christian living, but such a thought does not seem to have crossed Paul’s mind.

At least Paul was honest about his motives: he preferred being single but did not wish “to put any restraint” on those who chose to marry. His motive was “to promote good and unhindered devotion to the Lord” (v. 35), which he thought marriage could impede.

This thought carries into vv. 36-38, which are difficult to translate, because we do not know if Paul was addressing fathers who were concerned about giving their daughters in marriage, or young men who were engaged. [DD] In either case, Paul congratulated those who kept their desires under control and thus chose to refrain from marriage, which he believed to be the better course (vv. 37-38).

Paul closed the discussion of marriage with a word to widows, noting that they were free to marry another believer (“only in the Lord”), though he thought she would be “more blessed if she remains as she is” (vv. 39-40). He closed with a reminder that he was speaking his own opinions, though confident “that I have the Spirit of God.”

If 1 Corinthians 7 were a song, it would have several verses, but all on the same theme, Paul’s belief that the end was near and that the ordinary human concerns associated with marital obligations should take a back seat to devoting oneself to serving Christ full time.

As responsible readers, we must keep in mind the situational nature of Paul’s advice. While we are indeed called to follow Christ’s teachings and live out kingdom values from day to day, we need not share his fervent belief that the days are short. Indeed, if the church is to have a future, it will be important for Christian couples to demonstrate the positive aspects of marriage and to raise up future generations of disciples.