I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short …. (1 Cor. 7:29a)

What do we do with a text based on a premise that turned out to be incorrect – at least in the way he author 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 (vv. 29-31). [DD]

He was wrong. 

Almost 2,000 years later, the world is still chugging along.

But Paul was also right. 

People who follow Jesus no longer belong entirely belong to the world as it is. They are called to live as citizens of God’s kingdom who consider kingdom values in their daily living – including decisions they make about marriage.

Many choose to ignore this text, while others misinterpret it. Let’s see if we can take a 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 brought to him by “Chloe’s people” in chapters 1-6 to questions raised in a letter he had received from the church. [DD] 

In chapter 6, Paul had 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 celibate marriage – which could have contributed to the problems addressed in the previous chapter.

Paul never mentions having a wife, and he apparently traveled as a single man. Still, he understood that sexual relations are an important 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 has a certain claim to 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 to remain single, 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 also recognized that marriage was preferable to frustration for those who did not have the gift of celibacy (vv. 8-9). He furthermore held that married people should stay married, even if one partner had converted while their spouse had not (vv. 10-16).

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.” 

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 search for 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). 

Paul shows no evidence of having experienced the positive and fulfilling aspects of a good marriage in which a shared life between compatible adults can reduce stress and multiply joy. But, he had apparently observed some marriages that were ridden with strife. 

Eschatological assumptions (vv. 29-31)

With v. 29 we come to the crux of Paul’s position: “I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no possessions, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.” (vv. 29-31). 

Paul’s advice in this chapter is largely situational. His 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 would become inconsequential if the present world was 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 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, while still understanding that our life on this earth could end at any time. 

Thus, Paul’s opinion that concerns about marriage were entirely secondary to evangelizing the world before Christ’s imminent return may seem less persuasive to modern readers. 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). That 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. [DD]

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 to 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 concern 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 more focused on pleasing God than on pleasing your spouse.” 

It is true that married persons have responsibilities and cares 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. 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). [DD]

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 any widow 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 base our decisions on Paul’s fervent belief that the days were short. Indeed, if the church is to have a future, it will be important for Christian couples to demonstrate the positive aspects of marriage as one means of inspiring future generations of disciples.