There’s an idea among Christians that says you’re only a really good Christian if you do certain things for God—like be a missionary in an impoverished country or sell your suburban house to live in the inner city. While living radically for Jesus can be a good, God-ordained thing for some people, making it a universal mandate can also create unnecessary pressure and lead us away from actual obedience.
There’s a huge difference between doing something because God led you to do it and doing something because you felt like you had to. That’s what Paul’s getting at in the verses we’ll study today.
Go back through 1 Corinthians 7:10-24.
10 But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband. 11 But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.
12 Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a fellow believer has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. 13 And if a believing woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. 14 For the believing wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the believing husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy. 15 (But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the believing husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.) 16 Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?
17 Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches. 18 For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now. 19 For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments.
20 Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. 21 Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ. 23 God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world. 24 Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.
(NLT)
The people in the Corinthians church thought they could do whatever they wanted—leave their marriages, force people to get circumcised, or even become a slave to pay off debts.
What do you think motivated the Corinthians to make these decisions? How could selfishness be involved?
Instead of being selfish, Paul challenged the Corinthians to remain where they were. It’s a thought that completely goes against the Christian norm even today. Instead of telling people to chase their passions, leap into vocational ministry, or move across the Mediterranean to a new city, Paul says, “Stay where you are.”
If you’re in a marriage with an unbeliever, stay. If you’re in a job that’s hard right now, stay. If you’re in a family full of tension, stay.
That’s not to say that there aren’t healthy reasons to leave a job or marriage or city. There are. But Paul wants us to default to steady, enduring faithfulness. It should be our first response.
Staying isn’t sexy. It’s hard.
The issues Paul talks about in this passage are rough. He’s not painting the Christian life as easy. It’s still risky. It could still hurt. Being a Christian is much less about big adventures than it is about everyday obedience. Jesus asks us to obey him where he’s placed us— whether it’s as a parent of four, a grocery story clerk, or a pastor of a small church. One life situation isn’t better or worse than the other. Obedience is what matters.
Think about your job, relationships, church. Pick the one that you’re most uncomfortable “staying” in. What would it look like for you to dig in your heels and persist in that area of your life?
Talk to God about your answer. If you’re wrestling with the idea of staying— especially in a less-than-ideal situation—tell him. Pray for the strength to obey, even when it’s hard.
When facing the choices in your life, how do you decide between staying put or moving on?
Text your response to the above prompting questions to your group and/or share it as a comment below
Been going thrugh something like for a little bit. Trying to see where the lord wanted me last year. I was coaching for 7 years at the place I was at last year and life got very complacent. Very familiar faces and same system for a long time. When I made the decision to move down to OC I felt like there were a lot of things that came in line. I knew I needed a community and I felt that from all the guys at rp. Not only that I knew I wanted to sevre the lord and I remember last year at a dinner at pho lover I got asked to do cm. So iffy staying steady and seeing where God nudges you is a big thing.
When facing a choice between staying and moving on can definitely be a hard thing. Sometimes in our mind leaving can make the most sense and seem like the right thing to do but at the same time, I know that we are shortsighted as human beings and thus we must depend on the Lord. One of my favorite verses in the Bible and one that generally guides me is Proverbs 16:9 which says that in his heart a man plans his course but it is the Lord who determines his steps. So one of my prayers in this kind of situation is to ultimately pray that no matter what I decide that God would ultimately guide me in these types of decisions. Therefore, whether I stay or go, I know that God is always doing things according to His plans and I need to adjust my life accordingly.