Reading 1 Corinthians feels like watching Paul take the Corinthians on a walk through their problems and we\u2019re just along for the ride. It\u2019s similar to taking a guided tour through an art museum. The guide plants you in front of painting after painting, pointing out different things you might not have noticed on your own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So far, Paul\u2019s discussed several areas where the Corinthians were messing up\u2014 leadership, sexuality, and lawsuits. Though Paul\u2019s talking about ancient problems in an ancient church, their issues are similar\u2014if not the same\u2014to the ones we experience today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same goes for this week\u2019s chapter. Paul will ask us to reassess how we approach our romantic relationships\u2014whether we\u2019re single, married, widowed, divorced, or engaged. The bottom line is that romance and relationships were never meant to satisfy us. We have much, much more to live for. We can be faithful to God where he\u2019s placed us while also being hopeful\u00a0for the future. And that\u2019s what we\u2019ll be talking about in this week\u2019s trek through 1 Corinthians 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We grow up always looking for what\u2019s next. It starts in grade school. We long for next year\u2019s teacher or a locker or graduation. Then we look forward to getting a degree, finding a spouse, or having kids. It\u2019s easy to be dissatisfied with where we are right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chapter 7 is about marriage, singleness, and everything in between. Paul wants the Corinthians to apply the selfless Christian life to their relationships. He tackles the desire we all have to obsess over what\u2019s coming instead of what\u2019s in front of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before we dive into this chapter, take a few minutes to reflect on your current life stage, specifically when it comes to romantic relationships.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Are you single? Married? Divorced? Widowed? Would you say you\u2019re happy with your relationship status?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s most difficult about where you are right now? The most exciting? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With your answer in mind, grab your Bible and read all of 1 Corinthians 7. While you\u2019re reading, jot down any observations you make about your current life stage. Write down any questions you might have about those verses. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1<\/sup><\/strong> Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations. 2<\/sup><\/strong> But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.<\/p> 3<\/sup><\/strong> The husband should fulfill his wife\u2019s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband\u2019s needs. 4<\/sup><\/strong> The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.<\/p> 5<\/sup><\/strong> Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won\u2019t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6<\/sup><\/strong> I say this as a concession, not as a command. 7<\/sup><\/strong> But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.<\/p> 8<\/sup><\/strong> So I say to those who aren\u2019t married and to widows\u2014it\u2019s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 9<\/sup><\/strong> But if they can\u2019t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It\u2019s better to marry than to burn with lust.<\/p> 10<\/sup><\/strong> 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<\/sup><\/strong> But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.<\/p> 12<\/sup><\/strong> 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<\/sup><\/strong> 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<\/sup><\/strong> 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<\/sup><\/strong> (But if the husband or wife who isn\u2019t 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<\/sup><\/strong> Don\u2019t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don\u2019t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?<\/p> 17<\/sup><\/strong> 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<\/sup><\/strong> 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<\/sup><\/strong> For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God\u2019s commandments.<\/p> 20<\/sup><\/strong> Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. 21<\/sup><\/strong> Are you a slave? Don\u2019t let that worry you\u2014but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22<\/sup><\/strong> 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<\/sup><\/strong> God paid a high price for you, so don\u2019t be enslaved by the world. 24<\/sup><\/strong> Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.<\/p> 25<\/sup><\/strong> Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. I do not have a command from the Lord for them. But the Lord in his mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you. 26<\/sup><\/strong> Because of the present crisis, I think it is best to remain as you are. 27<\/sup><\/strong> If you have a wife, do not seek to end the marriage. If you do not have a wife, do not seek to get married. 28<\/sup><\/strong> But if you do get married, it is not a sin. And if a young woman gets married, it is not a sin. However, those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems.<\/p> 29<\/sup><\/strong> But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. 30<\/sup><\/strong> Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. 31<\/sup><\/strong> Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.<\/p> 32<\/sup><\/strong> I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord\u2019s work and thinking how to please him. 33<\/sup><\/strong> But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. 34<\/sup><\/strong> His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. 35<\/sup><\/strong> I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.<\/p> 36<\/sup><\/strong> But if a man thinks that he\u2019s treating his fianc\u00e9e improperly and will inevitably give in to his passion, let him marry her as he wishes. It is not a sin. 37<\/sup><\/strong> But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry. 38<\/sup><\/strong> So the person who marries his fianc\u00e9e does well, and the person who doesn\u2019t marry does even better.<\/p> 39<\/sup><\/strong> A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves the Lord. 40<\/sup><\/strong> But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God\u2019s Spirit when I say this.<\/p>1 Corinthians 7 (NLT)<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Yesterday in the message, we hit on our big idea for this chapter: Keep Your Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, live faithfully in the life stage God\u2019s placed you in<\/em>. That\u2019s what we\u2019re going to unpack in the next four days\u2014 what it means to be present and others-focused wherever God\u2019s placed us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a lot to cover in these forty verses. No matter if you\u2019re married or single, there\u2019s something for you in this chapter. If your questions don\u2019t get answered through this week\u2019s study, talk with a trusted Christian friend or pastor.\u00a0But let’s start with this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you can ask God one of your questions about relationships (single, married, divorced, widowed, etc), what would you ask?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Text your response to the above prompting questions to your group and\/or share it as a comment below<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Reading 1 Corinthians feels like watching Paul take the Corinthians on a walk through their problems and we\u2019re just along for the ride. It\u2019s similar to taking a guided tour through an art museum. The guide plants you in front of painting after painting, pointing out different things you might not have noticed on your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n Welcome!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Welcome to the book of 1 Corinthians. As we study this letter, we\u2019ll step into ancient Corinth while reading the words Paul wrote to the fledgling church. We\u2019re going to see that, like all churches, the Corinthian church wasn\u2019t perfect. They had a problem. A big problem. And it grew to such an epic proportion that it poisoned the church in various ways. Paul wrote to provide the antidote. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this study, we\u2019re going to explore Paul\u2019s solution to both the problems in Corinth and in us. Through his words, we\u2019ll learn more about Jesus\u2019s plan for a people who live radically different lives than the world around them. But we\u2019ll also take a hard look in the mirror and ask the Spirit to point out our own self-centered attitudes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Reading the Bible isn\u2019t just something we do to impress people or to check off on a to-do list. It\u2019s about getting to know God. It\u2019s about shaping every minute of our lives to reflect Jesus. It\u2019s about thinking differently in the power of the Spirit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So as we approach each week, we\u2019ll focus on one main idea. That main idea will point us to change how we think, feel, and act. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This week, we\u2019ll see that resolving relational disunity begins in our hearts because division is a symptom of self-focus. From this main idea, we have three goals: <\/p>\n\n\n\n First Corinthians will take us on a journey. We\u2019ll look at the struggles of one of the first local churches in all of history. We\u2019ll see that the Corinthians weren\u2019t much different from us. And we\u2019ll realize that Paul\u2019s words to them still ring true today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But before we jump into 1 Corinthians, spend a few minutes writing out a short prayer to God. Ask him to use this study to change you. <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Open up your Bible to 1 Corinthians. Go ahead and read the entire first chapter. As you read, ask yourself this question: What was the problem in the Corinthian church?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1 Corinthians 1:1\u201331 (ESV): <\/p> 1\u00a0Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, \u201cI will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.\u201d<\/p> 20\u00a0Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21\u00a0For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22\u00a0For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23\u00a0but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24\u00a0but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25\u00a0For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.<\/p> 26\u00a0For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27\u00a0But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28\u00a0God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29\u00a0so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30\u00a0And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31\u00a0so that, as it is written, \u201cLet the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The Corinthian church suffered from division. We\u2019ll see it all throughout the book. The struggling church fought over leadership, spiritual gifts, food, marriage, and theology. Since the theme of disunity runs throughout the letter, it\u2019s tempting to think that was the church\u2019s problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it wasn\u2019t. Disunity was only a symptom of a far more insidious\u2014and common\u2014 disease. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you catch the real issue that was going on in Corinth? It was selfishness. They were so consumed with themselves that they tried to solve their problems their own way, held on to their culture, and, as a result, blasted chasms between them and other Christians.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n No one likes to admit to selfishness\u2014 especially people who claim to follow Jesus. But it often sneaks into our lives in ways we don\u2019t readily see. And then it spills over in ways we never expect. For the Corinthians, their selfishness led to severe divisions in the church. What is it for us? We\u2019ll spend the rest of the study unpacking that very question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we know the main problem Paul\u2019s tackling in 1 Corinthians, take a moment to be honest with God. Write down any fears or concerns you have about confronting the problem of selfishness. Ask God to use this study to turn your gaze to him.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-223986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-1corinthians"],"yoast_head":"\n
2\u00a0To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3\u00a0Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4\u00a0I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5\u00a0that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge\u2014 6\u00a0even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you\u2014 7\u00a0so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8\u00a0who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9\u00a0God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10\u00a0I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11\u00a0For it has been reported to me by Chloe\u2019s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12\u00a0What I mean is that each one of you says, \u201cI follow Paul,\u201d or \u201cI follow Apollos,\u201d or \u201cI follow Cephas,\u201d or \u201cI follow Christ.\u201d 13\u00a0Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14\u00a0I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15\u00a0so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16\u00a0(I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17\u00a0For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
18\u00a0For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19\u00a0For it is written, <\/p>