1 Corinthians 7:25-40

1 CORINTHIANS Correction With Confidence Because The Faithfulness Of God Toward  His Saints!        1 Corinthians 7:25–40 (ESV) — 25 Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. 29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 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 goods, 31 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. 32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. 36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better. 39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.   3 REASONS FOR PAUL’S JUDGEMENT THE PRESENT DISTRESS (V26)     THE PERISHING STATE OF EARTH (V29-31)       THE ANXIETY OF WORLDLY TROUBLES (V28, 32-34)   PAUL REASONS IN MERCY, GRACE AND LOVE ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT BY MERCY PAUL IS TRUSTWORTHY (V25, 40)     IN LOVE PAUL WANTS BELIEVERS TO LIVE FOR WHAT THEY ARE TRULY DEVOTED TOO. (V35,40)     BY GRACE PAUL IS CLEAR ABOUT WHAT IS NOT SIN (V28, 36)   “As the planets, turning on their own axis, yet revolve round the sun, so, while we act in our worldly sphere, God is to be the center of our desires”   PURPOSED THOUGHTS ON A PERISHING EARTH (v29-31) 1 John 2:15–17 (ESV) — 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.   TEMPTATION TO WORLDY PLEASURE   LOVE NOT THE PLEASURE OF THE WORLD BUT THE PLEASURE OF THE LORD (Galatians 5:16-26) TEMPTATION TO WORLDY POSSESSION   LOVE NOT THE POSSESSIONS OF THE WORLD BUT AS THE POSSESSION OF THE LORD (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19) TEMPTATION TO WORLDY POWER   LOVE NOT THE POWER OF THE WORLD BUT IN THE POWER OF THE LORD (Proverbs 3:5-8 Jeremiah 9:23–24   Psalm 39:4–8 (ESV) — 4 “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! 5 Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Selah 6 Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! 7 “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. 8 Deliver me from all my transgressions. Do not make me the scorn of the fool!   LIVE PURPOSED IN YOUR MARRIAGE NOT FOR YOUR MARRIAGE (Ephesians 5:22-32)     LIVE PURPOSED IN YOUR EMOTION NOT FOR YOUR EMOTION (Proverbs 3:5-8, 29:11, Romans 12:9-16)     LIVE PURPOSED IN YOUR FINANCES NOT FOR YOUR FINANCES (Jeremiah 9:23–24, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19)   APPLICATION: Where are you tempted by the world?  How can you live by faith & in love for the Lord in desires for pleasure, possessions and power? What areas of life do I need to commit to training by grace to live purposed in the present? (Titus 2:11-14)