1 Corinthians 7:25-40

As the final installment in our "miniseries" on marriage, we complete 1st Corinthians chapter seven, with Paul's answers to the Corinthian's questions about marriage. Next week chapter eight picks up with a new question and a new topic. The last section of this chapter has some difficulties. The difficulties exist because Paul is addressing some very specific questions they had and we don’t know the questions! It’s like Corinthian Jeopardy — we have the answers but have to guess at the questions. Another challenge is that we don’t fully understand the context — what was happening in Corinth at the time. In fact, Paul refers to a “present distress” and we can only guess as to what that distress might have been. But despite that, Paul's answers are based on some sound and insightful principles and truths that are clear and relevant to us today! Paul has addressed two married believers, a believer married to an unbeliever, widows, and the previously married (now divorced). In the last section he discusses “virgins”, or those that have never been married — the single folks! He laid the foundation by saying that we can just live our Christian life right where we are. We must not imagine that some change in circumstance will open the door for us to be more Christian. Now Paul applies that wisdom in comparing the single life to the married life. For Paul, the bottom line is our freedom and ability to serve the Lord. For the single person, there is one less potential distraction — marriage! Is Paul “anti-marriage”? Is marriage and family a “disability”? Maybe and maybe not. Has family life distracted you from serving the Lord? Listen in as Pastor Steve unpacks Paul's answers and opinions, as well as godly wisdom we find as we unfold this passage.