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Romantic Relationships
Text: 1 Corinthians 7
The gospel is all-encompassing in life.
Mutual submission is a guard against bringing sin into the marriage (vss 1-6)
- Paul says marriage is an answer to fornication.
- Schedule it, put it on the calendar if you need to.
- Don’t use the bedroom as punishment. Don’t withhold necessary affection from her because you don’t feel like it.
- If the needs aren’t met for him or her, then Satan gets an opportunity through the flesh to destroy the relationship and possibly the people through sin.
Widows and single people are allowed to get married (vss 7-9)
- …to the unmarried and widows…
- Paul’s desire is that everyone would be single and serve the LORD as he does, but there is no sin in marriage
- There are few passages in the Bible like this where the prophet offers his opinion but ultimately yields to God’s judgment.
Two married believers remain married (vss 10-11)
- …unto the married…
- Stay married or be reconciled.
Married to unbelievers, stay married if you can (vss 12-16)
- Don’t try to be something you’re not, be content (vss 18-24).
Married or single, just live how God made you (vss 17-24)
- If you need a wife, get married. If you need a husband, get married.
- If you don’t need a wife, don’t get married. If you don’t need a husband, don’t get married.
- What is important is obeying the will of God. (Uh oh, Paul said keep the commandments of God?!)
No sin in marriage, just know what you’re getting into (vss 25-28)
- The virgin just means unmarried.
- There is no sin in marrying.
The cares of this world (vss 29-35)
- You must participate in this world, but don’t be bound by the elements and basics of the world. Marriage is choosing to bind yourself to one person and that’s fine, just understand what you’re getting into.
- You must be aware that marriage is a care of this world (vss 32-33). See Mark 4:19.
- Serve the LORD without distraction. Paul views marriage basically, as a distraction. But he acknowledges the single life is not for everyone.
Unmarried is preferred, but marriage is not wrong (vss 36-38)
- If it’s a boyfriend, girlfriend situation, or fiance situation and they’re ready to be married, get married (vs 36).
- If it’s a boyfriend, girlfriend situation, or fiance situation and they’re OK not getting married yet, then don’t get married yet (vs 37).
- Verse 38 just means the one that can control their lusts does better. The ones that can’t control their lusts have more trouble.
Widowed are free to marry (vss 39-40)
- Death ends the marriage.
- Paul thinks if someone can go without getting remarried, that’s better because it means they’re not feeling the pressure to need a relationship.
- But it’s no sin to get remarried in the LORD if needed. It just means the widowed person feels the need for a relationship and Paul considers that a weight that unmarried people don’t carry.
