Singleness & single-mindedness

Singleness & single-mindedness 1 Corinthians 7

Greco-Roman Culture • Very debased morality throughout the culture • Religion had nothing to do with morality (more like superstition) • The morality of a sex act had nothing to do with the act itself, but everything to do with the status of the participants (free or slave, Roman citizen?) • Roman households were much different than ours • Roman households were hotbeds of sexual activity • Marriages were usually pretty stale

Greco-Roman Culture • Roman still were devoted to the institution of marriage • For much of its history, Rome required Roman citizens to marry and rear children • Marriages started much earlier than today • Celibacy was an unusual option • The Greco-Roman world was incredibly dark morally!!!

1 Cor. 7:1-5 Now in response to the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have relations with a woman.” 2 But because sexual immorality is so common, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.3 A husband should fulfill his marital responsibility to his wife, and likewise a wife to her husband. 4 A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own

1 Cor. 7:1-5 body, but his wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another sexually—except when you agree for a time, to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again; otherwise, Satan may tempt you because of your lack of self-control. • Marriage is to be the context for sexual expression & fulfillment • “It is very morally dangerous in this culture NOT to be married!”

1 Cor. 7:6-7 6 I say the following as a concession, not as a command. 7 I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift from God, one person in this way and another in that way. • “I wish that all people were just like me.” • He was currently single (no dispute) • Was he ever married?

1 Cor. 7:8-9 8 I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with desire. • “unmarried” = “de-married” (widowers & widows) • What is Paul NOT saying? • That marriage is bad or ungodly • 1 Tim. 5:14 I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us.

1 Cor. 7:25-28 25 About virgins (single & never married): I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy 26 Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife 28 However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

1 Cor. 7:25-28 25 About virgins (single & never married): I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy 26 Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife 28 However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. Jesus gave no explicit teaching on this, so Paul is seeking to apply biblical wisdom to the situation

1 Cor. 7:25-28 25 About virgins (single & never married): I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy 26 Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife 28 However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. His teaching here seems directly contradictory to his teaching in 1 Tim. 5:14!

1 Cor. 7:25-28 25 About virgins (single & never married): I have no command from the Lord, but I do give an opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy 26 Therefore I consider this to be good because of the present distress: It is fine for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife 28 However, if you do get married, you have not sinned, and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But such people will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. His teaching here is driven by “the present distress”

1 Cor. 7:36-38 36 But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin, if she is past marriageable age, and so it must be, he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. 37 But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will) and has decided in his heart to keep his own virgin, will do well. 38 So then he who marries his virgin does well, but he who does not marry will do better.

1 Cor. 7:36-38 36 But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin, if she is past marriageable age, and so it must be, he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. 37 But he who stands firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will) and has decided in his heart to keep his own virgin, will do well. 38 So then he who marries his virgin does well, but he who does not marry will do better. Why is it better not to marry/give away in marriage?

1 Cor. 7:39-40 39 A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.

1 Cor. 7:39-40 39 A wife is bound as long as her husband is living. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to anyone she wants—only in the Lord. 40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, in my opinion. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God. Why does Paul think the one who does not get married is happier?

1 Cor. 7:29-35 29 And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away. 32 I want you to be without concerns. An unmarried man is concerned about the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But a married

1 Cor. 7:29-35 man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35 Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.

1 Cor. 7:29-35 man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35 Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper and so that you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction. Key Operating Principle – Single-minded devotion to the Lord is the best way to live

Persuading Argument “The time is limited” • Jesus can return at any moment • Our lives are but a breath compared to eternity “This world in its current form is passing away” • Most of what we live for & get anxious about in this world is not going to endure for eternity • The current form of marriage will not endure • Matt. 22:23-33 • Our enduring marriage will be with Christ

Persuading Argument “It is not good for our interests to be divided, and for us to be distracted from devotion to the Lord.” • Marriage during these distressing times has the potential to be distracting • Marriage during these distressing times has the potential to be fear-filled • But this is not a universal statement from Paul…

Persuading Argument 1 Tim. 5:9-14 9 No widow should be placed on the official support list unless she is at least 60 years old, has been the wife of one husband, 10 and is well known for good works—that is, if she has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the saints’ feet, helped the afflicted, and devoted herself to every good work. 11 But refuse to enroll younger widows, for when they are drawn away from Christ by desire, they want to marry 12 and will therefore receive condemnation because they have renounced their original pledge. 13 At the same time, they also learn to be idle, going from house to house; they are not only idle, but are also gossips and busybodies, saying things they shouldn’t say. 14 Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us. “It is not good for our interests to be divided, and for us to be distracted from devotion to the Lord.” • Marriage during these distressing times has the potential to be distracting • Marriage during these distressing times has the potential to be fear-filled • But this is not a universal statement from Paul…

Persuading Argument “It is not good for our interests to be divided, and for us to be distracted from devotion to the Lord.” • Marriage during these distressing times has the potential to be distracting • Marriage during these distressing times has the potential to be fear-filled • But this is not a universal statement from Paul… • What Paul is saying is for our benefit. Do you believe this?

Conclusions We are all called to cultivate single-minded devotion to the Lord • 1 Cor. 7:29-3129 And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away.

Conclusions We are all called to cultivate single-minded devotion to the Lord • 1 Cor. 7:29-3129 And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away. This must be the major focus of our marriages!

Conclusions We are all called to cultivate single-minded devotion to the Lord • 1 Cor. 7:29-3129 And I say this, brothers: The time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none, 30 those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, 31 and those who use the world as though they did not make full use of it. For this world in its current form is passing away. This must be our major focus when we are single!

Conclusions Some will be called to a lifetime of singleness for the kingdom • Jesus was called to this • And He was not a lesser human or less influential • Paul was called to this • And he was not a lesser human or less influential • The call to intentional singleness is a gift from God • 1 Cor. 7:7 I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift from God, one person in this way and another in that way.

Conclusions Some are single, but are not particularly called to singleness • This produces relational tension • Unmet longings for intimacy • This produces sexual tension • Unmet, God-given sexual desires • This produces identity tension • Concerns about own lovability • A feeling of being 2nd class kingdom citizens • A feeling of being locked out of kingdom leadership

Conclusions The full measure of anyone’s maturity is their degree of single-minded devotion to the Lord!

Singleness & single-mindedness