Walk in the Manner (1 Corinthians 7:17-20)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-20

God calls each of us uniquely. What He’s called me to do is different than what He’s called you to do and vice versa. We all need to walk in the manner to which God has called us.

It doesn’t matter if one is a Jew or a Gentile, if he has committed his life to Christ, he is to do as God called him. In the early church, a huge controversy existed about Gentiles and circumcision. Jewish Christians insisted that Gentile converts be circumcised according to the law. However, Paul said that circumcision was part of the old covenant, and with Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection, He fulfilled the law and established a new covenant. Therefore, a Gentile Christian was to “remain in that condition in which he was called.”

We don’t really have to be concerned about being this issue today, but we do need to take to heart Paul’s words: “… what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God.”

No matter where you were, no matter where you come from, once you know God, once you’ve committed your life to His calling, then you need to focus on Him. Focus on His commandments. Make Him the number one priority in your life. Study His word, applying its truths.

Indeed, let me repeat: Walk in the manner to which God has called you.

For the Unequally Yoked (1 Corinthians 7:12-16)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:12-16

Today’s verses are very personal to me. They’ve provided both conviction and encouragement for me for years. I frequently meditate on them when I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed by one of the more painful realities of my life: being married to someone who doesn’t share my faith.

I am blessed with my husband. He is loving, supportive, loyal, faithful, trustworthy—a true gem! The only thing about him that is heavy on my heart is his lack of faith.

Even if he wasn’t the amazing guy that he is, though, I’d still be committed to him. Because I’m commanded to do so. The Bible doesn’t give me any “out.” I am commanded to stay with Russ because he “consents to live with [me].”

Those of us who are married to spouses who don’t share are faith are commanded to stay with them, but Paul also gives great encouragement in the final verses. I especially like the New Living Translation’s version of verse 16: “Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?”

I often tell women who are married to unbelieving husbands that God has entrusted to us a great honor. He’s allowed us to play a part in our husbands’ faith journeys. And for me at least, being “unequally yoked” has helped to grow my faith. I’ve investigated other belief systems and my own so I can be completely certain of why I believe what I believe. I’ve drawn closer to God through daily Bible study and prayer. I’ve fully committed my life to God’s will.

If you’re married to someone who doesn’t share your faith, be committed to him or her. Be a Christ-like example. Pray consistently and persistently for his or her salvation.

And live in hope that, indeed, he or she finds Christ because of you.

Married People: Stay Together! (1 Corinthians 7:8-11)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:8-11

Today’s verses begin by reiterating Paul’s exhortations we looked at yesterday. Single people stay single and serve God, but if their sexual drive is strong, they should get married. Then he goes on to instruct married people, and he reminds his readers that these instructions come from the Lord, not from him.

Married couples should stay married. Bottom line.

Paul writes that wives should not leave their husbands and that husbands should not divorce their wives.  

Marriage—Christian marriage—is a covenant relationship, with God at the center. And it is meant to be for life. Hebrews 13:4 states, “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Nothing—nothing—should break this covenant.

Yet, Christian marriages break up all the time. The Bible gives two “reasons” for divorce (and I believe implies a third). The first is infidelity (see Matthew 19:9), and the second will be addressed tomorrow. The implied third is in cases of abuse, and I believe this because the Bible is clear that wives are to respect their husbands, and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves us (see Ephesians 5:22-26). Abuse is neither respect nor love.

The fact that Christian marriages end because of “irreconcilable differences” is one of the biggest tragedies of our age. “I just don’t love him anymore,” she says. “We’ve grown apart,” he insists.

I’m sorry (well, no I’m not sorry), but committed couples understand that love and passion ebb and flow, and they work through those times when things may not be all “roses and sunshine.”

And guess what? Couples cannot “grow” apart. Growth implies maturity and health. Instead, couples fall apart. Sadly, it’s often because they just don’t try. They aren’t willing to work during the hard times.

It’s tragic. Truly tragic.

Exhortation to Married (and Single) Folks (1 Corinthians 7:1-7)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:1-7

In these verses, Paul is clearly gives two messages. One is for married folks, and the other is for singles.

First, he addresses marriage. Marriage is a partnership, and each partner is to “fulfill his (or her) duty” to his (or her) spouse. Frankly, he’s talking about sex here. Each has “authority” over the other’s body, and to use sex as a weapon is wrong. In healthy marriages, each partner should be satisfied with the couple’s sex life. The couple should be in agreement about when, where, and how.

Then, encompassing this message to those married, he writes to the singles. His very first sentence of this chapter shows Paul’s heart: He really thinks that the celibate, single life is more conducive to serving God, and the last verse reiterates this thought. Paul was single, and he “wish[es] that all men were even as [he is].” Again, to be frank, in many ways, he’s right. A single person has more time (and energy) to serve God. He can spend more time in Bible study. He can volunteer more. He doesn’t have anyone competing for God’s attention.

But Paul is very aware that celibacy isn’t for everyone, so, if the possibility of immorality exists, then a man or woman must be married to meet his or her sexual drive.

Paul doesn’t give a middle ground: If you want sex, get married. If you’re going to stay single, don’t have sex.

Simple, isn’t it?

How Clean Is the Temple? (1 Corinthians 6:17-20)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:17-20

These verses are so convicting—or at least they should be.

Those who have chosen to follow Christ have been bought with a price: The Son of God, Jesus Christ, chose to come to earth and take on human flesh. He chose to suffer betrayal, a sham “trial,” and excruciating, beyond-our-comprehension pain. He chose to die a humiliating death.

For you. For me.

He paid our penalty for our sins, and He paid it with His own life.

When we accepted the gift of salvation through His sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection, the Holy Spirit—part of the triune God—took up resident in each and every one of us.

God Himself resides in us. Each of us is a temple of God! But do we truly understand this amazingly mysterious concept?

I don’t think we do. Not really. Because if we really, truly did, we would take so much better care of these temples of ours.

We would, indeed, flee immorality. We would treat our bodies with respect, with dignity. We would make wiser choices. We would remain pure and clean. We would fill our hearts and minds with thoughts that edify and help us to become stronger in our faith.

And frankly, even though Paul is writing about not using our bodies for immoral acts, we would to even more to keep our temples healthy and strong. We would eat better and exercise more. We would avoid things that break our bodies down.

Think of it this way: The God of all creation calls to say He’s coming to visit your home. What would you do to prepare it for Him? What kind of feast would you create? How diligently would you clean?

Well, He’s not just visiting your home; He’s living in you. Inside of you.

So how is your temple? Is it clean and fresh and full of good things? Does the Spirit feel welcome? Or is He competing with all the junk and clutter?

I don’t know about you, but I have some housekeeping to do …