Epistles – 1 Corinthians 7-8
We continue our look at 1 Corinthians today…
Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 7-8
In these 2 chapters we are reading today, are the responses of Paul to 2 matters which the Corinthian church had asked earlier, namely about marriage and food sacrificed to idols.
1Co 7: 3 – 5
Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.
The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
Marriage in the Lord is holy in His eyes. Great efforts have to be put in to manage a married relationship in the Lord; and mutual respects are very much needed in this union.
As 1Peter 5: 8 warns us that Satan is like a roaring lion that seeks to devour those who are not sober, so it is really important to be extra careful as husbands and wives in the Lord, not to fall into the devil’s trap and thus defiling the marriage.
1Co 7:22 – 23
For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
Being a slave of Christ is indeed a grace and great blessing. For a slave’s portion is to work and even slog for the master. The return or reward, if there be any, from working and slogging for human masters are physical and perishable, but what do we get when we work and slog for our Master, Who is our God?
Yes! Life eternal in His bosom! Furthermore, our Master had already bought us with a great price, the price of sufferings and cruel death on the cross. So the decision and choice of whose slaves you would rather be is still yours to make.
1Co 7:35
And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.
While doing a piece of important thing, the most dreaded thing I fear most is being distracted. Whether be in the works in the office or divine works, when distractions come, the outcome of the work is not up to the standard of the boss.
Here Paul admonishes the believers of Corinth and believers of today that it is to our own profit that we serve the Lord without distraction.
Do we ourselves know what are the things that can easily distract us?
Are we able to forgo things that can steal our attention and focus in the works of God?
Dear brothers and sisters, we must stand firm in the Lord and do His works without distractions, pleasing the Lord in all ways.
About the eating of food sacrificed to idols, the Bible has instructed that we must avoid having any part in it. We can refer to Acts 15: 28 – 29 for a better understanding.
1Co 8:1 – 3
Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
These words of Paul reminded me of what he wrote in 1Cor. 13: 13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”.
And over here in this verse (8: 1), Paul says knowledge puffs up, but love edifies, again love is more desirable then having knowledge. This doesn’t mean that knowledge is not important, but in all things that we do, love must be the main motivating force. We may be very knowledgeable in the Bible, but do we exercise love in carrying out the word of God?
1Co 8:8
But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.
When God looks at us, the first thing He looks at is our hearts.
That was why Jesus said in Mat 15: 17 – 20, “Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”
Therefore, whatever we do, we must do with all sincerity of our hearts, and of course not lacking the ingredient of LOVE.
One Comment
PS
7:4 The wife does not have authority over her body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body but the wife does.
Authority comes with responsibility. When i have authority over my spouse, i have the reponsibility to ensure that he is well, physically, mentally and spiritually. When the authority over my body is my spouse’s, i have the responsibility to ensure i do not defile what is no longer mine.
Besides mutual-respect, a marriage needs mutual-responsibility too. Marriage is a haven to learn to esteem the other as more important than myself.
Marriage is for us to learn that the church is the body of Lord Jesus(Eph5:32). From an individual’s point Lord Jesus now has authority over my body. From the congregation’s point, we are members of Lord Jesus’ body, unite and be of one body and one mind to serve our Lord.
Married or single, Paul encourages us to serve God without distraction. A spouse is to help in serving, ie to enable us to serve better, not to distract. A couple who is helping to count weekly collections does this beautifully.
Especially like 7:22
For he who is called in the Lord while s slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. BECAUSE we are bought at a high price. Slave(married) and freedman, free(single) and Christ’s slave. Sevre the Lord, our master without distraction.