1 Corinthians 7:21-30

1 Corinthians 7:21

Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.

 

Servant - Slave

 

A slave may feel his first responsibility in life is to become free. If that happens, then those who are Christians will have the ability to widen their outreach for Christ. But it must be realized that Christianity was spread by word of mouth in olden times. So if a Christian who was a slave taught Christianity, their ministry was taken outside the premises where they served. A modern example is David Berkowitz whose ministry extends way beyond prison walls. Paul is stating that a slave is the lowest possible social level a person can be in, yet, he is saying that even a person who is a slave can have a great and vital ministry.

 

1 Corinthians 7:22

For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.

 

Freeman - Freed Man

Is Christ’s Servant - A slave of Christ (Where is free will in all this? Or the term Free Moral Agent?)

 

It does not matter where your service is on earth, if you belong to Christ, you are free in spirit even if your body is in bonds. The Bible gives us a great principle in this verse. If a person, who is a slave, is called to be a Christian, they are the Lord’s free man. (John 8:32 KJV) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. The Christian is free in Christ. They are freed from the penalty of sin and death. A Christian may be a slave on earth for 70 or 80 years, but once they are promoted to glory, they are totally free from the slavery of earth, which includes slavery to sin. In the second part of this verse, we see that those who are free, whether free in this world as a citizen of a free country, or those that have become saved and are freed in Christ, are not free to do as they wish. They are freed but they are Christ’s servants. (Rom 6:20 KJV) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. When we were unsaved we were free from righteousness and likewise when we become saved we are free freed from sin. (Rom 6:18 KJV) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. Basically, we are servants set at liberty by the Lord Jesus Christ to serve Christ within that liberty.

 

1 Corinthians 7:23

Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

 

The believers were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ and therefore we are not to adapt or live under the principles and teachings of worldly disciplines, especially the evil methods of the world and false teachings. (1 Pet 1:18 KJV) Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; The Bible is not saying here that we are not to obey authorities which are legally placed over us but that we are not to follow worldly men or follow preachers and teachers as Paul showed them how factious that can be. (Rev 5:9 KJV) And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; It is Christ who redeemed us and it is Christ that has rights to our lives and not men or systems.

 

1 Corinthians 7:24

Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

 

Paul finalizes this section by restating that if God has placed you in a certain place or position, then we are to abide or continue for life or till the time God may make a change in our life. A Christian has the highest spiritual status in the world, even if they have the lowest social status. We are also to abide in our present situations without complaining. (Phil 2:14 KJV) Do all things without murmurings and disputings: Notice that the verse says we are to do “all things” without complaining. Let each one abide contentedly in the position God placed them in. (Phil 4:11 KJV) Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

 

1 Corinthians 7:25

Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

 

Now the question arises as to whether those who are unmarried should remain in the same state or should they be allowed to be married. The Lord, while on earth, did not give any teachings on this subject, but Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is now broaching the subject. Since this is the Holy Scriptures, the Lord is now giving the teaching on this subject.

 

Mercy - Here Paul is stating that he is faithful because he has received mercy from the Lord to be faithful in all his dealings with the churches and in the divinely inspired advice that he gives. There has to be Christian marriage for the purpose of raising godly seed for future generations plus there are those in the future whom God elected from the foundations of the world to be saved and must be born.

 

1 Corinthians 7:26

I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be.

 

Paul states that to remain in the present state that one is in is better because of the persecutions and troubles the Christians were in. If you have a spouse and family, your worries and your troubles will increase. The words “present distress” also carries with it the meaning of “present necessity.” Paul was saying that staying a virgin or remaining unmarried, with all the persecutions that the early Christians went through, would have been a wise or good decision. If you marry, then your sorrow is doubled when the authorities come for your spouse and they kill them. Paul was trying to limit the already high level of persecution they were going through.

 

1 Corinthians 7:27

Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

 

In the first instance we read, "seek not to be loosed." This implies that we are not to seek a divorce since what God joined together, man shall not put asunder. The word “bound” means to “bind, tie, or fasten” which is what happens when two people become married. They are bound or tied to one another for life. As you can see with the reference verses below.

 

In the second, instance we read, "art thou loosed from a wife?" which implies the death of the spouse since this is the only way a marriage bond can be biblically broken as we see in Romans 7:2-3 and 1 Corinthians 7:39:

 

(Rom 7:2-3 KJV) For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. {3} So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

 

(1 Cor 7:39 KJV) The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

 

So Paul is saying that if you are a single man by reason of the death of your spouse, then in light of the present situation or distress, then don’t consider getting remarried.

 

1 Corinthians 7:28

But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.

 

Paul continues his thought from verse 27 by saying that if a man is legitimately loosed from a marriage by reason of the death of his wife, if he does remarry, he will not be committing sin. Remarriage is sin only if the other spouse is still alive. In the same manner, the Bible is stating that if a woman who has never been married before, marries, then she also has not sinned. Paul then counsels those who are widows and widowers not to seek another spouse because they will have further troubles in the flesh. Of course, there is no command for widows and widowers not to re-marry but those who are Christians must only re-marry in the Lord. Paul counsels people to remain single for the purpose of the ministry. This does not mean celibate people are more fit for ministry.

 

1 Corinthians 7:29

But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;

 

Verses 29 to 31 carry the same principle in that Paul is expressing an urgency in the ministry of sending forth the gospel. Each generation has only a few years to proclaim the gospel to its own generation and to pass on the ministry to others. (2 Tim 2:2 KJV) And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Paul reminds them that their time on earth is short and by the time married people stop building their homes and savings, they are already spent in energy, and normally living in the twilight years. Paul wants them to consider their options now, while they are young and have energy to send forth the Gospel. (Psa 90:12 KJV) So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

 

1 Corinthians 7:30

And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

 

Paul continues the thought that all things in this world are fleeting. This includes the sorrows, the joys, and all the possessions we have. He is trying to convey the idea that why labor in sorrow for so many years to build a kingdom on earth that will be left behind for others to partition among themselves, and ultimately be burned up at the last day.

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