If I could offer just one word of advice for married life of the saints in Christ it would be, “abide.”
It’s a rather archaic word once defining the lives of those living in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul uses abide as many times in his first letter to the Corinthian Church, as does the Apostle John quoting the Lord Jesus in his Gospel.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Gospel of John 15:4 KJV – quote of the Lord Jesus to his disciples (followers)
Abide
.. Where is death’s sting?
Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still,
if Thou abide with me..
μένω – menō – abide
- to REMAIN, abide
- in reference to place; sojourn, tarry
- without departing, continue to be present be held continually
- in reference to time; not to perish, to last, endure, survive
- in reference to state or condition; to remain as one,
- not to become another or different (as Paul uses it here)
- to wait for, await one (as with Christ our Lord returning for His saints)
Source definition (paraphrased with comment): Lexicon :: Strong's G3306 - menō BlueLetterBible.org
1 Corinthians 7:
Last time we studied some context of the Apostle’s letter to the church in Corinth, including a man reported for his well-known sexual sin.
With a little overlap into 1 Corinthians 7, Paul presents a case to the Corinthians to NOT defer judgment of CHURCH MEMBERS to the jurisdiction of their Corinthianized civil courts.
The Apostle could have asked the Corinthians caught-up in the sins of their local idolatry the same question as he asked the men of Lystra who wanted to worship Paul and Silas.
Men, why are you doing these things?
Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:
It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
1 Corinthians 7:1 NKJV
Let's not get hung up too much on our Common Era worldly focus of SEX, but this specifically was the sin of a Corinthian church member sleeping with his father's wife and certainly sexual sin was a common temptation to others.
SEE the helpful outline (adapted from Dextor Sammons) of ALL of Paul's First Letter below:
- INTRODUCTION (1Cr 1:1-9)
- (4) PROBLEMS REPORTED BY THE HOUSE OF CHLOE (1Cr 1:10-6:20)
- FACTIONS IN THE CHURCH (1Cr 1:1-4:21)
- SEXUAL IMMORALITY (1Cr 5:1-13)
- LAWSUITS AMONG BRETHREN (1Cr 6:1-11)
- MORAL DEFILEMENTS (1Cr 6:12-20)
Paul has already addressed SOME of the problems reported by Chloe's household.
NOW the Apostle will specifically address issues from the letter he received.
Seven issues about which the Corinthians wrote to Paul
- (7) PROBLEMS MENTIONED IN THE LETTER FROM CORINTH (1Cr 7:1-16:9)
- MARRIAGE & CELIBACY (1Cr 7:1-40)
- EATING MEATS SACRIFICED TO IDOLS (1Cr 8:1-11:1)
- WOMEN PRAYING AND PROPHESYING WITH HEADS UNCOVERED (1Cr 11:2-16)
- THE LORD’S SUPPER (1Cr 11:17-34)
- SPIRITUAL GIFTS (1Cr 12:1-14:40)
- RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD (1Cr 15:1-58)
Therefore, in answer to these reports Paul writes TO CORRECT SINFUL PRACTICES AND REFUTE FALSE DOCTRINE
Abide in Singleness
Again, don't be put off by divisive denominational characterizations of celibacy used in this outline, the KJV and other translations.
καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ γυναικὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι· – 1 Cor 7:1b
It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
Paul addresses an age-old issue that’s been around ever since Adam said to Eve, “Baby, yo fo me!”
The world both then and now does not view such natural urges as temptations to natural sin but rather as a part of everyday life in Corinth or your hometown.
Celibacy is NOT natural, for if it was we would have no generations.
NOT to touch — mē haptomai
— to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to
By our natural inclinations, not so different from 'abide' with another.
Notice the further common meanings of ἅπτομαι:
- to touch
- of carnal intercourse with a woman or cohabitation
- of levitical practice of having no fellowship with heathen practices. Things not to be touched appear to be both women and certain kinds of food, so celibacy and abstinence of certain kinds of food and drink are recommended.
- to touch, assail anyone
Abide in Marriage
In writing to the Corinthians the Apostle commands:
Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
1 Corinthians 7:2 NKJV
Paul points to Marriage for those who cannot keep celibate as a solution. (Though of course adultery and fornication of married men and women are sins as well.)
To translate Paul's letter with more clarity and expand on the Apostle's advice from the New International Version:
2 But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.
Power in Relationship
The Apostle has earlier stated:
all things are lawful for me, but I will G1850 ➔ not be brought under the power G1850 of any.
Now pointing to have full and entire authority over the body or to hold the body subject to one’s will Paul states (controversially, to our Common Era liberated thinking):
The wife hath G1850 ➔ not power G1850 of her own body, but the husband:
and likewise also the husband hath G1850 ➔ not power G1850 of his own body, but the wife.
YET the Apostle instructs these men tempted toward fornication and adultery that each man’s WIFE has power and authority over the MAN’s body.
a Relational Solution to Sexual Temptation
Defraud ye not one the other..
1 Corinthians 7:5a KJV – apostereō
STRONG ADMONITION from the KJV to both husband and wife; although Paul suggests an exception for fasting and prayer, he quickly continues:
and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
1 Corinthians 7:5a NKJV
Although Satan certainly defrauds men and women in many other areas of our flesh and tempting thoughts other than eros, Paul points to this specific challenge to the men of the CHURCH in Corinth.
Greek religion in Ancient Corinth also included the worship of Aphrodite, Venus to the Romans, the Goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, passion and procreation. Aphrodite was worshipped in her magnificent sanctuary on the top of the Acrocorinth…
According to Strabo, a first century Greek geographer, philosopher and historian, 1,000 courtesans were available to attract visitors, which also ensured the riches of the sanctuary. In this respect, public prostitution was integrated within Corinthian religion and culture to the extent that it was not uncommon to hear public prayers that appealed to the gods for more prostitutes. – source
Widowed or Single
a brief suggestion of celibacy
Now as a concession, not a command, I say this.
7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
1 Corinthians 7:6-7 ESV
Paul is single. Peter and many of the Apostles are married. Most of the men of Corinth are married, with some having been widowed (who Paul calls 'unmarried').
I say therefore to the unmarried and widows,
It is good for them if they abide even as I.
But if they cannot contain (be self-controlled), let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
1 Corinthians 7:8-9 KJV
The Apostle has begun answering concerns of a letter from Corinth. Now Paul must judge the actions of familiar members of the Corinthian Church.
NEXT: Commandments of Relationships in Christ’s Church
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