1 Corinthians 7:29-31
29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.
These verses can be confusing if they are read by themselves, in isolation from the rest of this section, this letter, and Paul’s overall theology. Context is crucial. Paul’s point is similar to what Jesus said in Matthew 24, note v. 44: “you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” We must live with a constant expectation that Jesus will come again. I know that I get too caught up in my daily affairs to think about this very often, but we need reminders from time to time of this hope. The things that Paul lists here are bound to this present age, which is passing away. There will be no marriage in heaven because marriage is something that is part of this created order. Pain, sorrow, and death are part of this fallen world, not the world to come. As citizens of God’s kingdom, and people who are “in Christ,” we ought to live in kingdom ways. That does not mean we abandon our spouses or live with no concerns at all. That is taking this passage and bending it. Paul’s main point is that we must not be bound and trapped by things of this world. He is not saying that marriage is unimportant, since he clearly lifts up marriage in this chapter and other places in his letters (note Ephesians 5). We must see this world as a temporary stop, a testing grounds, a time of preparation. For those who are married, this should mean that we do all that we can to help our spouses get to heaven and grow in their faith in this life. We should see our spouses as brothers or sisters in the Lord.
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