1 Corinthians 7:38
So then, he who marries the virgin does right,but he who does not marry her does better.
Here Paul continues to offer his godly wisdom in light of his desire to give his all to the work of Christ (see 1 Cor. 9). We must keep his motive in mind lest we misread him in this chapter. His concern, as expressed later in the letter, is that all people come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Paul gave up much in order to preach. He casts that same expectation on others, and specifically, the Corinthians in this chapter. It is not wrong to marry. There are many blessings that come only through a dedicated Christian marriage. It is one of God’s greatest gifts to us in this life. Paul lived with a deep sense of duty and a drive to proclaim the gospel, partially because he believed the day of Christ’s return could come soon. Minimally, Paul understood that the times were short the job was big. He wanted the early Christians to be “all out for souls.” Therefore, he instructed those who were gifted by God to be single to not fret about their situation, but see it as an opportunity to serve God with their whole being. The powerful lesson in this verse is that we may walk different paths in this life, but serving God with our whole being is the greatest path because it will involve us in the joys of winning others to Christ and expanding God’s kingdom.
For older posts, click here.