Singleness – 1 Corinthians 7:25-40

[TRANSCRIPT]

It may seem strange, but Paul dedicated nearly as much time to singles as he did to married couples. Why is that considered strange? Primarily because churches tend to concentrate on marriage much more than on singleness. Yet, here, Paul provided a lengthy teaching on being single.

“Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.” – 1 Corinthians 7:25

Paul correctly pointed out that the Lord didn’t give any commands regarding whether to remain single. The term “betrothed” refers to the Greek word for “virgins.” Paul made some assumptions in his choice of nouns. Firstly, there is an assumption that the young people in question are honoring the Lord by remaining sexually pure. Secondly, the Greek is feminine, so he likely has women in mind, although there is no doubt that young men can also be included.

Since the Lord did not provide a command about singleness, Paul shared his personal judgment. This judgment was influenced by what Paul called the “present distress.” Some think he was referencing the eschatological distress that would occur before Christ’s return. In contrast, others believe he was alluding to a more localized issue, such as a famine or food shortage.

Regardless of the nature of the distress, Paul advised everyone to stay put. If you are betrothed to a spouse, do not separate. If you are free from marriage, remain single. Why? Changing your circumstances during a time of distress can distract from Kingdom work. Paul specifically believed that those who marry will face worldly troubles, which supports his earlier statement that it is good to remain single (7:8).

I don’t think any married person will deny that being single was a carefree, less troubled time of life – generally speaking. That is precisely Paul’s point. When we are single, we have an opportunity to be completely focused on Kingdom work. There’s no spouse, there’s no girlfriend or boyfriend, there’s only you and whatever the Lord has for you on any given day. Now, I don’t want to build a strawman. Married folks can have the same devotion to the Lord’s work. But I think you know what I’m talking about. There’s a freedom to just go. Wanna load up and go to Africa for a month long mission? Do it. Wanna take a road trip to help do clean-up after a natural disaster? Go. You don’t have a spouse or children to care for, so you can pack up and go as often as you’re able.

Paul experienced this firsthand. When comparing Peter and Paul, we see that both were apostles who did remarkable work for the Lord; however, Paul was far more prolific in his missionary journeys. Peter, a married man (Mark 1:30), did undertake some travels early in the church’s infancy. Yet, in Acts 12, following his arrest and miraculous escape, little is mentioned about him, apart from Paul’s narrative in Galatians concerning their confrontation at Antioch. I have to say this: it isn’t conclusive that because he had a wife, he did less traveling than Paul; however, a correlation is present.

“For the present form of this world is passing away.” – 1 Corinthians 7:31b

Verses twenty-nine through thirty-one can be confusing. Paul’s encouragement seems to suggest that spouses should be dismissive of one another. Husbands should live as if they are single, and vice versa. While the wording is strange, the meaning is clear. Married couples should not allow their concerns for each other to supersede their commitment to follow the Lord.

When believers marry, they unite their pursuits of Jesus. It’s not that they cease to have individual relationships with the Lord. Both the husband and wife are accountable for cultivating their friendships with the Lord. However, within marriages, the Holy Spirit will guide both spouses in mutually supportive growth. Husbands and wives won’t be led to do anything that would harm the marriage. Therefore, when Paul instructs spouses to live as if they are single, it’s a call for both to prioritize their relationship with Jesus. This is the best approach for their marriage in all circumstances and will ensure that they both walk in step with the Lord and each other.

I’ve seen this at work in my own marriage many times. For Radene and I, we have very different relationships with the Lord. If I could use Dave Ramsey terms to describe that difference, I’m the nerd and she’s the free spirit. That creates challenges for us. We don’t always arrive at our conclusions via the same path. As the nerd, that bothers me. However, the Lord always brings us together on things. I can tell you that apart from what to watch on television, we don’t have any outstanding disagreements because the Lord always unites us… just by different routes. We have our individual relationships with the Lord that look very different on the surface, yet we find ourselves walking in step with Him and each other.

If we weren’t in step, we’d disobey what Paul taught here. That disunity would be a distraction from serving the Lord. Now, I don’t want to paint too rosy a picture. We have disagreements that take time to work through and get back in step. But what I’m saying is that because we try to keep the Lord at the center, He leads us to unity, usually rather quickly.

Walking in step with one another is crucial because time is short. For two thousand years, this has been the case, but Paul’s warning should not be confined only to Christ’s return. Death is always close. None of us know when we will pass from this life into our eternal reward. Therefore, plan for a long, fulfilling life, but live as if either Christ or death could arrive today, and you will maximize your usefulness for the Kingdom.

“I want you to be free from anxieties.” – 1 Corinthians 7:32a

This is an interesting passage. Paul began by expressing his desire for believers to be free from anxieties. But then, the single person is anxious about the things of the Lord. Didn’t he just say he wants us to be free from anxiety? Herein lies an interpretive problem.  Scholars are divided on how to understand Paul’s use of the word “anxiety.”

To begin, we must remember that Paul was addressing singles. He has already established that marriage is good and that there is no sin in marrying (7:28). In fact, in Ephesians, Paul speaks his most highly of marriage, calling it an image of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:32). This understanding should guide our interpretation of the anxieties that Paul mentions regarding husbands and wives.

Thus, recognizing that he was addressing singles, Paul’s hope for them is expressed in verse thirty-five: good order and undivided devotion to the Lord. With this in mind, his teaching that marriage brings anxieties about “worldly things” (7:33) shouldn’t be viewed as a slight against marriage. Those “worldly things” aren’t merely things of the flesh but rather issues related to the healthy concerns of an institution that will only exist in this world, which is passing away (7:31). Simply put, he wanted singles to remain free from the good concerns that come with marriage and to keep their focus fixed on the Lord.

“If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.” – 1 Corinthians 7:36

We have a problem. Depending on the English translation you read, this verse can be somewhat different. Above is the rendering of the English Standard Version of the Bible. Here are other translations.

“But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry.” (NKJV)

“But if a man thinks that he’s treating his fiancée improperly and will inevitably give in to his passion, let him marry her as he wishes. It is not a sin.” (NLT)

“If any man thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, if she is getting beyond the usual age for marriage, and he feels he should marry—he can do what he wants. He is not sinning; they can get married.” (CSB)

The Greek word “hyperakmos” has a dual meaning. In the masculine form, it translates to “passions are strong.” But in the feminine form, it means “past her prime.” It isn’t clear which Paul intended, so translating committees vary on how to interpret. The ESV Study Bible includes a note that says the masculine understanding is more coherent with 7:2-3 and 7:9, which deal with the burning passions of sexual desire. Therefore, it seems likely that Paul was restating what he said earlier. If you can’t control your sexual desires, you should marry, and there is no sin in doing so.

How does this relate to singleness? The difficulty of this passage is that Paul seems to encourage delayed marriage. In verse thirty-seven, he taught that if you are betrothed and can keep your desires under control, then you should remain single for as long as you can. This lends credence to a feminine understanding of hyperakmos. Remain single until, by necessity, you must marry. In other words, don’t wait too long and miss the opportunity to bear children.

It’s also helpful to recognize cultural differences. Our 21st-century Western understanding of engagement bears little resemblance to 1st-century betrothals. Arranged marriages have been the norm throughout most of human history. The individuals Paul wrote to were likely paired by their families. The betrothal itself was as legally binding as the marriage; to break off the betrothal, one would need to obtain a divorce. Therefore, when Paul addressed the betrothed, he was speaking to people who were legally committed to marriage. In that light, it seems his advice in verse thirty-seven was to delay for the maximum legal time before marrying and relinquishing the freedoms that singleness provides for Kingdom work.

Throughout, it’s assumed that Paul was addressing both single and widowed individuals. While this seems to be the implication, Paul issued a specific statement to the widowed. When your spouse dies, you clearly re-enter the singles category. However, it appears that some widows in Corinth were struggling with whether remarriage would be permissible. Paul clarified this: If your spouse dies, you can remarry, but only in the Lord.

His qualifier, “only in the Lord,” echoes back to what we discussed in the last lesson for divorced singles who wish to remarry after unsuccessful attempts at reconciliation. Let the Lord lead you. Remarriage, whether after divorce or death, is a serious matter that far too many approach recklessly. In Paul’s view, there’s more happiness to be found in remaining unmarried once the first marriage is over (7:40).

“And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.” – 1 Corinthians 7:40

Add this to the list of difficult statements Paul makes in 1 Corinthians chapter seven. This remark appears to lack context. We know it must have context, but that has been lost to us. Why would he make this statement? The best thing we can do is attempt to read between the lines.

Considering everything discussed so far, particularly the points about factions and leaders mentioned earlier in the letter, one issue rises to prominence: Paul’s authority. This theme was common for Paul; wolves would often infiltrate after his departure, leading believers to question his apostolic authority. However, it appears to be more pronounced in Corinth, as he devotes significant time in 2 Corinthians to defending his apostolic ministry.

So, at the end of this chapter, Paul asserted his authority by claiming that he, too, had the Spirit of God. Why was it important to mention this here? Why not later? Chapter seven stands out in 1 Corinthians because Paul appeared to offer his opinions more freely. Verses twelve, seventeen, twenty-five, and forty all contain indicators that what Paul said was his opinion or judgment, not a command from the Lord. Knowing this, perhaps Paul believed it appropriate to end this discussion, which contained several of his personal opinions, with a direct reminder that the Holy Spirit leads him in his teachings.

That is a great segue to this: even if Paul stated that it was his opinion or judgment, inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is also the Lord’s judgment. To state it plainly, if Paul perceived wiggle room for betrothed couples to prolong their singleness, it was because the Holy Spirit told him that there was wiggle room. Even Paul’s personal opinions, to the extent that they made it into Scripture, carry the weight of inspired text and possess the same authority.