What Should
I Do 1 Cor. 7:10-16, 32-39
June 27, 2010
Introduction
If we believe the Bible is our guide for all of life we really do not
need to ask What Should I Do? We can simply follow the Bible.
1.What Should I Do Related To A
Believing Spouse Who . . Leaves. 7:10-11
A.Accept The . . Command Of God’s Word. 7:10
10 I command the married—not I, but the Lord—a wife is not to leave
her husband.
B. Accept The . . Challenge Of God’s Word. 7:11
11 But if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled to
her husband—and a husband is not to leave his wife.
It is interesting that Paul makes a difference between a pronouncement
from him and one from the Lord. Paul said a wife is not to leave her
husband and a husband is not to leave his wife. Where did he get those
thoughts? I would say from other passages of scripture that obviously
state the word of God. The permanence of marriage needed to be
emphasized in Paul’s day and certainly in ours. If a spouse leaves
that spouse must remain unmarried or return to his/her mate.
2.What Should I Do Related To An
Unbelieving Spouse Who . . Leaves. 7:12-16
A.Accept The . . Opinion Of Paul. 7:12
12 But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has an
unbelieving wife, and she is willing to live with
him, he must not leave her.
B.Accept The . . Opportunity Of Evangelism. 7:13-14
13 Also, if any woman has an unbelieving husband, and he is willing to
live with her, she must not leave her husband. 14 For the unbelieving
husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is
sanctified by the Christian husband. Otherwise your children would be
unclean, but now they are holy.
C.Accept The Unknown . . Outcome Of Obedience. 7:15-16
15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave, A brother or a sister
is not bound in such cases. God has called you to peace. 16 For you,
wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband? Or you,
husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife? HCSB
Paul tells these believers if they are married to an unbeliever they
need to continue if their partner agrees.
Some of these folks became Christians after they were married. The
opportunity to win their spouse to the Lord
gave another reason for them to stay together and build their marriage.
Some men give their wives credit for winning them to the Lord, and on
some occasions the wife shares she became a Christian through the
influence of her husband.
3.What Should I Do Related To An
Unmarried Person . . Remaining Single. 7:32-35
A.Possible . . Benefits Of Living The Single Life As A Christian. 7:32,
34b
32 I want you to be without concerns. An unmarried man is concerned
about the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 34b An
unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the things of the Lord,
so that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.
B.Possible . . Barrier Of Living The Married Life As A Christian. 7:33,
34, 34bc, 35
33 But a married man is concerned about the things of the
world—how he may please his wife— 34 and he is divided. 34c But a
married woman is concerned about the things of the world—how she may
please her husband. 35 Now I am saying this for your own benefit, not
to put a restraint on you, but because of what is proper, and so that
you may be devoted to the Lord without distraction.
Is it all right for an unmarried person to remain single? Paul tells
them it is okay and that they have an opportunity to serve the Lord
even better because they have more opportunity to give their concerns
and attention to the things of the Lord. He then states that married
people must be concerned about their spouse in addition to the concern
of the things of the Lord. Paul’s personal lifestyle as a single man
demonstrated a time schedule free to serve the Lord. Now it must be
remembered in the beginning God created a wife for Adam and said, “it
is not good for man to be alone.†I would personally say many men
like me would say their wife has helped in serving the Lord and we
produced two girls who serve the Lord and produced eight grandchildren.
The possibility of being “fruitful and multiplying†can only
properly happen in a marriage relationship.
4.What Should I Do Related To
Unmarried Persons . . Requesting Marriage. 7:36-39
A.The . . Possibilities Facing The Father Of An Unmarried Daughter.
7:36-38
36 But if any man thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin if
she is past marriageable age, and so it must be, he can do what he
wants. He is not sinning; they can get married. 37 But he who stands
firm in his heart (who is under no compulsion, but has control over his
own will) and has decided in his heart to keep his own virgin, will do
well. 38 So then he who married his virgin does well, but he who does
not marry will do better.
B.The . . Principals Facing Married Wife. 7:39
39 A wife is bounds as long as her husband is living. But if her
husband dies, she is free to be married to
anyone she wants—only in the Lord. HCSB
The thought of a father thinking he would do wrong by allowing his
daughter to marry probably increased with a thought the Lord would come
again soon. If that be true he thought they all should give themselves
to serving the Lord with no other commitments. Paul restates the
principal of permanence in marriage and that it should not be
considered a temporary relationship. These principals need to be
included in our thoughts of;What Should I Do? Amen? Amen!
