Bible Reading

1 Corinthians Chapter 7 - The Distinction of Appropriateness

Life’s Great Wisdom - Appropriate Conduct

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The Silent Dove In Distant Lands

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5 min read

Contents

As the saying goes, “A miss is as good as a mile.” Another goes, “Excess is as bad as deficiency.” Many things in life are likened to a balance scale, where too much or too little will cause it to tilt. Acting appropriately is a rare and valuable wisdom. In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul also discusses the appropriate conduct between men and women. Although it is not the black-and-white truth directly revealed by God, it encompasses Paul’s rich experience and his fatherly love towards the Corinth church believers. 

From Paul's epistles, we can see that the Corinth church was not perfect. In fact, regarding relationships between men and women, they could be seen as a negative example. At the beginning of 1 Corinthians 5, Paul mentions a case of sexual immorality in the Corinthian church, including incest with a stepmother. All these are detested by God and strictly forbidden by the apostles to the Gentile believers (Acts 15:29). As mentioned in Romans 1, both men and women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. This is why Paul spent such a long portion of his letter correcting their mistakes. So, what are the appropriate principles Paul mentions regarding the relationship between men and women?

1. Adherence to the Natural Order

By "natural," it does not refer to human instincts or desires, but the natural order God established when He created the world. When God created Adam, He saw that it was not good for him to be alone, so He made him a companion, Eve. A man and a woman, mutually compatible, in harmony with each other, are meant to become one flesh. This is the original intention of marriage as established by God. God also gave husbands and wives the ability to procreate, Therefore, the physical union is pleasing to God and is what is referred to as "natural use" in Romans 1.

What, then, is unnatural? One extreme manifestation of "unnatural use" is having sexual relations with someone other than one's spouse, or even with the same sex or animals. Such people are driven by unrestrained lust. Another extreme manifestation is excessive "sexual purity" or even "sexual frigidity", where a married couple still keeps a distance from each other. Such behaviour regards the sacred union that God established as impure, and believes that celibacy is better than being united as one. Paul also rebukes this: neither the husband nor the wife has authority over their own body (1 Corinthians 7:4). Christians ought to follow the natural function designed by God to have a holy union and to reproduce.

2. Unwavering Commitment to Marriage

At many weddings, the couple express their firm commitment to love each other "til death do us part." However, if we observe today's society, divorce has become increasingly common. In Portugal, the divorce rate is even as high as 94%! Such actions are clearly detested by God. What God has joined together, let not man separate (Matthew 19:6). This is also what Paul reminded the Corinthians of: A wife is not to depart from her husband, nor a husband his wife. But even if they do, let them remain unmarried (1 Corinthians 7:10-11). Although God's will is for us to marry within the Lord, if we have married an unbeliever due to our weakness, God does not necessarily require us to separate from our spouse. On the contrary, if our unbelieving spouse is faithful and fears God, we should not leave him or her. God's task for us may be to lead our spouse to know Him and become His child. We should demonstrate love and faith, serving as good examples of faith within our homes and building a family altar.

However, if the unbelieving spouse is unfaithful, Paul's advice is to let them go, as they have chosen to take on a different yoke on this path of marriage, for righteousness and lawlessness should not be in fellowship (2 Corinthians 6:14). God delights in a holy, unblemished marriage, where spouses build up and support one another, running this path to the kingdom of heaven with one heart. This unwavering love and commitment to our spouse until death also reflects our unwavering loyalty to God.

3. Accepting God's Will

In the body of Christ, there are many members, and God has His purpose for each one of us. Although marriage is established by God, not everyone is called to marry. Some become eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake (Matthew 19:12), like the apostle Paul, who fought the good fight for the gospel and remained celibate and unmarried throughout his life. Although it is not good for a person to be alone, if we can keep a pure heart and not be enslaved by lust, but be concerned only about the things of the Lord, then in God's eyes, we are also pleasing to Him. We would be like the Nazarites in the Old Testament, specially called by God. But if it is God's will for us to build a family, we should not deliberately avoid marriage, lest we give the devil a foothold.

In conclusion, the principle of propriety and appropriateness Paul speaks of applies to everyone, regardless of gender. The key is to maintain the identity we were called to before the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:20). If God calls us to marriage, we should make our spouses happy in marriage, follow the natural order, and remain faithful until death.  As husband and wife, we should walk this path to eternal life as one flesh. Conversely, if God has called us to remain single, then we should keep ourselves pure, serve the Lord diligently, remain faithful to Him, and hold fast to that calling. No matter the identity God has attributed to us, our ultimate goal is to obtain the crown of eternal life.



Related Topics

1 Corinthians

See Also

Can I Go To Any Church?

Can I Go To Any Church?

Christianity today is very divided and is vastly different from the church established by the apostles. There are many denominations, each interpreting the Bible in their own way. Yet to most Christians, many of these differences don’t matter and all churches still collectively belong to the body of Christ. As such, they believe that as long as one is Christian, they can be saved. I once invited a Christian friend to church. He was confused and said, “But… I already go to a church, why don’t you ask others who aren’t Christians?” Is it true that you can go to any church, and that you can be saved as long as you are Christian? Are all churches part of the body of Christ? Some Christians believe that, which is why it does not matter which church you go to. “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Ephesians 1:22-23 NKJV “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:18 NKJV It is a biblical concept that the church is the body of Christ, and Christ is head of the church. The bible goes on to say the following: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Ephesians 4:4-6 NKJV There is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God. Is this reflected by all of Christianity today? Can we say we have one baptism today? Different churches preach different things about baptism. Some are for infant baptism, some are against it. Different churches have different takes on how baptism is conducted and whether it pertains to salvation. Is this considered “One baptism”, as it should be in the body of Christ? This points us to the issue of one Spirit. It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that the church was established on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). In the Acts of the Apostles, we also see clearly how the Holy Spirit guided the actions of the apostles (Acts 16:6). Moreover, the Holy Spirit was also referred to as the Spirit of Truth by the Lord Jesus Himself: “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” John 16:13 NKJV If all churches are led by and established by the one Holy Spirit, how is it that there are so many versions of “truth”? As mentioned earlier, different churches have different takes on baptism. Other differences include tongue speaking. Some churches speak in tongues, while some don’t, who instead claim that tongues have ceased. Some churches hold services on the Sabbath and uphold it is a holy day, while most churches worship on a Sunday and claim that it is not important to worship on the Sabbath. Are all these contradictory pieces of information all from the same Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth? This brings me to my next point: One faith. Can we all say that we have the one same faith, if we have so many differences in our doctrines? Some Christians may argue that we can say we have the same faith, because we all believe in the same Lord Jesus who has given us salvation. These differences in doctrines do not matter. This, I think, is the fundamental reason most may give to justify why going to any church is fine. And they quote: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 NKJV Yes, as written above, it is through believing in Jesus that we can be saved. But is it right to say that nothing else matters? Is that all the Bible says about being saved? Did not Jesus also say, for example, that baptism is necessary for salvation in Mark 16:16? Can believing that baptism is necessary for salvation, and not believing that baptism is necessary for salvation, be considered to be the same faith, simply beacuse both parties believe in Jesus Christ? We can see how highly Paul esteems the oneness of the gospel in his warning to the Galatians, who were pressured to keep the Jewish law, including circumcision: “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9 NKJV Let us look at what the Lord Jesus once said, which some may find shocking: ““Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV We see here that the Lord Jesus has denied salvation to these people, who clearly believed in Him! If we truly believe in what Jesus says here, we ought to realise that it is not a mere belief and confession in Jesus that saves. If we say we believe in Jesus, yet do not believe in what He says, for example, regarding baptism for salvation, can we really say we believe in Him? This brings us to the last point: One body. If all churches were established by the Holy Spirit, there will not be so many versions of doctrines. These different beliefs cannot all be considered to be one faith, grouped under the umbrella of “believing in Jesus Christ”. There is only one gospel, as Paul says. There is only one complete truth that saves. After all, doesn’t it make sense that Jesus has only one message of salvation for us in the Bible, that should not be open to human interpretation, but rather by revelation of the Holy Spirit? And the role of the church is to uphold the truth! As Paul writes: “but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” I Timothy 3:15 NKJV The church is meant to be the pillar and ground of the truth, that is, to uphold the truth. If these churches do not have the truth, how then can they be considered to be the church of God, the body of Christ, in the Bible? As mentioned in Ephesians 4, there is one faith and one body. That means there is one church with the one complete truth that saves. Do you think you can be saved if you go to a church that does not have the complete truth of salvation, and is not truly part of the body of Christ? Today the True Jesus Church believes that we are the one true church of God that preaches the complete truth, passed down by the apostles through the Bible. The True Jesus Church preaches that Baptism, Foot washing and Holy Communion are sacraments necessary for salvation. We also observe the Sabbath, and believe that receiving the Holy Spirit, evidenced by tongue speaking, is necessary for salvation. These doctrines, can all be substantiated by the Bible and it is the same one faith practiced by the Apostles in the Bible. These will not be discussed in detail in today’s article, but please do reach out to us if you are interested in the learning the truth of salvation.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians Chapter 1

Reflection on 1 Corinthians Chapter 1

At the beginning of Paul’s epistle to the church in Corinth, he begins his greeting by emphasising his calling by the Lord Jesus Christ as an apostle, urging the believers to recognise that we all share this calling. He seeks to remind us that our faith is not centred on the self but rather collective, rooted in Jesus Christ.  He swiftly addresses the fact that the Corinthians were rife with division and pride. They boasted allegiance to various leaders, such as Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Christ. Paul questions them: “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised in the name of Paul?” Their strife and division reflect man’s tendency to prioritise personal differences and grievances over the unifying truth of the gospel. Therefore, Paul’s rejection of sectarianism reminds them, and us, to rise above rivalries and centre our faith on Jesus Christ alone. Paul goes on to speak about the power and wisdom of God. He says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” (1 Cor 1: 18). The world and its wisdom may dismiss the idea that salvation is attained through Jesus’ dying on the cross. Although it is perceived as a weakness, Paul argues that this perceived weakness, in light of man’s wisdom, is God’s power. This paradox shows us that God’s wisdom often contradicts our human logic, and it challenges us to reflect on how much we trust the Lord. How much do we trust in Jesus Christ when His will and plan for us seem to go against our plans or what we envision them to be? The cross truly dismantles this pride for “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1st Cor 1: 25). Lastly, Paul speaks about God using the foolish and weak to shame the wise and strong. Very often in our lives, God uses what seems small and insignificant to accomplish His purpose. In John 6:9, a young boy offers his small lunch, which seems insignificant and impossible, yet the Lord Jesus uses it to feed over 5000. God’s strength and wisdom shine through what man considers foolish and weak.  In a world that exalts pride and division, Paul urges us to be united and humble and to rely on the Lord Jesus. May all glory be given to the Lord.

Daniel Chapter 4 - Let the Most High God Reign in Your Life

Daniel Chapter 4 - Let the Most High God Reign in Your Life

The story in Daniel Chapter 4 is perhaps not unfamiliar to many of us. King Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the great Babylonian empire, the king of kings, being turned into a beast, how spectacular is that? It's not until we read through this chapter for ourselves that we realise something even more spectacular: this whole chapter is told by King Nebuchadnezzar himself. Daniel Chapter 4 is King Nebuchadnezzar's own personal testimony! Isn't King Nebuchadnezzar the infamous evil king? How is it that in this chapter he gives praise to the almighty God? Perhaps the first thing that should catch our attention from today's chapter is the repeated phrase in verses 17 and 32. The Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He wills. This phrase can even be said to be the theme of the whole Book of Daniel. This book is mostly set in the time of exile, when there seemingly was no longer any king over the people of God. Yet, in the Book of Daniel we see that though there was no earthly king ruling over Israel, God made it clear to these foreign kings that He is the almighty God. He was still the one who was truly the King. The outcome of this is that the evil king Nebuchadnezzar, probably the greatest and most powerful man during his time, writes this testimony for all peoples, nations, and languages to hear (Daniel 4:1-3). Imagine being a subject in the Babylonian empire, and receiving this declaration from king Nebuchadnezzar praising and glorifying the God of Israel. Though God's people sin against Him and are punished by being taken into exile, the name of God is still magnified. God is not put to shame. Today through baptism we have entered into the Kingdom of God. Yet, it is key for us to consider whether God truly is the King of our lives. It's natural to make many plans for our future, out of a desire to lead our dream lives. But for us Christians, the sovereignty and authority of God is something that we must be well-aware of and fully willing to submit to. If God doesn't let me get that job, are we able to accept it? If God closes the path towards our dreams, are we will to say "Let Thy will be done"? If God takes away all that we have, are we able to be like Job and say "Blessed be the name of the Lord"? If all this is causing us to struggle, remember this: God loves us. He knows what's best for us, He knows what we need. He has already given His life for us, and given us His precious Spirit to dwell within us. Having faith in God's love towards us gives us strength to submit to our King with full assurance that this is the best path for us, this is the way to blessing and to eternal life. Since our God is the highest and rules over the kingdom of man, what then should our response ought to be? Nebuchadnezzar begins and ends his testimony by praising and glorifying God. Giving praises to God is something that we have been often taught but perhaps we have not given enough thought to or taken seriously enough. Yet, throughout the Bible, it's clear that praises are a key part of our worship to God (just read the Book of Psalms). What might we praise God for? Like Nebuchadnezzar, we can praise God for His greatness and His almightiness. Just consider the stars, or the intricacies of the human body. We can praise God for His love and wisdom as seen in His creation as well as in His word. The more we study into the holy scriptures, the more we are filled with awe at how complete, connected, and wonderful these life-giving words are. We can also glorify God for His salvation which He has so freely given to us. Imagine how different our lives might be today if not for His grace and mercy! It's when we decide to finally take the importance of praising God seriously and intentionally set aside some time in our daily prayers to praise God, that we truly experience the blessing that comes along with it. We go through life being filled with joy and gratitude, knowing that we have such a great and powerful Heavenly Father who loves us. In fact, it was when Nebuchadnezzar took the glory for Himself rather than giving all glory to God, that the infamous transformation into a beast took place. This brings us nicely to the final point of reflection for this devotional. Pride - when we take glory for ourselves rather than giving glory to God. Nebuchadnezzar's testimony serves as a stark warning for us. Even just a sentence or thought of pride can greatly displease God. How often have we unknowingly taken credit for ourselves for any achievements we have, or for any divine work that we do? Being puffed up with pride and not keeping to one's proper domain is precisely the sin of satan (1 Tim 3:6, Jude 6-7). If we are filled with pride, what difference is there between us and satan? In fact, while satan exalted himself, God on the contrary lowered Himself, coming in the likeness of man and humbling Himself even to the point of death (Phil 2:5-8). Whose example do we want to follow, that of God or of satan? Let us take warning from the story of Nebuchadnezzar and carefully consider who's example we want to follow. Indeed, God opposes the proud while giving grace to the humble. He blesses the meek, that they might inherit the earth .

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