1 Corinthians 7-8
Chapter 7 is fodder for those who like to tear into Paul about his views on women and on marriage. Indeed, Paul treats marriage as being only to keep people from sexual sin. Remembering though, in Corinth, sex was not only big business, but also religious in nature. This was a town built on worshiping a sexual godess, so the temptations were in your face -- probably in a similar manner to our American culture today. Paul is right in that a married person's interest is divided between pleasing God and pleasing spouse. His point is simply that it is better and easier to serve God when you don't have to worry about a husband or wife. Writing those words from his position (unmarried) makes Paul seem harsh toward those who marry, but that isn't his intention. He is concerned with keeping people from sin, especially sexual sin, and with enabling people to serve God better.
The marital duty section in 7:2-5 is good advice, and again is a sign that Paul did not see women as lesser partners, but as equal with men in this regard. All of the statements in chapter seven are not slanted toward the male, but are straight down the middle.
Paul notes that divorce is not what God desires, even when the spouse is not a beliver. His teaching where he clearly identifies it being from Paul and not from God are his interpretations of how to live at peace. The curious language is found in 7:14 where he talks about an unbelieving spouse being sanctified by the believing half. Certainly that doesn't mean salvation, as it violates what Paul writes elsewhere in Scripture. So Paul must be talking about raising children, which eems to be the point of 7:14.
Paul also notes the relative insignificance of our earthly state. Circumcision is meaningless for Paul. Obedience is important. Slavery is not significant, although we are not to sell ourselves since we have already been purchased. It is an extension of Paul's ideas about having to please God and a spouse. It becomes difficult trying to please an earthly master and a heavenly One.
Widows may remarry, but again Paul states that it is easier not to. But there's that sex thing to deal with again.
Chapter eight begins somewhat off-subject, talking of the importance man puts on knowledge, but the emphasis Paul puts on loving God and being known by God. This is not to say that knowledge is useless, especially as it concerns God. But if we put our confidence in our knowledge or in any other ability, we aren't trusting God as we should.
The rest of the 8th chapter deals with something we don't deal with anymore -- food which has been sacrificed to idols. Paul's point is that since those idols are nothing, that they have no effect on the food or its power to defile us. Paul also expects the Corinthians in the church to know this. But those on the outside, or the weaker members of the church can be confused if they see a Christian doing such things. In this case we are told to refrain if our knowledge causes us to express our freedom, but causes a weaker brother to be confused or emboldened to do what he considers to be a sin. Paul rightly states that we can't be so attached to our precious freedoms that we can exercise them without regard for anyone else. That lesson is for us today as well.
The marital duty section in 7:2-5 is good advice, and again is a sign that Paul did not see women as lesser partners, but as equal with men in this regard. All of the statements in chapter seven are not slanted toward the male, but are straight down the middle.
Paul notes that divorce is not what God desires, even when the spouse is not a beliver. His teaching where he clearly identifies it being from Paul and not from God are his interpretations of how to live at peace. The curious language is found in 7:14 where he talks about an unbelieving spouse being sanctified by the believing half. Certainly that doesn't mean salvation, as it violates what Paul writes elsewhere in Scripture. So Paul must be talking about raising children, which eems to be the point of 7:14.
Paul also notes the relative insignificance of our earthly state. Circumcision is meaningless for Paul. Obedience is important. Slavery is not significant, although we are not to sell ourselves since we have already been purchased. It is an extension of Paul's ideas about having to please God and a spouse. It becomes difficult trying to please an earthly master and a heavenly One.
Widows may remarry, but again Paul states that it is easier not to. But there's that sex thing to deal with again.
Chapter eight begins somewhat off-subject, talking of the importance man puts on knowledge, but the emphasis Paul puts on loving God and being known by God. This is not to say that knowledge is useless, especially as it concerns God. But if we put our confidence in our knowledge or in any other ability, we aren't trusting God as we should.
The rest of the 8th chapter deals with something we don't deal with anymore -- food which has been sacrificed to idols. Paul's point is that since those idols are nothing, that they have no effect on the food or its power to defile us. Paul also expects the Corinthians in the church to know this. But those on the outside, or the weaker members of the church can be confused if they see a Christian doing such things. In this case we are told to refrain if our knowledge causes us to express our freedom, but causes a weaker brother to be confused or emboldened to do what he considers to be a sin. Paul rightly states that we can't be so attached to our precious freedoms that we can exercise them without regard for anyone else. That lesson is for us today as well.
posted by rev-ed @ 12:15 AM
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