1 Corinthians 7:25-8:13 - Part B

This is just marriage advice I would say to anybody when you marry somebody with the idea. I'm been a change that person. Your don't don't know why I'm allowing myself to be changed by the spirit and power of God that other person there doing right. The apostle Paul addressed many relational problems in the church today on connect with Skip Skip shares you can honor God. Marriage or in your single right now we want to tell you about a resource that will encourage you to trust the good plans that God has for you.

Life is hard and the harsh but accurate philosophy with into this general encouragement. But, that's right, in the most difficult circumstances God can intervene as he did for Joseph Joe and through the resurrection of Jesus here Skip I think the fact there may not be two more hopeful words than these two words but God because they point us to the great interrupter, the one who can powerfully and graciously interrupt our live with his plans and change our lives forever help you understand some of the Bible's most profound moment. You can have more hope for change in your own life.*It's 10 message teaching series… Our thanks and you give $35 and more to help connect more people to the only one who can radically change a life. But God CD collection to get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer or call 892 1888, first dance chapter 7 is rejoined Skip hiking for today's message. There are things happening around us in on the horizon and I wonder spot them. I wonder if you feel them. I wonder if you sent them. I have a hunch you first of all, there is an apostasy. You know what that means and means of falling away from the faith. There are people that you know once name the name of Christ once sat next to you in church who wants worship with you who are no longer apart, they have fallen away.

John writes about this and said they went out from us, but they showed. Basically, they were never really a bus for if they had been of us a better remained with us.

Paul the apostle said in the last days, many will fall away from the faith and give heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines taught by demons. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, and set before the coming of the Lord there will be a great falling away apostasy and that's what apostasy means that's happening versing I'm seeing it in greater numbers that I have ever seen it before, but there's something else happening though that is happening. It's probably always happen though I I'm sensing it in the greater degree presently. There is also a growing hostility toward us in antipathy toward the church, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ, always has been, but I'm sensing it being ratcheted up and I am sensing the present crisis and I mean the world crisis, the culvert crisis and the political crises that are part of that around the world have magnified that and so to speak out in truth before you could do that. There's a pastor in Canada because he spoke out about same-sex marriage basically just taught what the Bible said about a man and a woman and that's the family. The God ordained to be married and nothing else is in God's eyes right. He was arrested and sentenced another pastor in London arrested for the same thing, a member of the Finnish Parliament, a medical doctor, a gal who is an evangelical Lutheran medical doctor sees an academic because she stands up for biblical marriage and has tweeted that she is now under indictment for hate speech. We used to say no that's watch out it's coming. It's here where in it. It is a present distress and you couple that with governments who are just loving the control that they get to have because of the pandemic. Just realize we are in a very unique situation. It's it's it's being ratcheted up and I believe ratcheted up toward the last days, and toward the last days, not just where in the last days. Like Paul, was 2000 years ago the last days of the last days before the Lord comes back.

So I suppose therefore that it is good because of the present distress that it is good for a man to remain as he is.

Are you bound to a wife, aren't you glad I said will finish chapter 8 if the Lord wills are you bound your wife now.

I'll answer that. Yes I am happily I'm a happily married man. Are you bound the wife do not seek to be loose. No problem. Are you loose from a wife do not seek a life. Perhaps I'm guessing I'm guessing part of the complication they were writing Paul about his well Paul if it is true that to be single is to be unencumbered and undistracted in serving the Lord. Maybe it would be better if I dumped my wife so I could serve the Lord in an unencumbered way. I would say don't do that. That is not a spiritual thing is he's Artie talked about in previous verses are you loose from a life don't don't seek a wife know that is not to say I don't have don't look if you sensing I don't have to get to be single. I have a gift to be married so I want to find the right one. But now I should look for one.

The idea is don't take that to mean you shouldn't be on the lookout if the Lord brings her hand your path.

I would just say don't make that the overriding dominating controlling factor of your life.

But even if you do married you have not send and if the Virgin Mary said she has not sin.

Nevertheless, such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you, but this I say, brother, and the time is short so that from now on.

Even those who have wives should be as though they had none. Those who weep as though they did not weep. Those who rejoice as those who did not rejoice. Those who by as though they did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it for the form of this world is passing away. What is immunities is the time is short while. He talked about a present distress so he could mean a life is short in and of itself be the Lord is returning soon so get your rates down to deep or 3C. This is what I believe that persecution is on the rise. It's coming. Time is short. Before that full-blown persecution that I'm sensing is going ahead so if you're married Juergen out. You may have to make some choices and live as though you were not a Munich it could get down to it all.

Explained that as we as we go down to give you a scenario that could have happened in the first century as a married couple in Corinth, and both of them are Christians and the wife gets captured by unbelievers. This did happen. I mean, that this was happening. As time went on she is captured and she is tortured for her faith in Christ but say the husband is not notice now that now the husbands at home with the kids if she was a single woman and didn't have a husband with kids that would be horrible if she was tortured or killed in that prison under the circumstance. Debbie horrible, but it would now it's worse because the children that depend on mom will be taken away or that or will be left abandoned or she is because she the mother will be taken away. She's gonna leave the kids and the husband to fend for themselves. Or here's another scenario. Let's say the husband is arrested in the wife and the kids are at home. Let's say they torture him and they kill him.

In those days, a widow with children in that culture was often completely destitute would going to bankruptcy and would not be able to extreme poverty. So Paul will make the case that because of the present distress. If you're single, you may want to think unless the Lord hasn't gifted you. That way you might want to think about staying single now to get married. No problem you have and send to worry about. But this is distress that is coming soon.

So he's weighing one against the other.

Verse 32. But I want you to be without care he was unmarried, cares for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord, but he was married cares about the things of the world how he may please his wife.

There is a difference between a wife and a merchant, the unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and in spirit, she who is married, cares about the things of the world how she may please her husband. In this I say, for your own profit. Not that I may put a leash on you. I want to regulate that you should or shouldn't get married. I want to put a leash on you. To that extent, standard extreme, but for what is proper. You may serve the Lord with out distraction. A please understand the emphasis here is not to regulate them. It's not to control them as I police on them. He say you can get married or you can stay single. That's gonna be up to you before the Lord. I'm saying this to you in the emphasis is because I care for you. This is the heart of a pastor caring for his flock. I want you to be. Verse 32 with out care when I was single I could do whatever I want whenever I want, I can do that now. I don't want to do that now, but I can't do that now. When I was a single male living in California shortly after the death of my brother I just had this hankering to see the country and I called a friend of mine. I said, would you be willing to go on up excursion with me he was leaving excursion. I said let's drive through the United States and Canada wherever the Lord might lead or bring my guitar will preach the gospel will camp and we did it for three months.

I just pick up go or I wanted to go. Maybe taken our job here.

There get money for gas get money for food eat very meagerly just kind of work, and we did three months through United States and Canada had a blast slept in the car, slept on the ground slept on benches.

Now if I were to try to do that now honey were to go across the country not to have you sleep on this bench that will be your bench.

This'll be my bench. It wouldn't go over really well when I first married Lenny were coming out this way we did stop partway on the first night and and and was able to sleep her to sleep where I sit right here where grandma Carla to sleep in the car so I learned really quick.

The meaning of first Corinthians chapter 7 didn't take me long that she who is married, his concern for the things of his wife in a very different way than when I was single so learned my lesson. When two people get married they adjust to each other. Normal and natural. Sometimes it's easy.

Usually it's not. I look at marriage, sort of like us to porcupines trying to get warm on a cold night. You know they need each other's body. He began to be very careful how they snuggle up because they have many fine. Each has many fine points, but they'll feel those points. If they don't adjust just right and so you just want to get those things in sync together and okay that that's that's that's good you make adjustments because you each have your own habits your own views your own ways of doing things. Some, like the toilet paper going over some like going under some like everything neat and in this place. Others are slobs distal things everywhere and it's interesting to watch the porcupines adjust, but it is an adjustment when you're single, no adjustment needed is just you and yourself, hang out, do whatever you want.

The Lord calls you to do some you go camp out for three months go take a mission trip overseas go. But when you're married, you care for the things of your spouse I said last week. It's hard enough for one center to be by himself. You get to together and that's the porcupine effect. That's the adjust.

That's why Queen Elizabeth I, she was back in my what the 1500s by Queen Elizabeth I said I am married to England. My husband is England. She was just devoted to that that because as monarch, a believer who is unmarried can be focused on the things of the Lord solely again the caveat if that is their gift and he says in verse 35 I'm saying this for your own profit.

Verse 36 but if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his version. If she is past the flower of her youth, and thus it must be let them do it let him do sees me. What he wishes. He does not send let them marry. Nevertheless, he stands fast in his heart, having no necessity but has power over his own well and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin. He does well, it's my belief that these verses in particular are dealing with that father I spoke to told you about that first century Christian dad in Corinth who had a daughter or daughters who were getting up into marriageable age and keyed the death thought and I don't know if I want them to get married living in tough times troubled times, a bad age and dad's in those days, especially in in in the Greco-Roman culture had complete power over their children. There was a Roman law called in Latin poetry of protest us the tree of protest us means the absolute authority of the father over the life of the child, even to the point of death complete control. So if you have fathers who are saved there in the church at Corinth. They have control over their daughters. Some of them might be thinking I don't want my daughters to get married. So that seems to be what he has in view. In fact, some believe that some of these fathers made of thou because of the pressure of the ascetics in the church scene of the really spiritual you will let your daughters Mary so maybe some of the dads made a vow to the Lord, Lord, I'm dedicating my daughter to you that you live in perpetual virginity. You might want to consult your daughter Paul is saying. He says in verse 37 of the look. Nevertheless, he who stand steadfast in his heart, having no necessity in the word necessity means being constrained and that means being constrained by your daughter.

She's thinking we mean you made a vow for me to be celibate the rest of my life.

The version I want to get married. I met this cute guy at church so Paul is saying, you know, make sure that you're not constrained or necessity.

So verse 38 then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better. Both are fine.

It depends on what go with the go with gift go with the gift God gives gifts to people to be single and gives to people to be married. Verse 39.

Wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives. But if her husband dies, she is at liberty to be married to whom she wishes only in the Lord death breaks the bond of marriage I mentioned last week that God's original design was one man one woman for one lifetime. Now that is not always maintained and in many cases, Jesus spoke about another exception. Besides, death, and that was adultery if there's somebody commits adultery that that gives a freedom to divorce one spouse and thus if one chooses to remarry so death, divorce, and then Paul gives another, and that is departure. Departure of an unbeliever. If an unbeliever departs the marriage then you're also free, but in this case, he is just referring to death. A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives. But if her husband dies, she is at liberty to to be married to whom she wishes only in the Lord. That is only marry a Christian not well I met this guy and he's really cute and he says he's interested in God really has. He always said he's interested in God or just since he met you. That's a very important thing to find because of suddenly he's interested in God because you're interested in God and you think I'm gonna missionary date him. That is, on the date this unbeliever and as a missionary to lead them to Christ. Maybe and maybe not. And listen, people change, but not that much if you marry somebody this is this just marriage advice I would say that anybody when you marry somebody with the idea of I'm gonna change that person your your don't don't know.

I used to go to the marriage. I am allowing myself to be changed by the spirit and power of God and that other person if they're doing that great. That's how it should be. But if you're going and thinking that you're going to make adjustments and squeaks and change that person Odell change and you'll change the porcupine adjustment factor, but make sure they know the Lord, make sure that is their priority. They love the Lord, make sure that that guy loves the Lord more than he loves you.

Make sure that gal loves Jesus more than she loves you. That's the pursuit so only in the Lord, but she is happier. She remains as she is according to my judgment and I think I also have the spirit of God. Now chapter 8 chapter 8. These 13 verses deal with an issue of Christian liberty now concerning things offered to idols and easy to get into us in the next few chapters, what we would call gray areas, gray areas, there are issues that we face today that they didn't phase 2000 years ago there were issues going on in Corinth that Paul had not addressed with them. Hence the question. Gray areas and their gray area was can I eat meat sacrificed to an idol are gray area would be different Christians for generations have debated issues like King can women wear pants suits. I remember when pantsuits were big when was it what decade was at 70s, 80s and some people inserted where you can't do that because she's wearing something that pertains to a man that's men's clothing that's for bit and then there's debates about can Christian see movies came Christians smoke cigarettes can Christian's dance and when people are speaking Christians dance my answers some canned, some I can never been good at it. That's why played in the band anyway. Another story so these are part of the great issues in one of the issues was sacrifice food sacrifice idols meat sacrificed to idols concerning things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up or edifies when it comes to gray areas not black-and-white areas. We know certain things are wrong. Biblically speaking, we have enough working also certainly got strong one today. Stay away from that. That's right get into that do that then there things were not quite sure about when it comes to these gray areas or nonessential issues. Now it's good by the way, we just backup. It's good for you to know what is essential and what is nonessential wise and important because we must never raise nonessentials to the level of essentials and we must never lower essentials to the level of nonessentials. So when it comes to who is God, the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The atonement of Christ the vicarious atonement him dying in our place. Salvation by faith through grace by grace through faith. All of that.

Those things are essentials. If you don't believe in in some certain things you are not a saved individual you're not a child of God there essential. There are other things that are not essential. Eating meat sacrificed. I will nonessential going to a movie nonessential having a cigarette. I nonessential.

Some people take and raise nonessentials to the level of assent old smoker going to throw the smoking just taken a nonessentials friend raised it to the level sensor that wraps escape to message from the series expound to speak with a message for. We want to connect more listeners like you to God's never changing truth in these ever-changing times so we would love for you to consider partnering in this work today so that many others can continue to know God's truth and be transformed by his love her so you can take God's word to more listeners like you around the world. Visit connectwithskip.com/donate to give a gift that's connectwithskip.com/donate or call 800-922-1888, 800-9222. Thank you for your generosity and come back tomorrow. Skip Heitzigs it shares how you can help build unity in the church by focusing on essential truths to the vendors people would think essential for that matter, not even the resurrection, and when they do that they are ripping the gospel