To Marry or Not to Marry? (Part 2 of 4)

The book of life from an eternal perspective dramatically impacts the way you view everything, including the surrounding culture, your possessions, your happiness, even death in the way we mourn were in first Corinthians chapter 7 today on Truth for Life.

Alistair Begggest teaching versus 25 through 40. We have noted before, as we began the book of Indians that the broad geographical, historical, sociological frameworks, in which Paul was writing the religious factors which were present at the time when I speak of contacts now I'm speaking with in the context itself of the seventh chapter and the specific issues which I believe helped to explain the nature and deemphasis of Paul's instruction what I want you just to begin to note is the connection between his advice on staying single are getting married and living married in relationship to the crisis. Verse 26 the short time. Verse 29 and the passing world. Verse 31.

That's the context. What is the concern of his teaching. First of all the protection that he longs for in their life's notice verse 35 I am saying this, he says, for your own good and not to restrict you.

The words he uses.

There is the word Broca's which is a slipknot which would be put on a rope to go around the neck of a beast that you are seeking to harness. He says my intention is not to put a halter around your necks, and to bring you into bondage out of any fight that he points that out is an indication of the find the many people would probably begin to think that that is exactly what he's trying to do. No, he says my concern is that I want to protect you. I want to protect you from the trouble that you might face because there is a lot of trouble. He says wrapped up in this marriage thing the work which he uses the word… Which means tribulation or pressure our affliction. Verse 28 of been searching for it. Those who marry will face many troubles in this life. I want to spare you this so you're married and is cool right but there's a lot of trouble involved. I mean you go to a restaurant as a single person, you got enough money in your pocket to pay for one. Okay, you may want to pay for two but I go, I have enough money to pay for five and then I'm going to concern about why three of the five didn't really like one what we chose never to be ticked off about that in trouble and concerned and disgusted. Whatever might be.

So he is writing he says I want you to know that when I see these things I've made clear my context.

He says now my concern is that you might be protected protected from trouble and protected from distraction and protected from concerns not because of the pragmatics that I'm suggesting to you so that you can be a happy single but as we are about to see, so that you can give your undivided attention to the Lord and to his kingdom.

But what I'm mentioning is just a little byproduct is so number one there is protection number two there is provision like a good Shepherd. He is seeking not only to protect them from harm, but also seeking to benefit from again. Verse 35 I'm saying this for your own good. Or as Phillips puts it, I tell you these things to help you. I'm not he says putting difficulties in your path, but I'm seeking to provide for you which will be for your profit and for your event. Each in doing so is truth, police force, please clear people may not like what he says but nevertheless he is a shepherd.

He wants to protect them. And he wants to provide for them by his own testimony when he took his leave of the Ephesian elders. He was able to say to them. I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God in the third matter is that they would be men and women of devotion you notice again in verse 35. He says that you may live in a right way, there is a right way to live word which is used here means well shaped or proper are marked by decorum marked by decency and Paul says that's how I want you to live. I want you to live in unhindered devotion to the Lord Jesus, I want you to live in unhindered devotion to the Lord Jesus, I want you to live in unhindered devotion to the Lord Jesus in a time of crisis.

In a time that short in a world that is passing away my great concern for you. He says, is that you would sell out for Jesus Christ. Now when we begin to understand. You see this context. In this concern, then it begins to make sense how he longs to see men and women given over to the service of God and without any distraction that then brings us to what I think is the pivotal statement in the whole chapter.

It follows on from the statement in verse 29 and embodies essentially verse 20 9B through the beginning of verse 31 that moves is then from context through concern to the content of his instruction and I just want to deal briefly with us for a moment before we wrap this up this evening.

What I mean brothers. Is this the time is short and then he says from now on. In light of this, I want to tell you these things.

The world is passing away.

Eternity is reality and time is transient. Therefore, I want you to have an eternal perspective brought to bear on every aspect of your life's now notice the aspects that he is concerned about.

First of all, relationships from now on. Those who have wives should live as if they didn't have a wife whereafter understand what that means but he says eternity has an impact on relationships has an impact upon the whole question of sex. Secondly, eternity has an impact on death. Those who mourn, as if they didn't mourn. Thirdly, eternity has an impact on happiness. Those who are happy, as if they were not. Fourthly, eternity has an impact on possessions. Those who buys something as if it were not theirs to keep, and fifthly eternity has an impact on culture. Those who use the things of the world as if not engrossed in the USA dealing the Bible is relevant is relevant. This is phenomenally relevant what he is saying is this the word and instruction of the spirit of God given to him, which he now communicates through first Corinthians 7 touches upon the very essential areas of our lives sex death happiness things and culture.

Tell me, aren't concerned about any one of those bear the warp and move of life, and he says when you understand these keys, then you will live differently in relationship to those things now obviously the preponderance of his time is given to the issue of relationships and that is what the broad sweep of first Corinthians 7 is about, but because they're here I want you just to trace them with me in reverse order.

When we come to relationships or before we will stop and say that for next time. The perspective of eternity has an impact on the way we view culture that is verse 31. Those who use the things of the world will do you use the things of the world do I use the things of the world. Of course we knew where in the world is an all embracing designation.

Well, he says when you view things off this world as you use them from a different perspective, then you will understand what it is to be involved in them without being engrossed by them involved without being engrossed many times a week you hear somebody say all I just live for such and such. Oh, I just live for my dog. You do or you want some adult life. All I just live for my music all he just lives for his job.

He just lives to read, fill it in any way you choose. Frequently people say these kind of things we just live for our occupation.

I go that early in the morning I come by late in the evening. I just live to work well is that a Christian perspective on that yes exactly Christian faith must change the way in which we view the culture in which we move. We use the things of the world but not as those engrossed by them. That is the change which Jesus makes. That is so hard to work out it's in some measure is easy for me to say. After all, I don't have what many of you in terms of the privileges and opportunities of a daily routine I'm removed from them. I don't want those corridors. I don't do those thing many a Monday. I wish I but the fact is I don't so you men out there who walk those hallways and you ladies who live those lives you are going to be able to apply this to your lives with clarity living in this culture using the things of the culture but not engrossed by the culture because you see fading as the worldliness pleasure.

All is boasted pond, and all is showing solid joys and lasting treasure none but science children know so that the parties to which we go where there is a Christian presence ought to be different from the parties where there is no Christian present when there is a Christian present in conversation it ought to be different because there will be a huge and glaring discrepancy between the preoccupations of those who are engrossed with our culture and those who are involved in the culture but not engrossed by, and has an impact on culture. Secondly, it has an impact on the way we view possessions. Look what he says backing up through the versus those who buys something as if it were not theirs to keep those who buys something as if it were not theirs to keep. In other words, he is discriminated between what it means to have things and what it means for things to have us surely this is one of the great tyrannies of all of our lives is not due. I have possessions or the possessions of me when I'm more concerned about my bank balance on our than I am in any kind of interesting heavenly banking my preoccupation with my house down here is so significant that I have lost all interest in any possibility of a heavenly dwelling up there when the joy that I sense in driving my car means more to me than what it might mean to drive around in heaven or runaround in heaven when playing the sound system of my stereo fills me with such excitement because of the woofers and the twitters and Munoz waters that I have done no prospect of ever being in heaven and sharing an angel requires that I just found out that I'm on the wrong side of this equation. I am not living with eternity's perspective on. I am not fulfilling what he calls me to hear.

Namely, when I buys something I may hold it but likely not tightly because it is mine to keep. Because we can keep benefit.

We want anyway theirs and our coffins from a purely pragmatic point of view. It is such a stupid tyranny to be tied to stop but we also what about happiness and eternal perspective on happiness. Those who are happy, as if they were not what was he saying he saying that in the preoccupations of our culture which lives to make us feel good saying there is any virtue and feeling bad. As an alternative saying is that when eternity looms large. The things that give us the greatest joy down here lose our joy. I may remember the day you graduated from high school I was a great day and you are happy that day. But in comparison to what it will mean to graduate from the earth to heaven and stand before Christ. It's nothing thing of all happiness that was in your heart is used to the end of the aisle and waited for your bride to walk down the aisle orders a girl in reverse.

Whatever was nobody could've taken that happiness away no one to denigrate that happiness. But in relationship to what heaven will mean it doesn't even come on the computer screen. No matter what it is that we may get with her. We derive happiness from personal success. The happiness that we feel them getting promoted the happiness that we feel in receiving an inheritance. The happiness that we feel in seeing our children succeed. All that he says when eternity breaks and lives of us who find happiness and that should be should be as everyone even happy about that's different. It's different is revolutionary. You see, I think. I think this is why worship is so important, incidentally, is an essay why it's so important that we enter into worship when we come together as the people of God because of his great power and corporate praise that is a sense in which God in these moments opens to is just a tiny corner of the curtain of heaven and allows us to see through in a way that may not be ours to enjoy as we drive around the residence.

We walk around and therefore when we become changed jingle ours. And when we become observers in relationship to worship. We deprive ourselves of the opportunity of getting that little glimpse which puts everything in order and I think it's only when eternity creeps up upon his and grabs us her strokes is on the back of the neck that we can take everything that represents happiness to us and say that is even made me happy in comparison to the prospect of what this means.

See how earthbound we are. Some of us are having a really hard time making the connection is everything that made us happy. Last week had to do with her everything that made us happy last week had to do with time and eternity never even was featured in our thinking the same thing is true of death, he said, those who mourn, as if they didn't know suggesting stoicism.

You know, suggesting the Christian faith makes her stare aisle and emotionless. What he saying is this in terms of the loss of a loved one, even through our tears were going to lose hope were not going to lose purpose were not going ultimately fall apart when I'm in a lose all our motivation for life. Why, because of eternity is not Paul's emphasis, nor is it is purpose to fully develop these areas and that's why I wanted just to make a cursory overview of them with you. But even this brief overview should clearly show us just how relevant the impact of eternity will be in the practical areas of our life.

Let me summarize it with it with Phillips paraphrase is what he says there is no time to indulge in sorrow no time for enjoying our joys. Those who by have no time to enjoy their possessions and indeed there every contact with the world must be as light as possible for the present scheme of things is actually passing away GCI antithetical. This is to our self oriented culture see what this does to every advertising ploy in every magazine and in every television commercial that sucks is down into its quagmire of sex and possessions and happiness, and culture, and death.

When we begin to wrestle with this.

We understand why it is that Peter says your your peculiar people. You are a peculiar people, because if ever the spirit of God would get a hold of our hearts in relationship to this that has to do with relationships and with death and with happiness and with things and with culture. Now the world's got something to see when it comes amongst the church and what does it see when it comes amongst the church same preoccupations as the world outside the church. The same incidences of divorce, the same incidences of promiscuity. The same incidences of infidelity.

Something is wrong. I'll tell you what it is. The keys in first Corinthians 7 crisis brevity and the passing world have been lost sight of. And we find ourselves whitewashed just enough to pass inspection of blind guides read first Corinthians 7. Pray first Corinthians 7 through think about the question of whether you are to get married in light of these things tonight and what you are to be doing with your marriage in light of these things tonight and God willing, when we come back we will try with the help of the Lord to bring these keys and concerns to bear upon the express question of singlehood and marriage. When we begin to view life in light of eternity, changes the way we worship our priorities holding onto this perspective will always be a help to us.

Singleness of marriage in every part of our life listening to Truth for Life with Alister Bragg.

Please keep listening. Alister will return to close the program adjustment or current series is titled, we too are one as a companion to this study, we want to encourage you to request a copy of Alister's book lasting love.

How to avoid marital failure in the book Alister impacts God's design for marriage. He explores the important roles husbands and wives should embrace in order to ensure that their marriage is lifelong, joyful, and God honoring. He also explains the pitfalls married couples will want to avoid. The book is filled with biblical wisdom, you'll learn the important theological foundations of marriage and you and your spouse or your future spouse can work through a series of questions that Alister is included in the back of the book to help you strengthen your relationship. Learn how to enjoy a marriage that will last a lifetime request lasting love.

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We want to provide you with clear relevant Bible teaching so you can learn more about God's word that got permission to open the Scriptures each day to hope all who listen better understand and apply God's word in their daily lives are prayer is that God's spirit will work through his word so that unbelievers will come to know Jesus as their Savior. Believers will grow in faith. Local churches will be strengthened every time you pray for this ministry or you donate, that's the mission you're supporting your prayers and your giving help bring the gospel message to listeners all around the globe through truth for so thank you. Now here's Alister close with prayer. You know, the burden of our hearts. Here is a leadership in this church that for your glory. And because of your mercy. Our congregation may not be proud and arrogant that we lead may not have a posture that would lead our folks in that way that we do have a burning longing in our hearts that the word of God may be brought to bear upon the people of God by the spirit of God in such a way that we might begin at least two approximate to the peculiarities which will mark those who have begun to wrestle with eternal volumes as the impact all these things we consider now, Lord, we pray that you will give us undivided hearts and that you will help us so to wrestle with the claims of your word that as our days open before us in singleness or in marriage that we might be as lights in a dark place as we look out on the challenges and opportunities of the week before us, we pray that we might live and move and have our being. Within the framework of eternity. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be the abiding portion of each one. Tonight and forevermore about the pain. Thanks for listening. Tomorrow will hear how ill eternal perspective changes the way we view relationships how we prioritize God in his work without neglecting our marriage for our family is better to stay single tomorrow.

The Bible teaching of Alister is furnished by truth learning