“Let each man have his own wife,
and let each woman have her own husband”
(1 Corinthians 7:2).
In 1 Corinthians 7, the apostle Paul presents marriage as a protection against fornication. Thus, he consistently defends and argues that the marriage covenant should not be broken and that there should be no separation. In the face of possible separation, the apostle asks,
“For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband?
Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?” (v. 16).
As for relationships, the apostle presents reasons to prefer chasity and to likewise prefer the unmarried life: he says that difficult times are good reason to remain single. Let us agree that Paul’s extremely difficult life would have made a possible marriage very complicated.
As the end of his letter, Paul presents reasons for marrying or remaining single. He is not prohibiting a certain marital status or promoting on to the deteriment of another. What he does is warn people about marriage relationships in difficult times.
The other topic present in this chapter is circumcision.
Neither the fulfillment of the Jewish rite of circumcision nor ceasing to practice it could affect the individual relationship with God through faith in Jesus. Paul emphasizes that outward ceremonies and observances have no value without faith in Christ. Converted Christians are accepted by God not through any work that they can do, but by faith in Christ’s work on the cross on their behalf.
Thus, the author of the Epistle starts from the biblical premise that God is the Author of marriage, and that what is established by God is the union of a man and a woman, in a bond of love and faithfulness. Marriage was created by God for four specific purposes:
- Companionship: “It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18).
- Growing love: “Flesh of my flesh” (2.:23).
- Perfecting the personalities: “And they shall become one flesh” (2:24).
- Procreation: “Then God blessed them, and God said unto them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth’ ” (1:28).
The enemy attacks the family as an institution created and established by God. That is why we need to strengthen our prayer and vigilance.
“You are not secure a moment against the attacks of satan.
You have no time to rest from watchful, earnest labor.
You should not sleep a moment at your post.
This is a most important warfare. Eternal consequences are involved.
It is life or death with you and your family.”
(Child Guidance, p. 185).
Dear Heavenly Father, today we pray for You to protect, rescue, and restore the families….