If any man thinks he
is behaving improperly
toward his virgin, if
she is past the flower of youth,
and thus it must be,
let him do what he wishes.
He does not sin; let
them marry.
Nevertheless he who
stands steadfast in his heart,
having no necessity,
but has the power
over his own will,
and has so determined
in his heart that he
will keep his virgin does well.
1 Corinthians 7:36 --
37
Paul is
giving to us as given to the Corinthian Christians sound advice, advice that we
need to apply in our lives. There seems
to be a paradox that men and women of this world cannot understand. As we grow in Christian maturity, we will
also grow in humility. The practical
benefits of this kind of humility, Christian humility, are too numerous address
at this point in the blog. Some very
obvious, and this is exactly the case here where Paul writes about marriage,
virgins, and most importantly how we are to act, and to have power over our own
will. Humility has a very definite
benefit in that it will keep us from sin.
By means of this humility we will view sin as a deadly disease, one that
you would wish to avoid at all costs.
This attitude is one that should become the purifying agent that
changes everything so that you then can trust God to lead you and show you what
you need to do to serve him. You become
sensitive to His leading. Enabling us
to do this is just as important if not the all important thing, and that is to
keep this frame of mind as so essential that you keep your mind on Jesus
Christ. This will require prayer, a
prayer that becomes so much of your nature as even your breathing is, and this
will help us become sensitive to your conscience and your faulty desires.
All one has
to do today is to spend some time with watching the various sitcom shows and other
shows and notice that they are filled with immorality. We have men and women undressing and showing
us/that in the past would have been in the very least pornographic. Comedians seem to have the need to speak in
favor of, or in the very least, to make jokes about same-sex marriage, and
homosexuality, and the crowd in their euphoric delight applaud and even stand to
applaud as though this is the way modern people think, and give approval to
that which God condemns. As Christians,
we are to have power over our will. To
become so determined in our hearts that we do not succumb to those carnal
desires that are being thrust it at us and purported as the way people should
live in this day of life and it was just the same in the day when Paul wrote to
the Corinthian church. If we have power
over our own will then we have power to turn the TV channel, or not to attend
such things that we would not have Jesus sitting at our side, events that
are immoral, even such events as the mix martial arts beating each other to bloodiness. We cannot forget that we are to deny
ourselves and to pick up our cross and follow Jesus Christ. The days when men thought that they had to
become celibate as many of the monks in the past it and even those who are of
the Roman Catholic church today as priests remain celibate as though they are
doing the will of God. They need to
read the Bible with the Holy Spirit teaching them exactly what He has said: "So then he who gives her in marriage
does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better" (1
Corinthians 7:38). Marriage is
honorable to God, and Paul insurances that God does not condemn marriage even
with those who are leading the church.
Yes, to remain single, if God has called you to be so, then you will
find that you are able to do much in the spreading of the Gospel whereby men
and women who are married have other demands upon their time. But do not forget this: we all are called to
live the Christian life and to spread the gospel as ambassadors for Jesus
Christ no matter what circumstances we find ourselves.
Now, the rubber is going to meet the
road: "A wife is bound by law as long as her husband lives: but if her
husband dies, she is at liberty to being married to whom she wishes, only in
the Lord" (1 Corinthians 7:39).
Let's reiterate this: "A wife is bound by law as long as her
husband lives." Let me say
this again, and this also applies to the man, or husband that they are around
by law to remain married, or unmarried as the case need, so long as the other
partner is still alive. We are not free
to those of us who may have become divorced outside of the will of God and find
a new mate. If we are free to find a
new mate, due to the fact that the spouse has died; then our command is to
marry only a person who is also a Christian.
So then, what about those of us who have not followed this command? And you come to know the command? Are you now free due to be death of a spouse
to remarry? Are you then searching out
a Christian mate? Are you controlling
or having power over your will? Are you
so determined in your heart to not do that which God condemns? Never settle for what you have accomplished
and run the race that has been set before you (see Hebrews 12: 1 -- 2). If we do so we will be able to measure how
we are doing and keeping track of how we love God and our fellow human
beings. This is the principle on which
all of our activity rests.
Don't get angry with me for pointing
out what the Scriptures state for us as Christians to do and that which we are
to avoid. These are not my words, these
of the words of the Holy Spirit inspiring the Christian writers to write. The question is once again, are you a
coward, or are you courageous and hold fast to the convictions that are in
Jesus Christ. Remember this as I have
so often pointed out, that which St. Augustine stated: "LOVE GOD:LIVE LIFE!"
My soul thanks for Your
salvation,
but I hope in Your word.
Psalm 119: 81
Consider now God’s word
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