What Should I Do? - 1 Corinthians 7:1 - 40

The seventh chapter of 1 Corinthians gives us an understanding about what Paul thought about the status of a Christian marriage. The content of this chapter is far more important than any commentary that I can write, so I beg you to please take the time right now to read carefully the entire chapter—read the chapter before you study any commentary pertaining there to.

Paul was a highly educated Jew and a well established Roman with all rights. He grew up, and lived and worked in some of the wealthiest, busiest, and most ungodly cities of the apostolic times. He more than likely was a married man during his prosperous antichristian days. She may have died, but I tend to believe that she divorced Paul at the time of and probably because of his conversion on the Road to Damascus. The bible frowns on divorce, but there is one thing for sure—[the life of Paul after his conversion, on the road constantly moving from one city to another, shipwrecked, snake bitten, stoned and left for dead]—he would have been a hard man for a wife to remain loyal to, and be happy with, even have trusted. When and where would he have found the time to drop in at home and be a good husband? One thing is for sure; Paul’s life taught him much about what a good marriage should be about.

So, you are a young family and some thing has just happened that has you stressed-out to the limit, and your question is; “What should I do? Ha, this is not unusual and it will happen again and again down through life. Juanita and I were married in 1944, at ages 20 and 21. We own our home in Heber Springs, have lived here for thirty five years and would like to remain here with our church family and friends until God calls us home to Glory.

Some recent serious illness has reminded us that neither of us is able to care for the other during trying times like this. Our girls want us to sell our home and move close to one of them so thy can be of more help. They love us, they want to help, and are not selfish in their desire. They even suggested that we move into an assisted living quarters, where personal and immediate help would be available on notice. This approaching milestone has caused us to reflect together on some important questions. Where have the years gone and how so soon? How are we to deal with and use the remaining years to the best advantage. Should we plan our future to insure that we continue doing what we want to do—or should we think about how we can affect other lives and do the greatest good for all?

We are older and have already lived most of our lives and the future problems that we face are much different from those that most young families face each day. I realize this and it is this difference that I wish to address at this time. Corinth was a booming trade center and the opportunity for promiscuity was wide open—and serious problems were frequent among the young families. Then came the days of Hollywood and all of the promiscuity that has blighted the lives of young people through the 1960’s until today when many people do not consider sexual purity as a necessity in the Christian life. When I take all of these matters into consideration, then it is very important for me to ask again—WHAT SHOULD I DO?

My first piece of advice to the younger that are to be married, or just married couples is quiet harsh and unbending. God created man and woman. God created the act of being married or united and caused it to make two people as one. When children are born, now there are always three or more people involved, and the destruction of the marriage is something like taking a life. What God has united, you—man has no right to tear apart.

The New Testament reflects the teachings of Christ as being the right ways set apart for Christ like people to follow. The do right rule was established by Christ and there is no doubt that The Lord considers each one of us as our brother’s keeper. We are even responsible for a wayward stranger who has fallen by the way and needs help. Those of us that turn our heads aside and walk by the broken and needy one will pay for our sin of neglect. If this be so, then think how much more harmful and important for one to turn aside from a wife or child simply to satisfy a personal desire.

Let us go back now and look at the overall lesson that we are trying to present in this presentation. Starting at the first thought of sexual desire that one may have for another, the scripture makes it very clear that the misuse of another person in order to satisfy a personal desire is a sin and anyone committing the sin will be punished. God created the solemn marriage vow as a way for two Christians to be united in marriage. Marriage was never intended to be a situation or condition provided to solve the desire of a man or woman for sex. God created the act as a gift of pleasure to his people who were ordered to populate the earth making it possible for God to have many children on this earth to praise and worship Him. The culmination of true sex comes when many Christians are populated and their place on earth is to do unto their neighbors [friends, family, children, spouses, etc.] as they would like to be treated.

Getting personal, I go back to the selling of our home for the last fifteen years, and moving away from our friends of thirty-five years. Juanita and I do not wish to do this at this time and if we remain very selfish, we probably will not make the move. The truth is that it would make things easier for our immediate families, and their feelings are also important, therefore it is something that we must seriously consider. We are not our own—we were bought with a price—and we are obliged to honor that precious one that paid the blood sacrifice for each one of us.

As children growing up, we must honor our mother and father and trust in our Savior. As young adults considering marriage, we must do so realizing that it is a God created, God given position of partnership between man and woman providing for the enjoyment of sexual relationships for the purpose of inhabiting this earth for Christ. We have no right to alter or destroy the marriage relationship, and will be punished if we do so in defiance of God’s teachings. If you are among the crowd in today’s world that seem to believe you can treat marriage as dirty clothing and put it on or pull it off at your own desire, the bible teaches that you will be one of the ones that pay a heavy penalty.

The lesson title asks the question—“What can I do?” I tell you to start early, learn God’s will and plan for your life and follow His teachings. Marry the right person at the right time for all the right reasons and live as if the word divorce had never been spelled much less practiced.