Live As You Were Called
Lessons From 1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: Lessons From 1 Corinthians.
Hope: To draw closer to God through a better understanding of his word and specifically the vastly different doctrines found in this Q&A letter.
Two weeks ago we looked at what is commonly called the Pauline Doctrine from 1 Corinthians 7:15.
This doctrine proposes that a Christian person could divorce a non-Christian who was seeking a divorce and remarry.
As we examined, what Paul was saying does not contradict Jesus’ “only exception” to the law of divorce and remarriage which is fornication (Matthew 19:9).
No, Paul is simply pointing out that the Christian spouse is not a slave to the non-Christian if they give the ultimatum of “leave Christ” or “leave me.”
We must choose Christ over man every time.
Today, we find a “pause” in this great chapter on marriage as Paul set’s forth both a principle and illustration of what he has been discussing about marriage.
Remember, the question was “are we to stay with our spouse who is an unbeliever” after we have obeyed the gospel?
The answer in 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 is a resounding “yes” if they are willing to let you live for Christ in the relationship (1 Corinthians 7:15).
The apostle Paul then writes our text for today from 1 Corinthians 7:17-24.
1 Corinthians 7:17–20 (ESV)
17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.
1 Corinthians 7:21–24 (ESV)
21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
Three times in passage, verse 17, 20, 24, we see Paul say “stay as you were called.”
Before we break this down from a contextual and then into a practical lesson we must first address the “elephant in the room” with this passage.
So, with that in mind let’s consider first…
What This Passage Doesn’t Say
What This Passage Doesn’t Say
Adulterous Marriages Should Continue.
Adulterous Marriages Should Continue.
Due to the over all context on marriage and divorce this passage has led many to suggest that which simply is not found.
“If a married couple is in an adulterous marriage according to Matthew 5:32 & Matthew 19:9, as non-Christians and one of them becomes a Christian they are not to get out of this adulterous marriage but say as they were called.”
There are several layers to this but as we looked at the sermon two weeks ago, Jesus clearly demonstrated that God’s law on divorce and remarriage was universal.
Matthew 19:8–9 (ESV)
8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. 9 And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for fornication, and marries another, commits adultery.”
Matthew 5:32 (ESV)
32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
There is only one way a person can divorce their God bound spouse and that is if their spouse has committed fornication on them and they divorced them for that fornication.
This has led to the unfortunate argument by those making this argument that…
God who hates divorce would never expect a married couple to divorce that didn’t want to yet all you have to do is read Ezra 10:10-11.
Ezra 10:10–11 (ESV)
10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. 11 Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.”
Divorce and remarriage is an emotional topic but God’s law on the matter is not complicated.
We also find one more thing this passage isn’t saying or teaching which is denominational…
Predestination.
Predestination.
This doctrine comes from verse 17 so let’s examine it again.
1 Corinthians 7:17 (ESV)
17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.
1 Corinthians 7:17 (NKJV)
17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.
From this verse the doctrine of denominational predestination comes forth and goes something like this…
Institutes of the Christian Religion Chapter 21: Eternal Election
By predestination we mean the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.
I say denominational predestination because in the church there is no such thing taught that man has no free will and that we are simply his puppets making no choice to serve or not serve him.
There is no doubt that predestination is discussed in the scriptures.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
When determining the validity of an argument we must not ignore the simple teachings in favor for the more complex.
We are clearly taught by God that he wants everyone to be saved and known the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3–4 (ESV)
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
We also are clearly taught we can “choose to obey God or not” but it is our choice.
Joshua 24:15 (ESV)
15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Summary
Summary
Man can and does from time to time distort God’s word for his pleasure.
By that I mean man interjects his/her own desires and thoughts into the text to make themselves feel better about something God has clearly taught differently on.
For those in an adulterous marriage they want God to tell them they are fine in it and can live how they want.
For those putting their hopes in denominational predestination they want to be exempt from the unrighteous decisions they have made because “God made me do it” and therefore I’m fine.
It’s good to know what Paul “wasn’t talking about,” but we must also know…
What The Passage Is Saying
What The Passage Is Saying
Biblical Situations Need Not Change.
Biblical Situations Need Not Change.
Having spent a great deal of time, contextually dealing with single life and married life from the “new Christian” perspective Paul is simply saying…
A Christian does not need to change their marital situation or circumstance as long as it doesn’t violate any other aspect of God’s law.
If a person is single and has the gift of not being tempted by sexual sin they should remain single i.e., in the situation they are in.
If a single person does not have that gift but rather is in a situation where they have a burning sexual desire, like most people, they should marry.
If a married couple has one person that had obeyed the gospel and one that has let them “stay in the situation they are in” and perhaps teach their spouse the truth.
As long as the situation you are in is biblical there is no need to change.
How can we help others with this information?
In other words what are some practical ways we can use this information to help ourselves and others be faithful?
Practical Lesson.
Practical Lesson.
As Christians it is clear that God plays a providential role in our lives and assigns us situations to be in.
This doesn’t mean we are without choice, we can choose to use the life we have to live for righteousness or not.
But each of us are different and each of us have gifts given to us by God that are unique to us.
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
At any given point in our life, as long as we are seeking to live for Christ, we are exactly where God wants us to be and where he feels we are most suited to further his kingdom.
After all, he created us for good works.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Summary
Summary
Whether we are a welder, farmer, preacher, homemaker, school teacher, etc…we are where God wants us to be to further his kingdom.
He has placed us in the perfect situation for us and those around us to “hear God’s love for them through us.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters let us not be angry or upset at the situation and circumstances we find ourselves in.
Rather let us rejoice that we are exactly were God wants us to be as Mordecai encouraged Esther when he reminded her in Esther 4:13-14…
13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.