848 1 Cor.7.25-40 Living the Future in the Present
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Q. How do we balance home life with the Christian life?
Living the Future in the Present
Living the Future in the Present
Q. How do we balance home life with the Christian life?
Q. How do we balance home life with the Christian life?
Q. Do you find it difficult? Why do you find it difficult?
- Is it because there is so much to do?
- Is it because we have filled our lives up to the full
- Perhaps, partly & perhaps, we have just prioritised poorly
- Perhaps, we have forgotten what it means to be a disciple of Christ
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- But it is true that married life & having a family can’t help but fill your life up
- You have work commitments; you have commitments to your spouse; you have commitments to the welfare of your children
- That can include their social life; their academic life; their sporting life – I hope we can add, their spiritual life
- That too is a big deal – that takes real time & effort
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- We are so busy that we have precious little time for anything else & if we are not careful, that can even include the Lord
Q. Am I allowed to say that? I guess if it’s true, then we need to take stock of that situation - we need to own the concern to start with
- In reality, there is only one person who can decide what happens here – that’s you
– Having said that though, the apostle recognises that marriage can be a distraction from the Christian life
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- The problems concerning these issues are pretty much what this passage speaks to, today
1. Remain as You Are vs.25-28
1. Remain as You Are vs.25-28
- We have previously dealt with the situation for widowers & widows; to those who are married who are Christians & to those who are in mixed marriages (one Christian married to an unbeliever)
- The message here is to remain in that station in life when you were called or when you came to Christ
- This statement, I’m about to read to you, came from this church’s stance on the matter: “it is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman”
- Now, of course, we need to ask “why in the world was the church in Corinth asking questions or making statements of this nature”?
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- The problem was this pious belief that the spiritual was all that was worthwhile in life & the body & all material things were insignificant
- They were set to abandon their marriages to pursue the purely spiritual life untainted by the things of the body
- That was a big mistake & I hope we have come to see that what God created – the whole created realm – is good in itself
- God created sexual relations to be good, but to be utilised in the proper bounds of a marriage covenant commitment to each other
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- Now the apostle turns to deal with those who are virgins – those who have not yet married
- The ESV obscures this a little by using the word, “betrothed” which means she’s engaged to be married
- Of course, that is true, but you may have been married several times & still be a “betrothed” or an “engaged” person
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- In reality, this passage is dealing with the “never before married”
- “Remain as you are” says Paul
Q. Does this mean that you must remain single for the rest of your life?
- No it doesn’t when you read the passage in it’s entirety
- But he certainly encourages singleness if you don’t burn with passion as he has already said in previous verses
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- Also, he says that you have not sinned if you do marry
28 But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.
—28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.
- You have to be very careful in stating something like this
- This is not a blanket rule for everyone – this is something you need to be clear on
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- The question is why would he even have to encourage people to be single?
- Surely, wouldn’t you want to encourage people to marry instead
- We get a hint here in v.28
“Those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that”.
- Let us look at the reasons he encourages singleness
2. Living with the Birth Pains of our Future vs. 29-31
2. Living with the Birth Pains of our Future vs. 29-31
- The Christian life when lived faithfully can be a difficult life
- When mentoring young Timothy – a young man who came to Christ under Paul – Paul gives him counsel about how to pastor the church at Ephesus
- Not only what he was to be & do, but what he could expect
- Some of those things to expect would not be a walk in the park
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- I won’t go into the difficulties he would experience as a pastor, but there were many
- The more general difficulties that all Christians face are the likes of these...
—12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
- So right off the starting blocks as a Christian, if you would live a godly life, the world will seek to persecute you
- What else can we expect – they are immersed in worldly idolatry & they will be convicted by your lifestyle that seeks to call everyone to acknowledge their creator
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- Now this ungodliness is not just said to exist at the end of time, as in some apocalyptic future
- What we need to understand is that the last days began with the resurrection of Christ
- Too many Christians have got lost here thinking that we might be in the last days before the apocalypse
- Definitely not
- The last days began with God setting the future in motion
- That future began with the resurrection of Christ
2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
—2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.
—17 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
—1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
—17 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS;
—1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams;
—1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.
- Timothy was to avoid these godless men who worm their way into churches
o worm their way into churches
- Timothy was to avoid these godless men who worm their way into churches & homes of Christians
- So the last days are present with Paul & Timothy & with us
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- I have called this point, “Living with the birth pains of our future”
- As Christians, we are sold out to Christ – Jesus is Lord; He is Lord of all
- This is our proclamation – this is what Jess proclaimed last Sunday at her baptism
- This phrase has far reaching significance
- It is not a wonder that Jesus said to His disciples before He ascended to heaven
—18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
- Jesus is king & Lord – poor ol Thomas who wanted to see for Himself confessed, “my Lord & my God”
- Jesus is king & Lord – poor ol Thomas who wanted to see for Himself confessed, “my Lord & my God”
- It was then that Jesus said, “more blessed are those who do not see, yet believe”
- Jesus was thinking about you & me when He said that
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- We are living the birth pains of the future – we belong to it – the future is our possession
- This is what the Gospels & Epistles declare is the kingdom of God
- We inherit the kingdom – the future
- “The present form of this world”, says Paul, “is passing away” v.31
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- When you have a spouse; when you have children & grand children, it makes for living the Gospel that much harder
- If your family is relying upon you for support; for a roof over their head & food on the plate & clothes on their back – you won’t be much good to them in prison
- The world will persecute believers – Satan is the world’s god; pleasure is their goal – but the Scriptures call it idolatry
- The apostle Peter said to those Christians scattered about Asia Minor
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
—12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;
- Exactly, it is some strange thing – why would people want to bully, harass & persecute Christians?
- After all, Jesus instructs us to love them; to do good to them; to turn the other cheek when wronged
- From all accounts, a reasonable person would be thankful for Christians - & many are
- You should watch Sky News – none of the commentators are Christians as far as I am aware, but they support & respect Christians
- They, for the most part, agree with them; they like them; they see what we stand for; they share similar values
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- But there are others who will do their darnedest to pull the Christian down; to give them a hard time; to harass & punish them
- Look at how Israel Folau has been treated
- The people who have done this to him don’t believe in God, nor do they believe in hell
- So when Israel quoted or paraphrased the Scripture that says that there are some behaviours that earn the judgement of God in hell, all hell broke loose
- Those who don’t believe in hell were greatly offended & as you know, his contract was terminated by Rugby Australia
This was a power thing for them - no one is to challenge their new 21st century idols
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- You can argue about whether it was the right thing to do, by Israel, but there is so much that is posted on social media that makes Israel’s post, by comparison, suitable for kindergarten kids
- But this is about God & the idolatrous world will not tolerate anyone who opposes their idolatrous icons & ways of life
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- As a single person, you may lose your house; your possessions; you may end up in prison for a time, but you won’t have the responsibilities of a spouse & children weighing on you
- If a person has that gift from God to remain single, Paul says, don’t feel obligated to marry
3. The Benefit of Undivided Devotion to Christ vs.32-35
3. The Benefit of Undivided Devotion to Christ vs.32-35
- This section could be summed up with the phrase “divided loyalties”
- No Christian sets out to have divided loyalty – between his God & his family
- But life as it is, there are tweaks & balances that have to be made so that you are trying to satisfy all areas of life
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- If you are a single person, there are little divided loyalties experienced because you can give all your attention to Christ – I think of Kate Pocklington
- An undivided devotion to Christ is a good thing because we are disciples of Christ – we are learners, apprentices, followers of Christ
- Jesus said...
—23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24 “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
- It is so easy in this world to live life for yourself
- It’s hard & I don’t say this as someone who has it all together, but someone who shares that same struggle to live as a loyal disciple of Jesus
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- There’s an old Jewish saying that puts it well:
“You were conceived without being consulted, you were born without being consulted, you live without being consulted and you’ll die without being consulted. And without being consulted you are going to have to give an account of yourself. ‘Have a nice day."
- People may not like the high demand that Jesus sets for His people, but we knew this when we gave our life to Christ – when we handed over control of our life to Him
- Baptism, according to Paul, demonstrates the Christians willingness to identify with Christ in His suffering, death, burial & resurrection
—4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death (dying to self), 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.
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
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- I want you to consider for a moment if you weren’t with Christ
- That you can just give away that high demand of Jesus & take life easy & live for whatever takes your fancy
Q. How would that go? Do you think you would have more or less issues to deal with?
- In my counselling, I mention the problem of Christians putting all their eggs in the basket of the world
- When trouble comes a person’s way - & it surely does – how do they respond?
- All their hopes, aspirations & goals rest in what the world provides
- Some Christians go very close to doing just this
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- These people are then shattered because, all they have banked on, is what’s in the world
- If all your eggs are placed in the basket of the world, then not only does all it offer be darkness & emptiness, but it will all disappear with the world
- The answer is to make sure, that the majority of your “eggs” are placed in God’s basket
—15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.
- So discipleship is not an option for the Christian, but an imperative
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- If you don’t look after your plant by watering it, fertilising it, tending to it, pruning it, there’s a good chance it will die
- If you don’t look after your Christian walk with the Lord by tending to it, watering it, fertilising it, then there is the chance that it will die
Christian discipleship shapes our circumstances, our circumstances do not shape our Christian discipleship
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- Paul is encouraging God’s people to live for Christ in whatever circumstance they find themselves in
- If you are single & able to be single, your devotion to God will be greater than if you have responsibilities to spouse & children
- The apostle Paul has rejected marriage for himself because it gives him freedom for service
- He takes for granted that pleasing the Lord is the paramount Christian duty. Achieving marital happiness is not.
- It allows him to fulfil the call of Christ to be an apostle to the Gentiles
4. Marriage is Good, but Singleness Is Preferred vs. 36-40
4. Marriage is Good, but Singleness Is Preferred vs. 36-40
- This final section of chp 7 can be a little tricky, depending on what Bible translation you use
Q. Is this talking about two young people engaged to be married, or is it talking about the decision of the father of the girl in regards to his consent for her to marry?
- I’m not going to burden you down with this today, but it would make for a good Bible study
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- However, I’m going to run with the pew Bible which I think has it right
- That what Paul is dealing with is the young engaged couple
- If they wish to be free to serve the Lord & not marry, then fine, Paul says
- But if their passions are strong – which really suggests that they do not have the gift for singleness, then they should marry
—36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his (or her) passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.
36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.
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- What me must be careful to do here is to understand the thinking of this Corinthian congregation who are leaving their marriages to be single & to devote themselves to the “spiritual” things of God
- This is an extreme, but as their apostle, he has to tackle this problem
- So he cleverly navigates through their problems by agreeing with them, that full on devotion to God is proper & better served if you are single
- But & a big but – stay in the situation in life to which you were called
- If your wife or husband dies, you are free to remarry – but only to a Christian person
- If you do not burn with passion, then by all means, serve the Lord in an unfettered way as a single person
- If you do burn to be married, be married, it is no sin
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- Let’s not glorify singleness for that is not what the apostle is doing
- If & only if, you have that special gift from God for singleness, then you are best served to remain single
- If you burn for marriage, then you have that special gift from God for marriage
- You cannot have two different plains – putting singleness on a more holier level than marriage - Paul says that there is no sin attached to a legitimate marriage
- That marriage, even to an unbeliever is holy & your children are holy
- It would be a mistake to think he is elevating singleness to holier state than marriage – if anything, it is purely pragmatic
—35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.
35 This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.
- This is where the church & it teaching on celibacy has come unstuck
- You cannot force singleness on a person & lock them into that for life
- It may be that down the track, they discover that they are not cut out for singleness – then Paul’s counsel would be, to get married!
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- I hope this chapter has given us cause to evaluate our lives as disciples of Christ
- To recognise the imperative to put Christ first as best we can, as a single person, or a married couple