Preserving Purity through Purifying our Practices

The Purpose of This Passage: Purifying Every Aspect of Life

The apostle Paul instructs us to preserve purity by purifying every aspect of our lives. This goes beyond romantic relationships to every area, with a focus on singleness and self-control. Remain in the condition in which you were called. If single, do not seek marriage yet. Your focus should be on holiness, your new relationship with Christ, and the salvation you have received. This gives greater significance to marriage later.

Many youth here were called in your youth. Do not seek to change those circumstances. God will change them in His time. Focus on God Himself, not on improving your situations. You need instruction in living for His glory.

Paul is concerned about holiness and purity for his audience—and for us today. We preserve purity through marriage, contentment in circumstances, and not pursuing marriage just yet.

Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. 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.

1 Corinthians 7:25-28

Why Remain Single? Understanding the Present Distress

Paul instructs singles not to pursue marriage, even though he later defends his right to marry. Why? He understands our circumstances better than we do, especially the "present distress" at Corinth—and in our lives today.

"Betrothed" refers to virgins (parthenos in Greek), women promised in marriage but not yet married. Paul has no direct command from the Lord to remain single, but he gives his judgment as one trustworthy by the Lord's mercy—reliable counsel you can bank on.

In view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.

1 Corinthians 7:26

If bound to a wife, do not seek freedom rashly, even in cases of adultery or an unbelieving spouse willing to stay. If free, do not seek a spouse yet. Marriage is not sin, but those who marry will have worldly troubles, and Paul wants to spare you that—especially youth in distressful circumstances lacking biblical understanding of marriage, romance, purity, and life.

Consider a couple I counseled: living together, fornicating, jealous. Their "worldly troubles" stemmed from a worldly relationship. Marriage wouldn't fix it without repentance. Building on sin leads to lifelong issues. Marry only after repenting, understanding godly relationships.

The Present Distress: Issues Mirroring Our Own

Corinth's distress included a passing world, anxieties, lack of self-control, sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, tolerating gross sin, poor conflict resolution, and concern for worldly things over God. Sound familiar? Our culture pushes misunderstanding of sexuality, disguised as "love whoever you want." Conflict resolution fails; dating becomes "test drives" leading to clashes, labeled "incompatibility." Sinners clash—learn resolution first, or carry problems into new relationships.

Practical Explanation: Live as Though Unattached to the World

This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

1 Corinthians 7:29-31

This seems confusing: Don't divorce, but live as if unmarried? The key is verse 31—deal with the world as though having no dealings with it. Live so distinctly from the world that your marriage, grief, joy, purchases, everything looks radically different.

Married? Live so your marriage shames the world's version—sanctified, set apart. Grieve with hope, not despair (unlike 1 Thessalonians 4:13). Rejoice in God, incomprehensible to the world (1 Corinthians 2:14). Buy goods without them owning you—focused on God, whose world is passing away.

Undivided Devotion to the Lord

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay a restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

1 Corinthians 7:32-35

The unmarried focus on pleasing the Lord, free from divided interests. Marriage brings worldly anxieties—Paul wants you free from those, anxious only for godly things. Anxiety (care) is good if fixed on God, not spouse as idol.

Enter marriage caring to please God: Husbands love as Ephesians 5 commands; wives submit as unto the Lord. When spouses fail, it's sustainable because God never does. Beauty fades, bodies sag—worldly attraction fails. Build on undivided devotion to God: constant service, ready for holy union glorifying Him.

If not in Corinth's distress, you have permission to marry. Focus: Preserve purity by purifying practices for undivided devotion to the Lord.