Preserving Purity through Purifying our Practices (Part 1 of 2)

The Purpose of This Passage: Preserving Purity through Purifying Practices

The point of what the Apostle Paul is saying here is to preserve purity through purifying every aspect of your life. Not just in romantic relationships, but in every single area and aspect of your life. Apply the principles of this passage to be pure in all things.

As it specifically relates to this context, there is a focus on singleness and self-control. The Apostle Paul has instructed us to remain in the condition or lifestyle or practices in which we were called. If you were enslaved, don't seek freedom right away. As someone called out of sin into holiness and righteousness, don't seek to change your circumstances immediately.

That sets up his argument: for those who are single, remain single. Those not married should stay unmarried. Those in a position of singleness shouldn't seek a wife or marriage—yet. Remain in the condition in which you've been called because there needs to be a specific focus on holiness, your new relationship with Christ, and the salvation you've been given.

You need to fundamentally understand concepts that will give greater significance to marriage. Many of us are youth: as you were called in your youth, do not seek to leave it. Do not seek to go outside the bounds of being children, submissive to your parents, obedient to them. Don't seek to change your circumstances because God will change them in His time.

Instead of focusing on circumstances that need to change—improvements, increases, decreases—focus entirely on God Himself, not the nature of your situations. You need to be instructed in how to live for His glory.

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.

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.

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 any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

— 1 Corinthians 7:25–35 (ESV)

Paul's Credible Counsel in View of Present Distress

The Apostle Paul, concerned about holiness and purity for his audience—and for us today—instructs people to remain single, not pursue marriage. Why does Paul, who later defends his own right to take a believing spouse, instruct us not to pursue marriage?

There are many reasons youth should not pursue marriage, but in this context, Paul understands your circumstances better than you do. Concerning the betrothed—the Greek term parthenos, meaning virgins, women promised in marriage, focused on marriage but not yet married. A woman who does not know a man. Paul says: keep it that way for now.

Paul has no direct command from the Lord to remain single, but he gives his judgment as one trustworthy by the Lord's mercy. The word "trustworthy" is pistos, meaning faithful, reliable, dependable. You can count on this advice; it won't lead you astray.

This is Scripture, the Word of God, so it reveals what God wants us to know about our circumstances. In verse 26, in view of the present distress—the specific context of the Corinthians' lives—it is good to remain as you are. Paul has examined their situation and teaches on it.

Remain in Your Calling Amid Distress

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife. In light of present distress, don't seek freedom rashly or hastily.

Marriage itself is not sin. If you marry, you have not sinned; a betrothed woman who marries has not sinned. But those who marry will have worldly troubles, and Paul wants to spare you that.

Consider a couple who came to me: the man was jealous if his fiancée talked to another guy. They were fornicating, living together unmarried. Their relationship was fundamentally dishonest biblically, not glorifying God—hence worldly troubles.

I counseled repentance. Months later, they wanted me to officiate their wedding without change. Marriage isn't sin, but their worldly foundation would bring troubles. In your present distress—lacking understanding of marriage, romance, purity, how bodies glorify the Lord—you will have worldly troubles. Paul wants to spare the betrothed from that.

Don't build on a foundation of sin. Marrying someone okay with fornication, without repentance, risks ongoing issues. Marriage deals with biological urges but doesn't replace repentance.

Remain single now if your circumstances show lack of understanding of marriage, intimacy, life from a biblical view. Learn holiness and godliness first, focused on God, to avoid added troubles beyond normal marriage struggles.

Understanding the Present Distress at Corinth—and Today

What is this present distress? It mirrors our lives today:

• The world is passing away (v. 31).
• Freedom from anxieties (v. 32); be like Paul—single and self-controlled.
• Flee sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:12–20).
• Don't sue brothers; resolve conflicts wisely (1 Cor. 6).
• Don't associate with unrepentant "brothers" in sexual sin or greed (1 Cor. 5).
• Tolerating grotesque sexual sin due to misunderstanding the body's purpose.

People argue, tolerate sin, misunderstand marriage, divorce, intimacy. Inexperienced in conflict resolution, focused on worldly things, not devoted to God.

Every issue is possible in our lives today. Our culture misdefines sexuality as "love whoever you want," ignoring God's design. Conflict resolution fails: worldly dating is test-driving—clashing sinners deemed "incompatible," ending relationships instead of learning resolution.

You're part of the problem; you carry it to the next. Learn resolution first. Don't seek a spouse yet—learn what 1 Corinthians teaches before entering with worldly desires.

Paul's Practical Explanation: Live as Though Dead to the World

Paul explains: "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..." (vv. 29–31). It sounds confusing—don't divorce, but live as if unmarried?

Verse 31 is key: "those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it." To correct present distress, adopt this attitude. Married people should live as though they had no wives with respect to the world's standards.

Your marriage should be so sanctified, set apart, transcendent—radically different from the world's version—that the world sees it as "not marriage" at all.

Grieving and Rejoicing in Sanctified Purity

Those who mourn as though they were not mourning grieve in a way that is fundamentally different from the world's grief. The world might throw psychology at you and say you're not grieving properly, but the Apostle Paul says this is exactly the place of purity, sanctification, and holiness. Holiness is the distinctiveness and uniqueness compared to the world. As you grow in holiness, the difference between you and the world becomes evident. One way to know you're growing in Christ is how different you look from the world around you.

1 Thessalonians 4:13: "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope."

If what you believe about Jesus Christ is true—that he has saved you from your sins, purchased an eternity with God, avoiding his wrath, and you experience covenant community with believers—then when they die, you have hope of seeing them and Christ again. You do not grieve as the world does. Your grief is sanctified, fundamentally distinct. It's okay to mourn—it's a God-given response to loss—but even that is redeemed, bringing transcendent value.

Those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing find joy in who God is and what he has done. This joy doesn't make sense to the world.

1 Corinthians 2:14: "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

As you grow in holiness, you experience emotions and life aspects differently from the world—even buying and selling.

Possessing Goods Without Worldly Attachment

Those who buy as if they had no goods live differently from the world, even with material things. When the world accumulates toys, cars, or gimmicks, they become the centerpiece of joy. But you act as if you purchased nothing because you're focused on God, your everything.

1 Corinthians 7:30: "those who buy as if they had no goods"

The present form of this world is passing away.

Free from Worldly Anxieties in Marriage and Singleness

1 Corinthians 7:32-35:

"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 any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord."

The unmarried person is freed to focus on pleasing the Lord, especially in present distress. Paul wants you free from worldly anxieties, anxious instead about godly things. Anxiety is a virtue or vice depending on its object—like Paul's anxiety for the Philippians' welfare.

Don't care about worldly things; let your affection be on pleasing the Lord. Enter marriage concerned about godly things, not worldly pleasures. Love your wife as God commands; submit to your husband as unto the Lord. Your spouse isn't your God—God is. Care for his pleasure, which has eternal value.

Flowers mean little if worldly, but if symbolic of Ephesians 5 love, conflict resolution, or pleasing God, they glorify him. Paul spares you trouble by urging focus on godly cares in the unshakable God.

This is for your benefit, promoting good order and advantage—your edge over the world. Pursue marriage not just for attraction, which fades like beauty or faces. When old age, illness, or cancer comes, worldly concerns like sexiness fail. But undivided devotion to God endures in constant service.

Be ready for marriage when focused on glorifying God, continuing in purity and holiness. Your union is holy, cares on God's pleasure. Even if your spouse disappoints, please God through how you treat them.