Paul’s advice in 1 Corinthians 7 is given in the light of the hardships that the early church faced and would continue to face intermittently until the early fourth century. The times ahead would continue to be volatile for the church as it faced successive waves of persecution and therefore it was certainly not the best context for marriage and family. Paul is realistic about this and it is for this reason he encourages people to remain single. While Paul’s advice addresses these specific circumstances his central concern throughout this chapter applies always and everywhere. In all things God must come first. We must never take on a commitment which might pressure us to demote our concern for the things of God. It might be a relationship, but it could also be a work situation or a bank loan. Whatever it is, we should always consider its impact on our ability and availability to serve God. We need to ask ourselves, when taking on these big life commitments, will this option encourage me to continue to put God first in my life? It may be that a certain course of action will lead to greater capacity to serve God and new opportunities. But it also may be that you had not even considered your decision from this perspective. Are you putting God and your relationship with him first?
Think about whether other things have taken the number one place from God in your concerns.
Read 1 Corinthians 7:25-40
