Verses 1-2
-
Being married helps a person to avoid sexual immorality (Proverbs 5:19-20).
-
If sexual temptation is harder for you right now, and you're single, getting married is an acceptable choice.
-
Verses 3-6
-
In marriage, it's important for a wife and husband to give any and all forms of affection to each other, including but not limited to sexual affection.
-
A husband and wife are obligated—they owe it to each other—to serve and take care of each other emotionally, spiritually, physically, and sexually.
-
-
Verse 4. As a married person, you don't get to make independent decisions about how you will use your body. Your body belongs to Christ, and your body belongs to your spouse.
-
Therefore, honor your spouse's requests and yield your body to your spouse. Serve them with the affection that they desire. Submit to each other in this manner (Ephesians 5:21-22).
-
-
Verse 5. Don't neglect your sexual relationship with your spouse. Stay sexually active. But, as you feel convicted, and agree mutually with your spouse, occasionally take breaks from sex in order to focus on fasting and prayer.
-
If you and your spouse have a poor sexual relationship, there is a greater chance for you to sin sexually, due to a lack of self-control.
-
As such, cultivate a healthy sexual relationship in your marriage, and know that it is important for a marriage to be healthy and for a believer to be protected from temptation.
-
Verses 7-9
-
Some people are graced by God to remain single, and are content being single. Others want to be married. Singleness and marriage are both gifts from God.
-
As a single person, if you want to get married, then find a godly spouse and get married.
-
This is preferable over remaining single and burning with desire that is causing you to sin.
-
-
Verses 10-11
-
General instruction for Christian marriage and divorce, where the husband and wife are both believers:
-
The command is clear and simple: Never divorce your spouse, as divorce is adultery (Mark 10:11-12). But if you are divorced, you have two choices:
-
Remain single for the rest of your life, or...
-
Be reconciled to your spouse.
-
Getting remarried to someone else, in this case, is sin.
-
-
Verses 12-16
-
As a believer, if you are married to an unbeliever, you are to stay married. A believer should never divorce an unbeliever, initiate a divorce, nor support a divorce. But, if your unbelieving spouse chooses to divorce you, let them go. You are free to remarry.
-
An unbeliever cannot be expected to uphold believing standards if he/she is not a believer. It is only after they're saved that they can be expected to stay married to you, but it cannot be guaranteed that they will be saved. That's their choice and only God knows.
-
-
While an unmarried believer, you should not choose to marry an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14), but if you were already married, and then became a believer, stay married.
-
Verse 14. What does it mean for someone's children to be either holy or unclean, depending on their marriage situation?
-
The biological offspring of unbelievers are more likely to fail—remain unsaved. But with having even one parent who's a believer, they are provided with a greater chance of becoming a believer because of their believing parent.
-
As a parent who's married to an unbeliever, have hope for your children!
-
Verses 17-27
-
Paul's main point is this: “Let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”
-
In other words, you can serve God no matter what situation you're in. Don't think that you need to change your situation before you can serve God. You can be obedient to the Word wherever you are—married or unmarried, circumcised or uncircumcised, slave or free, convenient or inconvenient. Therefore, be content in whatever situation you're in; and don't blame circumstances for your disobedience.
-
-
Marriage: Don't think that you need to be married immediately, once you get saved, in order to serve God; nor think that you must become single, if you're married, in order to serve God. You can serve God either married or single.
-
Slavery: Paul also speaks about slavery, which was a cultural norm in his day. If a person became a believer while a slave, he told them to become free if they had the choice—if their master would free them. He backs up this principle by saying, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men” (verse 23). But if a person was not allowed to be free, he says, "remain in that state." You are always able to serve God, no matter your situation. (See the story of Onesimus in Philemon for an example).
-
Since you belong to Christ, if you can choose, do not make yourself a slave to anyone else. Do not surrender yourself to any person so that you follow them as you would follow Christ. Keep Christ as your Lord in everything!
-
Verses 28-38
-
Verses 28, 32-38. It is better to remain single, if you have the will and self-control from God to do so, because it's easier to stay focused on Christ as a single person. Marriage has challenges and troubles of its own, and it can become a distraction if you're not careful.
-
But if you do choose to get married, you haven't done anything wrong; you have done well. Just work at serving the Lord without distraction. Let nothing prevent or hinder you from your obedience to the Word.
-
-
Verses 29-31. Remember that this world and everything in it is temporal and will pass away, including marriage (Matthew 22:30).
-
Therefore, don't become attached to anything in this world. Don't love marriage, possessions, or even the emotions of this life so much that they distract you from Christ. Love Jesus more than anything and anyone else(Matthew 10:37).
-
Verses 39-40
-
Verse 39. A believer can remarry if their spouse dies, and they can marry anyone who's a believer.
-
This verse commands that believers are only to marry believers (see with 2 Corinthians 6:14).
-
-
Verse 40. A person will also often be happier if they remain single after being widowed, and especially if they are older.
-
But a younger widow should be remarried in most cases (1 Timothy 5:11-14).
-