Paul’s counsel for Christian marriage: (chap.7)
The chapter-7 deals with marriage and celibacy. The situation of the Corinthian Church during those days was quite relevant as of now. There was widespread prostitution, adultery and debauchery. In light of this, Paul gives clear teaching of marriage of Christians and the state of celibacy among Christians.
Marriage and celibacy: (7:1-11):
Christians in Corinthians were surrounded by sexual temptation. The city had a reputation for sexual immorality and religious prostitution. To this kind of community and church Paul gave very specific instructions of marriage and celibacy. It appears that some had asked Paul whether celibacy or marriage is more spiritual. Paul gave a wonderful replay looking at the situation that celibacy is better than marriage. Some people say that it is an over translation in Greek that Paul is advocating celibacy. Neither celibacy or marriage is spiritual or unspiritual or sub-spiritual over super spiritual. It is depends upon ones calling and living in the will of God.
- Married people must have mutual sexual relationship: (7:3-6): Within the marriage the husband must render to his wife the affection due her. It is wrong to withhold affection from his wife. Every wife has affection. It is not that only pretty young wives have affection due. Every wife has affection because she is a wife of a Christian man. Even is some couple for some reasons are unable to have physical intimacy, they still can fulfil their relationship through their true affection and thus fulfil God’s command of marriage. So both husband and wife have obligation towards each other. In God’s sight, sex has a higher level of understanding than merely husband’s privilege and wife’s duty. Therefore wife’s body does not belong her but her husband’s and similarly husband’s. Their authority on their own bodies is reversed. That’s why Paul says: “do not deprive from one another.” So Paul rejects the idea that husband and wife would more holy by the abstinence of sexual relationship. By depriving one another, there is a tendency of Satan’s It is irrelevant to say self control cannot be obtained by abstaining from sexual relationship in marriage. Sometimes God permits abstaining from sexual relationship only for a short time in order to spend in fasting and prayer and after some time they must come together. The important thing we must understand is there is nothing wrong sex in the marriage. But when abstain from sex, Satan tempts and encourage people to have sex outside of marriage and discourages sex within marriage, in both ways Satan accomplishes his victory by putting both of them into sin.
- Do not burn with passion: (7:7-9): Sexual pressure is not the best motive for getting married, but it is better to marry the right person than to burn with passion. Many new believers in Corinth thought that sex was wrong or perversion, so even the engaged couples started drifting away from each other. Satan tempts such people and eventually end up with sex outside the marriage. So Paul emphatically says that there is nothing wrong in the sex if used within the marriage relationship. Instead of burning with passion, or people not able to control themselves of their need, it would be better to get married rather than to burn with passion. The purpose of the marriage is to avoid fornication. God’s formula is one man and one woman bound together in marriage relationship. God hates polygamy or homosexual relationship.
- A command to married and unmarried: (7:10-11): The Corinthian believers asked Paul about divorce and remarriages. Paul says that in order not to fall into temptation, a wife must not be separated from her husband. If they are separated, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband and similarly a husband also. When a husband and wife are yielded to the Lord, and when they seek to please each other in the marriage relationship, the marriage will be so satisfying that neither partner would think of looking elsewhere for fulfilment.
Believer with unbelieving spouse : (7:12-24)
Christian with non-Christian or believer with unbeliever marriages are very much prevalent even today just like the days of Corinthians. Many people have doubt that what would happen to their married life. Should they separate their relationship and remain within? Salvation does not alter the marriage state. Since marriage is a physical relationship, it can break only when there is a death of one of the partners or adultery on anyone’s part. It is utter disobedience on the part of the believer to marry an unbeliever. In the Corinthian church there were Jews, Greeks and even slaves.