1 Corinthians 7:10-24

http://bible.com/59/1CO7.10 
Grace Church
Wednesday Night - April 30, 2014
Pastor Rob Yandian

10. To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 

He could be speaking from God (Jesus spoke in his life time), or from inspired from God

11. (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. 

12. To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 

13. If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. 

We are so wanting our own way, Paul is not saying that here.  To men, Paul says in another place that we are to Love our wives like God loved the Church.  What does that say about our belief in God if divorce is running rampant in the church.  We need to listen that he is saying to keep the marriage going.


14. For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 

15. But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. 

Every person has to put their own faith in God.  This appears to say that we can bring salvation to them by staying in the marriage.  What it says that the person who is saved brings holiness to the marriage.  A sanctifying work is being done in that household.

Matthew 23:17, the gold in the temple is made holy by the temple.

If the unbeliever wants out, let them go.  We need to live the life that we are are supposed to lead.

16. For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? 

You can be a witness to the spouse that does not believe.  God knows what is going on.  We are to take that responsibility for spouses or children.  Do not let others do what you are called to do


17. Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. 

18. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 

19. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. 

20. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. 

21. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 

22. For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 

23. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 

24. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. 


Be content with your calling from God.  Do not look at the other side of the fence.  Be satisfied where you are.
V. 17 - assigned and called.  God has given these to you.  Assigned is what you are to be in your life.  What your work is, what your relations ship is to be. You are the one that can do what God assigned to you. When you look at the other side is that God messed up when he assigned it to you.  This is your gift that God has given you.

V. 18 - 20 You are to remain in the condition that you were when you were called.  This is not the point of salvation or the call that you have to do for God in life.  Gal 3:28, we are all one in Jesus.  This is the assignment that God gives us that we need to seek out and understand.  Be content with your call from God.
Be prepared to walk through the door of your assignment when the door opens, not the door you want to open.  Trying to push the door open when it is not ready will only wear you out.

V. 21 - Do not seek to change yourself to be something else.
V. 22 - Slavery is not what we experienced in America.  These were the people who kept the wheels of life going, much as jobs are today.  What he is saying is to seek God first, not something else. Want a promotion, not a problem, just make sure that you are seeking God first.  Embrace the assignment that God has given to you.