1 Corinthians 7

The Explanation

Paul is writing a letter to the church in Corinth, a big city where many things went wrong. The Christians there had sent him questions, and now he answers them. In this chapter he writes about marriage and about being single, so about people who are married and people who are not.

Paul says that both are good. Being married is good, and staying single is also good. He himself is not married, and he says that this gives him extra time and attention for God's work. But he also knows that most people do want to marry, and that is fine too. Marriage, he says, is a gift from God. Being single is also a gift from God. Both are gifts, only different ones.

When people are married, Paul says something beautiful and honest: husband and wife belong to each other. They do not go their own way, each on their own island. They share their lives. And when there are problems, they must not just walk away from each other. Paul knows this can be difficult, especially when one of the two does not believe in Jesus. Even then, he says, do not run away too quickly. Perhaps through you the other will come to know God.

Then Paul writes something strange: "the time is short." He means that this world will not last forever. Jesus is coming back. So do not be too attached to things around you. Whether you are sad or happy, whether you buy something or own something, hold it all with open hands. Nothing here lasts forever, but God does.

What Does This Mean?

Paul is not making rules to make life harder. He is helping the Christians in Corinth to live in a way that fits with Jesus. In their city, people did whatever they wanted with their bodies and with each other. Paul says: with you it should be different. Your body is not just yours. You belong to God, and if you are married, you also belong to your husband or wife.

An important word here is "calling." Paul uses it a lot. God calls every person to a certain life. One person is called to marriage, the other to remain single. One was born a Jew, another not. One is free, another is a slave (yes, that existed then, and Paul does not hide it). Paul says: wherever you stand, stay close to God there. You do not have to change everything about your life first to serve God. He meets you where you are.

The Common Thread

There is one sentence in this chapter that sparkles: "You were bought with a price." Paul does not explain it further here, but every Christian in Corinth understood it. Jesus paid for us with His life on the cross. We are His. That is why we do not have to be slaves of what other people think, or of our own desires, or of the trends of the city.

This chapter fits into the big story of the Bible: God makes people His own. Not to shut them up, but to give them true freedom. Married or single, young or old, everyone belongs to Him if they belong to Jesus.

For You

You are still young, and marriage is far away for you. But you can already learn something important from this chapter. First: your body is not just yours. God made it, and it belongs to Him. Take care of it and use it for good things.

Second: do not look down on people who are different from you. Someone who does not marry is not lonely or strange. Someone who does marry is not busier with themselves. Both can serve God fully.

Third: hold everything with open hands. Your Lego, your phone, your friends, your grades. They are all gifts, but they are not forever. God is forever. Ask yourself sometimes: what am I holding on to too tightly?

Talk About It

What do you think Paul means when he says "you were bought with a price"? What did that cost, and what does it mean for how you live?

Paul says: stay where God has called you. What does that mean for you right now, in your class, in your family, in your church?

Praying Together

Lord Jesus, thank You that You bought us with Your life. We belong to You. Help us to hold everything else with open hands, and to hold on tightly to You. Show us how You want us to live, right where we are today. Amen.