The Lord's Command is What Counts, Part 2

Today we are finishing 1 Corinthians 7. Paul has been answering questions that the Corinthian believers had about marriage. As we worked through the passage, we saw that there is application for the principles that Paul taught them for all of us.

Where Paul told couples to live in consideration of one another, and not for themselves, we saw that the same principle applies in all relationships.

When Paul told those who were unmarried to that they are able to focus on living a righteous life in full devotion to the Lord, we saw that the same principle truly applies to all of us.

Last week, when Paul told married couples that they should not seek divorce, but rather they should seek to follow the Lord’s commands, we talked of how this applies in all situations. We also saw how remaining faithful in marriage is to reflect the Lord’s faithfulness, in spite of His people leaving Him for others. And, oh how thankful we can be that the Lord is so faithful!

Well, we were unable to finish last week, so today we are completing our study of the passage, focusing specifically on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. In this portion of 1 Corinthians 7, Paul specifically speaks of how the principle of remaining in the situation you are in, and following the Lord’s commands is applicable in all of life, and not just in marriage.

Let’s look at the passage together.

1 Corinthians 7:17–24 NIV

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Prayer

1 Corinthians 7:17 NASB95

Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.

Each should Walk

I like the way the Lord describes our life, and how we get through the situations in which we find ourselves.

He uses the word ‘walk’. I think this is appropriate. Walking is just taking one step after another.

I remember one trip I took in Papua New Guinea. I had gone into another tribe where some missionaries were beginning the work of learning the language and culture in preparation to share the good news of Christ with them. I was going in to check their progress and encourage them. After the check, we had to make the journey back out.

Now to get to this location, we had to take a little over an hour flight to a remote airstrip. There, we were able to catch a ride with a PMV - public motor vehicle. After riding with the PMV, we had a short hike to the river, and from there, a few hour ride in a motor canoe.

So, to get back out, we had to reverse this process. So, we confirmed the arrangements with our pilot the evening before, and then we had to get up around 4 in the morning to begin the trek.

When we got up, it was raining. So, we took along some tarps to cover ourselves in the canoe. Well, the tarp didn’t work very well. It was windy and raining, and the motor canoe was moving along pretty well, so the tarp was blowing around. We were wet, and cold. Remember, this is the tropics, about 3 degrees off of the equator, so all we had were shorts and t-shirts. It was cold, and the rain stung as it hit our skin.

So, we road in the dark, cold, wet, stinging, shivering for a couple hours until light. Then, we road in the light, cold, wet, stinging and shivering.

Thankfully, for the 45 minutes of the canoe ride, the rain stopped. Now our skin stopped stinging from the pelting rain, and we were just cold, wet and shivering. Thankfully, my parents had found and shipped me a vinyl dry bag so all of my clothing and my computer were staying nice and dry!

We arrived at the end of the the canoe ride. By now the sun was shining bright, and the short hike was welcome because it would warm us up. So, we slung our backpacks on with our clothing and computers, and started the trek to the road. It was up hill from the river to where we would meet the PMV at the road. Of course, the trail was a little muddy and slippery after the rain, and the sun was cooking all of the water from the rain so the humidity was pretty high. Soon, we went from being cold and wet, to hot and dripping with sweat. The undergrowth betwen the river and the road held the humidity, so it felt thick and stifling. So, slipping along, for a half-hour or so, we sweated our way up to the road.

When we arrived at the road, the PMV we thought would be waiting for us was no where in sight. So, we sat under the hot shade of a tree, and drank our water. After about 20 minutes, we realized that the PMV was likely not coming. Not unusual for this to happen. However, if we wanted to catch the plane, if the plane was coming, we would have to start walking. Yes, we had no way to contact the pilot to find out if the weather was good where he was, or between us to know for sure if he was coming. And, if he arrived at the airstrip and we were not there, he had no way to know if we had a breakdown. So, he may not be able to wait long. There were no cell phone towers. Our only means of communication was via hf radios.

So, we put on our backpacks and started walking. Now this was western Papua New Guinea. After leaving the river behind. We were now in more open grasslands. So, no more shade from the blazing, tropical sun. We walked along the rough, rocky road with the sun beating on our skin. What should have been a short ride, was going to be a couple hours of walking.

Would we make it in time for the plane? Would he wait for us? How long would he wait for us? Was he even able to fly that morning because of the weather between us and him?

We wondered, and we walked, in the hot, hotter, and hotter sun, as we approached noon with the scorching sun overhead. Now, my vinyl dry bag was keeping my laptop dry from my sweat, as the hot vinyl absorbed the heat from the sun, and pasted itself to my back.

What else could we do? We couldn’t wait for the PMV which may never show if we were to have a chance of catching the plane. Because if we missed the plane, we had no means of reaching out to him to arrange another time for a pick up. We couldn’t go back, because the motor canoe left after dropping us off. We had no means of reaching anyone. So, we walked. It was tiring, and the sun sapped the strength. But, what could we do? One more step. One more step. Oh, now all of the sweat is carrying the electrolytes from the body, the muscles cramp. One more step. One more step.

Walking! What a metaphor for life.

Life can throw all kinds of curves our way. We go through the rains of life. We go through the chilling times. We go through the scorching times. We have disappointments. Things do not go the way we plan. What is going to happen? How will this turn out? Is this worth it? This is not how I pictured life going. Maybe I should be doing something different? Maybe I should be living somewhere else?

Life has trials. How do we handle them? Do we give up and move on when life gets hard?

Again, in the context of marriage, this is what happens to most everyone. Things do not turn out the way we imagined they would. Life gets hard. Sometimes it feels cold, and stings. Sometimes it is overbearing, oppressive. Sometimes it is exhausting. Do we just give it up? Do we throw in the towel? Do we seek to escape by changing the situation?

Whether in marriage, or in other situations in life, how are we to handle the challenges of life?

That is what Paul is addressing here. He already addressed being single, and its challenges. He addressed those who were married, and wondering if they should divorce. Now, he applies the principles more generally to all of life.

Look at 1 Corinthians 7:17 again.

1 Corinthians 7:17 NIV

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

We need to walk, or as the NIV translators put it, live as a believer, one step at a time, in what?

Whatever Situation Assigned

This is an interesting perspective. Whatever situation the Lord assigned to us. First, I want to point out, that this does not mean that all of the bad things that happen in life are because the Lord brings trouble on people.

No, the bad things that take place in our lives are because we live in a world that has been corrupted by sin, people’s disobedience to the Lord. Sickness and death is a result of people disobeying the Lord, and walking away from our Creator, the source of life who designed us to live.

Much of the pain in life is because we are selfish people, living among other selfish people. We hurt one another with our sinful, selfish attitudes and actions.

However, the Lord has assigned us to a place of ministry. Paul brings this out when he uses this same wording in another letter to the Corinthians.

Assigned 2 Corinthians 10:13

2 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you.

In this second letter, Paul was addressing the fact that some false teachers were exulting themselves, and putting Paul down. Paul defends his position, speaking of the things the Lord has done through him, and the trials he faced along the way. My day of travel had nothing on what Paul went through. Check out what he went through in 2 Corinthians 10 - 11.

But, the point Paul was making was that the Lord assigned him a sphere of ministry—a sphere of service to the Lord. As he worked in this sphere of ministry, some bad things happened to him. That did not mean he was in the wrong place. It meant he was serving the Lord in a sinful world, among sinful people, and bad things happen. Bad situations come. That does not mean it is time to change the situation. It may just mean we are in the right place!

I also like Acts 17:24-27.

Acts 17:24–27 NIV

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.

God determined the times and places where people would live in history. Why? He wanted them to seek Him!

Now, let’s honestly think about this. Do people seek the Lord when all is going well? Or, do the seek the Lord when life is getting hard?

I believe the Lord allows the hard times to come in hopes that we will seek him, and find him.

And, the Lord has also assigned His people spheres of service, so that we might be there to help others to find him as they go through hard times. We will also go through hard, difficult times along the way, which keeps us seeking the Lord. But these difficult times also give us opportunity to share Him with those around us in our sphere of service.

Do you realize that the Lord has assigned you a sphere of service?

The situation you are going through is hard. However, it is a sphere of service to which the Lord has assigned you. That makes a big difference, doesn’t it? If we just look at the trial, it is overwhelming. It is sometimes unbearable. However, when we see the situation through the lense of God working in and through us, it gives us purpose and hope in the midst of the trying times!

How else does Paul describe this situation?

1 Corinthians 7:17 NIV

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

As God called

This is similar to God’s assigning us a sphere of service, but I believe it is different. Paul spoke of the calling of God in this way earlier in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV

God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The calling God gave us was into fellowship with Jesus!

Fellowship? What is it? Fellowship is what we had yesterday! Our church family was all working together for a common purpose, a common goal! We were having the Fall Fest to reach out to our community and share the hope of Jesus with them. We made a fun event that they would want to come to. We all pitched in with cooking, getting candy, setting up, passing out the candy, serving the food, parking the cars, interacting with people. All so that they would come and have a chance to hear about salvation through Jesus, and learn more about our church. We worked together. None of us were alone.

That is what God has called us to, Fellowship with Jesus! We do not have to go through anything in life alone! We have Jesus with us, walking with us each step of the way. He sympathizes with us in our struggles. He rejoices with us in our joys. He holds us up when we are weak. He encourages us when we need to press on. He carries our burden when we are weak and heavy laden. He removes the load of guilt and shame from our sin. He weeps with us in our sorrows. We have fellowship with the Son in all situations of life! We are never alone! That is the calling God has given to us.

This Fellowship, and the knowledge that God has assigned us a sphere of service is what gives us all we need for the situations of life. This is what gives us the strength to continue to walk on! Walk on with Jesus!

Paul goes on in this passage to relate different trying circumstances to which believers in Corinth could identify. One was whether they were circumcised or not. For a Jew living in a Greek society, circumcision made him stand out. How so? In their society relationships, including business relationships were worked out at the gym, which was different than our gyms today. Circumcision would stand out. So, some Jews tried to undo the circumcision. Some Greeks were told that they needed to a Jew and be circumcised to have real fellowship with Jesus. Paul says that circumcision and non-circumcision do not matter. What matters is keeping God’s commands.

He also spoke of those in slavery. Now in that day and culture, slavery was not primarily like what went on in our society. People were more like servants, and could earn money, have property, and buy their freedom.

Some worried that their slavery would keep them from serving the Lord. Paul said that the situation was not important. What mattered was keeping the Lord’s commands while living in the situation. Of course, if they could gain their freedom, they should do so. However, the main idea is that in whatever situation you are when God calls you into fellowship with the Son, you are to realize that is the sphere of service to which he has called you. You are not alone! You have fellowship with Jesus in that situation. God wants to use you to show Jesus to others in that situation. The way to do that is to be sure you are following the Lord’s commands.

What are the commands?

Matthew 22:37–40 NIV

Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

John, in his first letter had a lot to say along these same lines.

He also encouraged his readers with the fact that we have fellowship with the Father and Son. However, that fellowship is broken by sin.

Look at what John wrote.

1 John 1:6–7 NIV

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

How do we have fellowship, walk in the light! Walk in His light. Walk in love for Him and for others.

How do we miss out on the fellowship? Sin.

John goes on to say,

1 John 2:11 NIV

But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

When we are in difficult situations, when people hurt us, it is easy to fall prey to sin which is crouching at the door of our hearts. It wants to turn our hearts toward anger, hatred and bitterness. If we give in to that, we miss out on fellowship with the Lord, and walk in darkness. It makes that hard situation of life even harder. As we grumble and complain, whether inwardly, or outloud to whoever will listen, our burden does not get lighter. It gets heavier.

However, the converse is also true. As we walk in fellowship with the Lord, we can share the difficult situations with Him, and with brothers and sisters. But as we share, if we seek to love Him and love others, our situation may remain difficult, but the burden becomes lighter.

The thing that really matters is not getting out of the situation, but walking in the situation.

Are we keeping the Lord’s commands? In the difficulties of life, in stead of trying to escape the situation, we need to ask, “Am I keeping the Lord’s commands?”

“Am I loving Him, walking in fellowship with Him? Am I allowing Him to carry my burdens?”

“Am I loving others? Am I looking for ways that they are not loving me, or am I looking for ways that I can love them?”

As we saw in the other portions, real love is not getting, but giving, and living in consideration of others. Can we do that even in the difficult times of life?

We also saw in 1 Corinthians 7, that we need to live righteously, in full devotion to the Lord. That is in the good times and the hard times.

How do we do this? How can we live righteously, in full devotion to the Lord?

Remember - Assigned

We need to realize that God has assigned us a sphere of service. There are people around us that we need to show Christ to, through whatever situation we are in. Keeping in mind God’s assigned sphere of service helps us with purpose.

Remember - Called into Fellowship

Walk - Just Take the Next Step

1 Corinthians 7:17 (NIV)

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them.

1 Corinthians 7:19 (NIV)

Keeping God’s commands is what counts.