Moving Up the Ladder

I love bookstores. Especially old bookstores. There is a bookstore about 10-15 miles from where my folks live that is amazing.

I walk in and immediately I smile. I smell the old books as I walk through the narrow aisles between dusty covers. It is great.

I am a nerd. I realize that and I accept that. I would rather spend a day in an old bookstore, whitening my skin, than sit on the beach getting blistered by the sun.

When you spend enough time in bookstores, you start recognizing something. The sections that I like to buy books from are rather small. And the sections that I would not want to buy books from are rather large.

People either want to buy junk, or they want to buy books to better themselves. There is a huge industry in self-help: things that we can do to improve our situation.

Nothing against those books or the people who buy them. But they aren’t really useful. And, in the grand scheme of things, they aren’t really helpful.

I promised that these sermons would be divisive. So, there you go, the first divisive thing I will say, but more is coming.

The Christian life is not about bettering our situation. The Christian life is about serving Jesus in whatever situation we are in.

Let’s read our text.

1 Corinthians 7:17–18 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.

1 Corinthians 7:19–21 NIV

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.

1 Corinthians 7:22–24 NIV

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.

Before we dive into the weeds, will you pray with me?

Pray

We Are Christians

Let’s dive into the passage.

Paul has just discussed marriage, divorce, and singleness. He urged the Corinthians to stay married, except in very specific situations.

He then broadens his discussion to politics and finances, urging his readers to serve Jesus in whatever situation they are in.

He first reminds them and us who we are.

We are Christians.

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.

He reminds the Corinthians that they should lives as believers, which means that they are believers.

But, what does that mean?

There are many people who “believe in God” or “believe in Jesus”. Which sounds nice. However, when pressed, they cannot tell you what it means. They have their own personal faith in some deity, but it is not based upon what Scripture says. These are not the people Paul is referring to.

Other people “believe in God” and when asked talk about what their church told them to say, and they describe all the things that they are doing for God, or should be doing for God. Because if you are a Christian, a believer, you do those things. If you don’t, you must not be a believer.

These things could range from attending a specific church, going through specific sacraments, doing good works, tithing, praying certain prayers, etc, etc.

Paul is not talking about these people either.

He talking about those Jesus was referring to in his parable.

Luke 18:9–10 NIV

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Luke 18:11–12 NIV

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

Luke 18:13–14 NIV

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

A believer has reached a point in their life when they realize that they are a sinner and that there is nothing they can do to save themselves from that sin.

They throw up their hands and echo what the Philippian Jailor said to Paul:

Acts 16:30–31 NIV

He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

A believer believes that Jesus, the Son of God, died to save him, died to bring him into a personal relationship with himself. A believer makes the conscious decision to receive Jesus as his savior.

Have you made that conscious decision? I’m not talking about a daily choice to trust Jesus to guide you through this life. I am talking about a life-altering decision to change the state of your soul.

If you have never made that decision, if you have never believed in Jesus and recieved him as your savior, you are not a Christian. You are not a believer. Even if you have gone to church all your life. Even if you have completed all the sacraments. Without that decision, we are dead in our sins.

If we have made that decision, we are Christians.

We are fulfilled by Christ

If we are Christians, we are fulfilled by Christ.

Paul writes:

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.

Let’s go on a time-travel journey. 8000 years ago. Beginning of time. There was nothing. As Moses records:

Genesis 1:2 NIV

Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

6 days, God creates everything. The culmination of everything is man and woman, whom he places in the Garden of Eden to care for it.

God tells Adam and Eve:

Genesis 1:29 NIV

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

The Garden that he created for Adam and Eve to live in was beyond imagination.

Genesis 2:9–10 NIV

The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters.

God provided everything that Adam and Eve needed. But, Adam and Eve thought that God was withholding from them something they needed.

Eve looked at the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Genesis 3:6 NIV

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

They that they needed more than what God could provide. So they turned away from him.

The act of coming to Jesus in saving faith is the act of saying that Jesus does provide everything we need. He does not withhold any good thing and necessary thing from us. In Him, we have the fulfillment of the desires of our heart.

Before him, we sought to fill our life with all sorts of junk that never worked. Tell me that getting drunk or high makes you feel great the next day. We use all this stuff to try to satisfy the longing of our heart, when Jesus is standing there saying, “I’m all you need.”

Paul understood this. He burst out emotionally to the Philippians:

Philippians 3:7–8 NIV

But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

Philippians 3:9–10 NIV

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Philippians 3:11 NIV

and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

More than anything else in the world, Paul wanted to know Christ. We want a full bank account, a couple working cars, a loving relationship, and whatever else our priorities say. Paul says: nope, all those things would just keep me back from the main goal. Christ.

If Christ is our fulfillment, we can stay in whatever situation we are in, because the situation does not fulfill us, Christ does.

Paul gives three illustrations of this:

Not by relationships

First, Paul says that we are fulfilled by Christ, not by relationships.

This passage is right in the middle of Paul talking about relationships, marriage and singleness. Everything that he talks about relating to marriage and singleness comes back to the fact: Christ is our fulfillment.

Think about those couples who get married thinking that their spouse is going to meet all their needs. What happens? Divorce.

When couples get married realizing that they are married to a sinner who will not meet their needs, instead seek a strong relationship with Jesus Christ, those marriages last.

Paul is able to say: remain as you are, whether a widow, or never married, or married, because our fulfillment in our relationships is Christ. More on that next week.

There is no emptiness in our life if Christ is present.

Not by politics

Okay, now to dive into the deep-end.

Second, Paul says that we are fulfilled by Christ, not by politics.

Look at the text:

1 Corinthians 7:17–20 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.

Two weeks ago, I talked about Sex. Now, I’m talking about circumcision.

For those of you who don’t know, the Jews practiced circumcision to set themselves off as the people of God. Every time they went to the bathroom, they were reminded that they were set apart as people of God. Every time they were with their wife, they were both reminded that they were set apart as people of God.

The Jews took that symbol and it became a matter of pride. a matter of national identity. In addition to something necessary for being right with God.

Gentiles were not circumcised. Gentiles were everyone else.

You had the Jews, who were circumcised.

Then you had the rest of the world, who were called Gentiles, who were mostly not circumcised.

Jews didn’t like Gentiles, because Gentiles lived against the Law of Moses.

Gentiles didn’t like Jews, because Jews were holier-than-thou.

That’s a little to over-simplific, but you get my point.

Lines were drawn over circumcision, religiously and politically.

Paul says, those lines do not matter. What matters is keeping God’s commands.

We live in a world where lines are being drawn everywhere. We live in a nation where lines are being drawn everywhere. Goodness, in our county, lines are being drawn everywhere.

The Democrats and Republicans are both on the verge of splintering because of all the lines that are being drawn.

And through these splintering of lines, to few Democrats and Republicans who are Christians consider what it means to be a Christian first.

Yes, we might want to change our situation. But, what does it mean, right now, to live as a Christian? To serve the Lord in the muck that we find ourselves?

One day, we might all be faced with the dilemma of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a German during the rise of Adolf Hitler. Growing up, he considered himself equaling a Christian and a German. Sometimes, he was more of a German than a Christian. But, then he came face to face with the question: who did he owe more allegiance to: Christ or Germany? When Germany started requiring Christians to support ungodly things and to have ungodly attitudes, he made the decision that he was a Christian first, and he died for that.

Right now, Christians in both political parties will have to decide whether they are Christians first or Republicans. Christians first or Democrats. Both parties are going to start calling their members to support positions, to say certain things, to react in certain ways, to seek certain changes. And sometimes those changes are good, in our minds, but seeking those changes actually stops us from serving the Lord. Sometimes those changes are good, in our minds, but the way of making those changes goes against the call of God.

We must ask ourselves, “what does it mean, right now, to live as a Christian.” To acknowledge that we are fulfilled by Christ, regardless of what happens politically. And, truthfully, we may not like that answer.

We are fulfilled by Christ, not by relationships. Not by politics.

Not by finances

Third, Paul says that we are fulfilled by Christ, not by finances.

1 Corinthians 7:21–23 NIV

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.

Slavery was very common in the Roman empire. Some slaves had great masters. Some slaves had horrible masters. Some slaves actually sold themselves into slavery so that they could better their status. Other slaves wished to be free.

Paul, as an aside, opens the door to slaves wanting to better their position. However, the point of his passage is on living as a Christian in the situation his readers are in. If they are free: they should as a Christian. If they are slaves, they should live as a Christian. Whatever situation they are in, they should not be troubled by that situation, but live as a Christian.

In America, we have made finances a god. We are currently going through Financial Peace University in adult Sunday School. I love the course. However, sometimes, I am troubled by the language. They almost teach wealth as a status. That we should be continually upward mobile.

In the face of this pressure, there are some who think so poorly of their status that they find it hard to live out their calling as believers, they say: “Oh, I’m just a....” fill-in the blank.

Others see status as significant, and change as necessary. It is the godly path to seek to better ourselves. If we don’t, something is wrong.

However, financial or social status is irrelevant with God. We are able to live as a Christian, no matter where we are. Yes, if opportunity knocks, we can seek to better our position, but we shouldn’t put any stock in that better position. We should instead seek to live as a Christian.

Why? Because we are fulfilled by Christ.

I love what Habakkuk says:

Habakkuk 3:17–18 NIV

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Why can he say that? Because he knows what is really worthwhile in this world. If Christ is our fulfilment, we can live out our calling in whatever situation we are in.

Whether it is in a mixed marriage, singleness, blue or white collar work, or socioeconomic condition.

We are fulfilled by Christ, not by relationships, politics, or economics.

We glorify God in our situation

So, we have seen that we are Christians and that we are fulfilled by Christ. He is our everything.

If we are fulfilled by Christ, than we can glorify God in our situation.

Paul writes:

1 Corinthians 7:24 NIV

Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Remember, he doesn’t have a problem with changing our situation, if there is an opportunity, as long as we are not distracted from living our calling as Christians.

He said we should focus on remaining in the situation we are in for three reasons:

We don’t need to change our situation to be more holy.

We don’t need to change our situation to be more holy.

A married person who is married to an unbeliever will not become more holy if they divorce the unbeliever.

A Democrat will not become more holy if they become a Republican, and vice versa.

A poor person will not become more holy if they become rich, and vice versa.

All these are external factors that have no bearing on our soul.

As Paul says, “Keeping God’s commands are what counts.”

What are God’s commands: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.” We can have a perfect life, perfect situations: best job, best marriage, best bank account, but if we have not kept that command, we are nothing.

As Jesus said:

Mark 8:36 NIV

What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?

If we have believed in Jesus Christ for salvation, we are made holy. We don’t have to do anything else. But, in response to God’s amazing gift, out of love for him, we will live in a way the glorifies him in our situations.

Which bring us to the rest of the commands.

God also commanded: love one another. As Jesus showed his love, so we are to show his love to others. We are to be blameless in our dealings with the world around us. We are to be above reproach. We are to be gentle. And the list could go on and on of our attitude and our interactions. The next time someone claims to be a Christian on TV, you can ask yourself if they are living out their calling as a Christian, or if they are channeling the prince of this world in their attitude and interactions.

And then, we can look at ourselves and ask the same thing. We are to glorify God in our situation.

We don’t need to change our situation to be more fulfilled.

We don’t need to change our situation to be more holy. We don’t need to change our situation to be more fulfilled.

Paul wrote:

1 Corinthians 7:24 NIV

Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

I will never forget sitting in a small trendy restaurant in the Arts District of Dallas. The area was called Deep Ellum. I was at a work thing. Most of my coworkers claimed to be Christians. This was after my Chick-fil-A days.

The owner of the business and his wife were talking to me, and they found out that I wanted to do rural ministry. They looked at me in shock. They said: Why would you want to waste your degree going to the middle of nowhere.

I know there are many people who still think that. I am not here to toot my horn because of my degrees, and all that. It’s just stuff.

In the words of Paul, I count it all as garbage, as loss, in light of Knowing Christ.

Compared with knowing Christ, and serving him, our situations don’t matter.

We have spent most of the sermon discussing that. But, if we try to find fulfilment in our situation, we will never be satisfied.

The kids will never obey enough. We will never have enough time as a family. We will never have enough of an emergency fund. We will never have a good enough car, or a nice enough job, or house, or relationship with our parents or kids or siblings or spouse. We will never have good enough friends. And on and on. We will never be satisfied.

We are called to contentment because doesn’t fulfill us. Christ does. Instead of asking, how can I be fulfilled in this situation or where should I go to get that fulfillment. We are already fulfilled! So, we ask: How can I glorify God here.

And sometimes that is tough. Which is where a nice little prepositional phrase comes in.

We need to live our intimacy with God

How do we glorify God in every situation, knowing that we are fulfilled in Christ, knowing that we don’t have to change our situation to be more holy or fulfilled?

We live out our intimacy with Christ.

Listen to the verse again:

1 Corinthians 7:24 NIV

Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Normally, I like the NIV, which is what I preach from. I study the original languages and preach from the NIV. But, here, the NIV did wrong. They insert that little phrase: “As responsible to God.” But the original language actually says: “with God.” I really wish I could sit down next to one of the translators and ask them “Why in the world did you think it was okay to translate “with God” as “as responsible to God.”

Here, the King James actually got it right:

1 Corinthians 7:24 KJV 1900

Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.

We can glorify God in every situation, knowing that we are fulfilled in Christ, if we are abiding with him. If we are living our intimacy with Christ.

I say it so many times. Jesus died that we might have a relationship with him. We can pray directly to him. We can read his love letter to us. We can spend time with him.

The more we spend time with him. The more we are fulfilled by him. The more we can glorify him.

Are you restless with where you are in life? Run to Jesus.

Are you wishing something in your life would change? Run to Jesus.

Are relationships crumbling around you? Run to Jesus.

Are you disturbed with the world around you? Run to Jesus.

Paul is saying: Instead of spending all of our time trying to fix this life, let’s spend our time with Christ so that we can shine as his light in the messy life we live.

We are Christians. Therefore, we are fulfilled by Christ. Therefore, we glorify God in whatever situation we are in.