Monthly Archives: July 2025

1 CORINTHIANS 7 GOD’S VIEW ON MARRIAGE

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July 6

1 CORINTHIANS 7

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 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. 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. 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? – 1 Corinthians 7:8-16

1 CORINTHIANS 7 GOD’S VIEW ON MARRIAGE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

God instituted marriage between a man and a woman

No one can separate what God has put together

Even those who are married to an unbeliever

God has instructed them to stay in their marriage vows

The unbelieving spouse is blessed by the believer

They can be used by God to lead them to their salvation.

Paul guides the Corinthian church regarding God’s view on marriage. They must have been asking Paul many questions regarding marriage and staying single. The beginning verses of this chapter acknowledges their queries on marriage and staying single. The culture of the Corinthians is very carnal. Once they became Christians, they would naturally have lots of questions regarding the practices and mindsets they were used to.

Paul responds to their question regarding marriage and divorce in this letter. He reminded them how God instituted marriage and that they need to honor the marriage covenant.

REFLECTION

  • Share insights on how God views marriage between unequally yoked couples.

1 CORINTHIANS 7 CONJUGAL RIGHTS

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July 5

1 CORINTHIANS 7

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. – 1 Corinthians 7:1-7

1 CORINTHIANS 7 CONJUGAL RIGHTS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will honor your body

If you are unable to control your lust and your passion,

It is good for you to marry someone and be faithful to that person

You will now be united in your bodies and have marital benefits

The man has authority over his wife’s body

The woman also has authority over her husband’s body

Each of the spouse will not deprive each other of sex

They will honor their vows of being united and one flesh.

In this letter, Paul further explains to the Corinthian church how marriage in the eyes of the Lord works. He gives a proposal of how to deal with the temptation for sexual immorality. If you are a man, you must get a wife so that you will be within the boundaries that God allows for sexual union. The same is true with a woman. He is to get a husband who will be the only one she is to be united with.

Sadly, in our society, marriage has been a novelty. People just get into having sexual relations with whoever they please. They are defiling their own bodies and also disrespecting God’s design for our bodies.

REFLECTION

  • How can the conjugal rights between a husband and wife be violated?

1 CORINTHIANS 6 YOUR BODY ISN’T YOUR OWN

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July 4

1 CORINTHIANS 6

12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joinedto a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. 18 Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

1 CORINTHIANS 6 YOUR BODY ISN’T YOUR OWN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you professed your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ

God’s Spirit lives inside you, your body is his temple now

It no longer is yours anymore but it belongs to your Maker

Honor your body because he now dwells in this temple

Do not engage in sexual immorality because it defiles God

Honor your body and keep it pure so you will give him laud.

In this letter, Paul emphasizes the importance of keeping the body pure and undefiled from sexual immorality. He reminds them of God’s purpose in creating humans. He made all humans patterned after his own image. He created us that way so we can be one with him. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, that purpose was thwarted by the devil. Mankind wants to please the self instead of God. There is a tendency towards satisfying the cravings of the flesh for its own pleasures rather than pleasing God and giving him the glory. This inclination to give the flesh what it wants is what leads all humans to engage in sexual immorality. This is what makes us think that we own our bodies when we don’t.

REFLECTION

  • What is the boundary that God sanctioned for indulging in sex?

1 CORINTHIANS 6 THE FATE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS

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July 3

1 CORINTHIANS 6

7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? 8 But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers! 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:7-11

1 CORINTHIANS 6 THE FATE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

To all those who are sexually immoral, idolaters and adulterers

Watch out for your actions are displeasing to the heavenly Father

God hates wickedness in the hearts of men, avoid it as much as you can

The fate of the unrighteous is deprivation of God’s kingdom

Those who believe in Christ are washed, sanctified and justified

A place for servants of Jesus is reserved for them in eternity.

Paul continued to challenge the Christians in Corinth.  This is a continuation of his challenge to them regarding filing lawsuits against each other. He warns them of the consequence of doing unrighteous things. It also refers to one of their brothers in that church who they tolerated and didn’t confront when he slept with his father’s wife.

Paul enumerates some of the many sins that displeases God: sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, drunks, the greedy, abusers or cheaters. Reflect on these sins and you will come down to people who indulge in their flesh and go against the laws of love that God has put in each person’s heart. Paul warns them of these sins.

David Guzik comments “At the very time Paul wrote, Nero was emperor. Nero castrated a boy named Sporus and then married him (with a full ceremony), brought him to the palace with a great procession, and made the boy his “wife.” Later, the emperor lived with another man, and Nero was declared to be the other man’s “wife.”

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think the following sins enumerated here are sins that God hates?

1 CORINTHIANS 6 SETTLE DISPUTES AMONG YOUR BROTHERS

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July 2

1 CORINTHIANS 6

 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life! 4 So if you have such cases, why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?  – 1 Corinthians 6:1-6

1 CORINTHIANS 6 SETTLE DISPUTES AMONG YOUR BROTHERS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to settle differences

There must be no room for quarrels, envy and competitiveness

We must have unity and harmony among our sisters and brothers

We must not let any case be judged by those who don’t know Jesus Christ

The world system operates differently than the kingdom of God

Ensure that we do not bring to court our cases but settle it among us.

In this letter, Paul challenges the Corinthian church to deal with their grievances and cases against each other. Like a father, he tells his children to face their differences and handle their discomfort with those challenges. He is teaching them to be mature and responsible for the conflicts that may come between them and their brothers.

In our world today, people easily sue each other for certain disputes. Paul cautions the believers to not let those judges who do not know the Lord make decisions for them since they do not know the laws of the Lord. The world system operates in a transactional manner where everything is done out of competition and “self-focused” motives.

God’s kingdom is based highly on loving and not transactions. When we allow the world system to deal with our problems and challenges, we may be facing more difficulties resolving our issues. Paul is giving us good advice by ensuring that we don’t hand our disputes to the world but should settle it among those who know the laws of God

REFLECTION

  • Why is Paul advocating for Christians to settle disputes among themselves?