right guys so 1st Corinthians chapter 7 it's a pretty long chapter so I hope you
guys are ready for a long night I know it's got any trains to get her anything
this could go into the two hour mark no no it's not really but I will try to
keep it on the table a little bit with this we are going to try and hit it in
one okay and let's get going in so starting in in verse number one now
concerning the things where have you wrote unto me it is good for a man not
to touch a woman nevertheless to avoid fornication let every man have his own
wife and let every woman have her own husband okay so it seems that Paul is
answering some questions written to him he explains this in a few verses time
have someone could live without the temptation of fornication then it's a
good thing to be single that's a good thing to be single now this is rare for
most it is rare most people can't do that but it is a good thing if you can
now getting married avoids fornication the false versions try to alter what
what the word fornication is don't they and change it but it's clear what it is
isn't it here okay but verse 3 let the husband render unto the wife Jew
benevolence and likewise also the wife unto the husband right render is to give
and benevolence is the disposition to do good goodwill kindness
charitableness the love of mankind a company with a desire to promote their
happiness by how much benevolence is true will turn to Ephesians chapter 5
Ephesians 5 25 husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and
gave himself for it okay that's a lot of love isn't it okay as Christ also
loved the church and gave himself for it that's the amount of benevolence that's
due to our wives husbands and have a look at Titus 2 4 Titus chapter 2 verse
4 okay here it's talking about teaching the women that they may teach the young
women to be sober to love their husbands to love their children now women are
also to love love their houses we focus a lot on the wife submit unto your
husbands and you know obviously the the respecting the husbands but there is
they should be loving their husbands as well okay but part of this Jew
benevolence part of this juvenile benevolence is physical love as well and
we see that in the following verse the wife hath not power of her own body but
the husband and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body
but the wife and remember in Genesis 2 24 you become one flesh and that goes on
in verse 5 to forge you not one the other except it be with consent for a
time that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer and come together
again that Satan tempts you not for your incontinency okay so defrauding is to
withhold wrongfully what is someone's right to have now Paul Paul has just
been talking about fornication hasn't he and he's just been he's now saying
about marriage helping people avoid it but sadly for many reasons the act of
physical love is withheld between between married couples used as a weapon
and and you know I think there's a lot of I think there's some conditioning
with that as well in the world that it somehow it's all just a men wanting it
and and the women could kind of you you know dangle it as some sort of control
mechanism but it can be withheld can't it you know we hear the old cliche you
know people talk about stuff not in the mood got a headache all these sorts of
things but men do it as well men can withhold it maybe when they're angry
when they're tired find ways of doing that and the command here is clear don't
do that don't do that why because Satan will use that to tempt you why on earth
there's a husband or wife with the clear command here want to risk their spouse
being tempted why do they want that now what's incontinence is is basically want
of restraint of the sexual appetite so so not having that free or illegal
indulgence of lust lewdness used of either sex but appropriately of the male
sex incontinence of men is the same as unchastity and women okay so here it's
talking about basically that that Satan will tempt you because without that
because one of the main one of the big purposes of marriage is to avoid
fornication according to Paul so why on earth why on earth does it and it does
happen doesn't it it happens a lot and it's sad that it does and it's something
that obviously there's a problem in a relationship when that is happening it's
something that needs to be addressed and it shouldn't be something embarrassed I
don't really want to talk about this it needs to be addressed now obviously
regardless we shouldn't be entertaining the idea should we men or women of
anything outside of marriage but what what he's saying is he's just made that
little bit harder by that it's made that a little bit harder by withholding okay
he's so here's the thing he talks here then at the end he talks here so in
first Corinthians 7 he talks here in verse 5 aren't we where he says he says
and come together he says sorry he says that you may give yourselves to fast in
prayer and come together again okay so that's with consent fasting and prayer
which basically if you're in fasting and pray you're in the spirit aren't you as
well so I would say that's a safe time to be apart by how long's a fast for how
long is that because I don't think anyone here is doing a 40-day fast well
there's only three people that ever did that in the Bible and I doubt there's
many people here doing much more than a few days if that and most fasts are
probably a day so here it's talking about consensually fasting and praying
not turning to your spouse oh no I'm on a faster night you know it's funny but
but it is something that you need to be aware of obviously married couples okay
he goes on in verse 6 but I speak this by permission and not of commandment
okay so what's he talking about here so the following is still inspired but it
wasn't a direct commandment from God so all scripture all scripture is given by
inspiration isn't it all scripture so this isn't our well Paul's just doing
his own bit now you know well we could take it or leave it this is no this is
he hasn't had it as a direct commandment but he is inspired by the Holy Spirit
here okay Paul often mentions the revelations doesn't he he was given as
well and and I think then this wasn't one of the direct revelations but he's
still speaking in the spirit okay here he says in verse seven for I would that
all men were even as I myself but every man have this proper gift of God one
after this manner and another after that so as we know Paul was unmarried and he
sees that as a good thing which he explains in a minute and we'll get to
but here's a good point we all have different gifts and we shouldn't judge
each other by our own strengths should we so Paul had that gift and he's not
judging other people who don't have that in the same way we all have
different gifts we'll have spiritual gifts but we also just have the ways
that we are aren't we and we've got to be careful not to just be criticizing
and judging people because they're not the same as us is certain because our
strengths you know might be someone else's weakness but sometimes their
strengths to our weaknesses as well okay verse eight he says I say therefore to
the unmarried and widows it is good for them if they abide even as I but if they
cannot contain let them marry for it is better to marry than to burn okay so
it's only good if they can contain okay so we're not talking about you know
these monks in monasteries and everything else here if they can contain
if they're able to do it and burning is their hearts burning burning with desire
okay that's a burning of lust okay so he's saying here it's better to marry
than to burn because how long is that gonna last if you see I'm taking a vow
chastity but you're just burning in lust it's not meant for you okay verse 10
and unto the married I command yet not I but the Lord let not the wife depart
from her husband okay this is a commandment this is a commandment now
okay it's not now that's advice in this bit this is a commandment Romans 7 2 to
3 let's have a look at Romans 7 and chapped sorry Roman chapter 7 of verse
2 to 3 it says for the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her
husband so long as he liveth but if the husband be dead she's loose from the law
of her husband so then if while her husband liveth should be married to
another man she shall be called an adulterous but if her husband be dead
she is free from that law so that she is no adulterous though she be married to
another man okay divorce is wicked divorce is wicked there's no other way
saying it is wicked it should never be used as a threat between husbands and
wives it is wicked that it's a clear value made in front of God till till
death do us part okay and that's clear in Scripture we're going to show a
couple of bits in a second about that but it is clear okay there aren't
grounds for divorce in verse 11 it says but and if she depart let her remain
unmarried or be reconciled to her husband and let not the husband put away
his wife okay so if she ignores that commandment okay and and and in the
same way with him as well if it's ignored or maybe this you know there are
previous sins maybe before salvation then she needs to remain unmarried
there's no no scriptural grounds for people that are previously married
married again getting married again no such thing it says here you know saying
here or be reconciled to a husband let not the husband put away his wife it's
basically saying look if you've done stuff before don't then go on to more
sin don't go on to more sin if you've made mistakes in the past you've done
things in the past don't go on to more sin don't then remarried that's just
adultery and it's something that you know interestingly there's something as
Christians we shouldn't be supporting either and it could be a hard situation
that you know I've you know I've spoken to brothers in Christ before that it's
hardware family members for example are having a remarriage they're divorced to
remarrying and you're invited to that marriage that's a tough situation but
for me you can't go and celebrate that marriage you can't do it you've got to
you've got to stand up for what's right and stand up for the truth because it's
in this world it makes out like it's just oh well it's just a bit you know
everyone does that everyone's divorced remarrying yeah it's massive isn't it
that doesn't make it okay I mean what was it what was the sentence for
adultery stoning stoned to death there's a death penalty so why on earth are we
going to go in and basically support that by going along and supporting a
wedding or a marriage or you unless you're gonna go there and throw tomatoes
or something but I don't think we need to be doing that either um okay so okay
Matthew 5 32 let's go there now Matthew 5 32 Matthew chapter 5 and verse 32
okay Jesus says but I sound to you that whosoever shall put away his wife saving
for the cause of fornication causeth her to commit adultery and whosoever shall
marry her that is divorce committeth adultery okay so it's clear that it's
that it's adultery but but what's this putting away for the safe for the cause
of fornication now again the false Bible versions will change this now won't they
say again adult or yeah for adultery so that's suddenly an excuse and sometimes
it'll be for sexual immorality or something like that so it says now you
just got this around like well he looked at a woman the wrong way because Jesus
said that you're committing adultery in your heart if you if you know if you
look on someone with lust oh grounds for divorce so again they just as usual you
know the the the corrupted word is just just terrible it just causes so many
problems but here so it's talking about fornication and that's previous to
marriage or it would be safe for the cause of adultery now what's fornication
previous to marriage well basically if and we see Joseph being a just man being
a just man shows the example of what he was going to do thinking not realize
that Mary was had conceived by the Holy Ghost and that was basically getting
married and and not not like in our culture where usually the marriage is
consummated that night but but between marriage and consummation they're being
fornication or or think you're marrying a virgin who then you're finding out
that they're not and that's the fornication it's talking about and that
has to that divorce has to go ahead before consummation of the marriage but
but there are and that we not we don't really see that in our culture do we
there are no other grounds for it adultery is a wicked sin and rightfully
like I said carried the death sentence it's wicked why do we want to encourage
that why do we want to just even advocate that at all or support it okay
verse 12 it says but to the rest be kind not the Lord if any brother had a wife
that believeth not and she'd be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her
away okay so this isn't advocating marrying an unbeliever okay this is
someone who's already saved or else someone who has made that mistake in
marrying an unbeliever but but we know if you have a look to just quickly at
2nd Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 14 where the Bible says be ye not
unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship has
righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion has light with darkness
and what concord hath Christ for Belial or what part of he that believeth with
an infidel okay it's clear it's clear that we shouldn't be marrying
unbelievers and I don't think anyone's going to argue that but like I've said
before I think you've got to be just because someone says they're saved just
because someone is saved that that's not suddenly an equal yoking and there can
be big big differences can't there could be someone that's got saved like many
many people we get saved and sadly might never go on to live for Christ and
that's a hard marriage kids you know those of you are married to you you know
they said important decision to make because there is no out there's no
getting out once you're married you're married for life okay you're married for
life so it's a big decision to make and you guys have to be aware that they're
not only if you you want to serve Christ live across you need to marry someone
that has that same desire okay okay verse 13 and the woman which hath an
husband that believeth not and if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not
leave him okay so here he said in in verse 12 he said if any brother had the
wife that believeth not and she'd be pleased to dwell with him let him not
put her away and if the woman hath an husband that believeth not and he and if
he be pleased to let her not leave him okay it's not about you being pleased or
about forcing them not to be pleased there is that it's just about basically
trying to keep keep a happy marriage going there anyway now have a look at
verse 14 for the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife and the
unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children unclean
but now are they holy now there's anyone heard the false doctrine here that an
unbeliever is saved by their husband or wife being saved anyone heard that
before yeah so I we have a family member that that and the funny thing is they're
not even saved the people usually say well clearly they're not saved because
they believe that you could be saved by another gospel ie your husband or wife
big say which is just absolutely bizarre but I have heard this as someone who is
convinced that their wife was saved because they they were a Christian in
inverted commas okay but that's not what this is saying is it because that would
go against so much scripture they haven't called on the name of the Lord
they haven't put their faith in Jesus Christ it's absolutely ridiculous but it
does say sanctified and what sanctified well made holy consecrated set apart for
sacred services affected Lee holy and and we see it as a cleaning a cleansing
as well so the unbelieving spouse is made holy through the believing spouse
they're made holy they're made clean so that the family is seen as holy in God's
eyes now sometimes some teachers well that it's as opposed to being in
fornication but I do think I think there's an extra element so they'll say
look basically they're sanctified so they're not in fornication and and
basically now the children the children are no longer unclean because there's no
fornication it's a marriage but I think here it's talking about not leaving them
not about getting married anyway and I think here I I believe there's an extra
element here of sanctification which wouldn't be there if both parents were
unbelievers I think God looks a believer's family and there's a neck
there's a kind of there's a level there that you're holy in God's eyes through
faith in Jesus Christ and that family and that family home is that's how I see
it but it can you could look at it as well look they're clean they're
sanctified because they're not living in fornication but see like the emphasis is
on the unbelieving spouse in the equation for the unbelieving husband is
sanctified by the wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the
husband so it's it it's not just by the marriage I think it's by the fact that
they're a believer there's a there's like I believe anyway there's a certain
sanctification which comes as certain how God looks at that household looks at
that marriage verse 15 says but if the unbelieving depart let him depart a
brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases but God has called us to
peace right now this is this is a verse where a lot of people try and justify
divorce with it some of you might have heard this before and I've heard some
different preaching on this verse and it like I said it can like people will
use this as a justification that'd be easy wouldn't it just just claim they're
unsaved they're unsaved I'm sure they're unsaved and you know you could you can
find loads of reasons to accuse someone of being unsaved you really want to
can't you definitely not and you start coming up with reasons and trying to
catch them in something they've said or something whatever else maybe they're
confused about something when they were first say whatever it is that's I don't
think that is now I've heard the highlighting of the difference between
bound to a husband or wife you see that if you have a look at just jump for the
verse 27 art thou bound unto a wife seek not to be loose art thou loose for a
wife seek not a wife so there's a difference between being bound and back
in here back back here there's this bondage isn't there and what they say is
that the difference this is this is one viewpoint of it where the bondage in
this verse is referring back to verses three to five that we looked at with the
Jew benevolence and defrauding and basically saying that if an unbelieving
spouse to spark departs you're not still under the bondage of owing them a
physical relationship I don't know if anyone's heard that explanation for this
before so basically you're not under bondage to because that happened that
well that would happen that can happen where people are saying look with I'm
still owed a physical relationship even though maybe I've departed I've left my
wife and and you could probably you could see how that might work so if an
unbelieving spouse to sparks you basically you're not still under the
bondage according to this verse of owing them a physical relationship you're not
still under that bondage I don't know for me that doesn't explain the end of
the verse so if you look at the end of the verse there it says here but God
have called us to peace and I don't see that that working or the following verse
verse 16 where it says for what knowest thou I wife whether thou shalt save thy
husband or how no so I man whether thou shalt save thy wife and it there was a
four before that wasn't it for what notice so so why is that why would not
being under bondage for the physical relationship change that I believe that
it's that you don't have to try to force them to stay with you because that would
be a pretty stressful life wouldn't that wouldn't be you wouldn't be called to
be that wouldn't be peaceful that's that would be tough if you've got someone who
is just desperate to leave you as a believer and you're forcing them to stay
living together in that home and you could see that that happening what a
situation that would be it didn't say divorce them though it didn't say
divorce like put away for example for the man to put away like in verse 11 so
and remember it said earlier about about let them depart and it's not saying let
them go and that's it and have a divorce so I think it means if an unbelieving
spouse leaves and to let them so as to keep it civil and hope and pray that you
can still get them saved that's how I see that and I think then because the
following verse is for what knowest thou I wife whether thou shalt save thy
husband or how nice our man with a shot say that wife see keeping things civil
because you still there's a chance you get him saved and by the way that verse
completely then stops all that silly that they're that they're sanctified the
unbelieving wife being sanctified by the husband and vice versa because why are
we then saying for what no sour wife whether thou shalt save thy husband and
I don't think anyone here needs convincing that that is ridiculous
false doctrine that the sanctified actually means that they're safe so I'm
not sure I I could see the argument for not being under bondage for the physical
relationship I also see for me that that it is making emphasis here on on them
actually here it says but if the unbelieving depart let him depart a
brother or sister is not under bondage in such case but God has caused us called
us to peace so not forcing them to stay but it's not saying get divorced because
I think the commandments clear that there's no grounds for divorce that's
how I see it okay so for what knows our wife when thou shalt save thy husband or
how knowest our man whether thou shalt save thy wife now notice here that the
wife and husband are given are given the credit of saving a spouse aren't they
and how much nonsense false doctrine you you don't do the saving God does the
saving it clearly says that in June 23 says and if some have compassion make a
difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even
the garment spotted by the flesh we have a responsibility to save people
okay it's clear as day in Scripture it you know we are part of the equation
aren't we we're part of the equation and we need to go out and give the gospel
and get people safe and what knowest our wife whether thou shalt save thy husband if you
are married to an unbeliever or or you know some whatever you know I don't know
if anyone is here or whatever the situation but if you were in that
situation you want to try and stay together you want to try and stay
together because you're bound by marriage there but if if you lay
literally you cannot stop them they're leaving I'm gonna force them to stand
that house but try and keep things civil and hope that you can be reconciled and
hope also that you're going to have a chance to save them that's how I see
that that that passage verse 17 but as God had distributed to every man as the
Lord has called everyone so let him walk and so ordain I in all churches okay
Paul is saying that we need to accept what God has given us in life okay and
some people have different gifts to others and he's saying he ordained to
different churches Paul ordained people depending on their strengths didn't he
we see that in Romans 12 you just turn to Romans 12 quickly in verses 3 okay
for for I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you
not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think but to think
soberly according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith for as we
have many members in one body and all members have not the same office so we
being many a one body in Christ and everyone members one of another having
then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us where the
prophecy let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith or ministry let
us wait on our ministering or he that teaches on teaching he that exhorteth
on exhortation he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with
diligence he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness okay so we all have
different so we'll have different spiritual gifts we'll have different
spiritual gifts and I think they're in verse 17 he's saying but as God had
distributed to every man as the Lord has called everyone so let him walk and so
so I'll day nigh in all churches and he respects that doesn't he where he gives
people different roles different jobs in these churches now he goes on in verse
18 he says he's any man this is first Corinthians 7 if is any man called being
circumcised let him not become uncircumcised is any called in
uncircumcision let him not be circumcised well obviously how do you
become uncircumcised you're looking at that well he's talking about Jews and
non-Jews as they're known and at that point and I think Paul's just saying
look whatever walk of life nation area etc you don't have to stop being that
you don't have to go in you know live in a commune somewhere or something else
like that because you're saved and we have a calling in that in that area that
group that nation that we're in don't we to do the work of God there not just in
it because there's a temptation isn't there I mean a lot of people here
probably being tempted probably at the beginning to move off to Arizona or or
or somewhere else similar but you know what Arizona's got a lot of Bible
believing Christians especially in Tempe you know and are we that needed out
there right now I don't think where we needed in this this wasteland is
spiritual wasteland of a country that's where we needed it and we've all had
that thought we probably all had that thought I'd like to be living out of
states to tell you it's a good churches and good people but that's not where
we're called are we and and I think that's what it's talking about here
verse 19 says circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but the
keeping of the commandments of God now regularly in Romans he refers to Jews
and non-Jews as a circumcision and uncircumcision if you turn to Romans 3
and verse 30 he said seeing it is one God which shall justify the circumcision
by faith and uncircumcision through faith okay here he's saying that it
makes no difference who you are it's all about keeping God's Commandments yeah
John 14 15 says if you love me keep my Commandments so I think in verse 19 of
1st Corinthians 7 he's saying look it doesn't matter who you are where you're
from it's all about the keeping keeping the Commandments of God because
obviously getting circumcised isn't keeping the Commandments of God in the
New Testament is it okay Romans 2 29 Romans chapter 2 and verse 29 says let
every let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called so like I
said it's not oh I'm saved off to here off to the commune off you know there's
some way that we've been called to work for God and I'm not saying you you
cannot move town you cannot move house even your neighbours that's where you
are but I do believe that there's a there's a place we are there's a life
we're in and look if we had all jumped ship we wouldn't there wouldn't be a
church in the UK there wouldn't have been a hundred and whatever it is
Salvations this year so far would there in this country yeah there might have
been some out out in the States maybe they wouldn't I don't know but at the
end of the day we're we're here we're in this place and look what a difference
we're already making and and you know that's gonna that's gonna go on more and
more isn't it John 17 15 says I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the
world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil okay and and because he's
saying here in in verse 20 let every man abide in the same calling wherein he
was called and we're here we're here to do a job aren't we're here to do some
work verse 21 so in 1st Corinthians 7 that is verse 21 says art thou called
being a servant care not for it but if thou mayest be made free use it rather
maybe we can apply this to our lives as being employed or not self-employed
being the boss or not either way it doesn't really matter does it because
we're told not to worry about it you don't have to worry about that what
position we are the job yeah we want to be diligent yeah we want to work hard
yes nothing wrong with working and trying to be successful in your job but
we don't want to put X too much emphasis on that verse 22 he says for he that is
called in the Lord being a servant is the Lord's Freeman likewise also he that
is called being free as Christ's servant so we're free from the bondage of sin in
Jesus Christ and we're also servants of Christ verse 23 you're brought with it
so you're bought with a price be not ye the servants of men so that obviously
the price was a precious blood of Jesus of Jesus Christ he's saying that
although we have a walk of life that we live in our focus should be on serving
Jesus not pleasing people okay and that's we see that a lot in Scripture but
part of that obviously part of pleasing Jesus still being a good employee
husband wife isn't it that's part of that as well Colossians 3 22 yeah turn
there actually Colossians chapter 3 verse 22 just aware of the time because
we've still got a bit to go through Colossians 3 22 servants obey in all
things your master according to the flesh not with I services men pleasers
but in singleness of heart fear in God and whatsoever you do do it heartily as
to the Lord and not unto men knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the
reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Christ okay so what we what we
do everything we're doing yeah we're not serving men our folks should be on men
it should be on Christ but that still it includes being a good husband wife
employee child you know obeying your parents etc verse 24 in 1st Corinthians
again brethren let every man wherein he is called therein abide with God okay so
we don't have to all work in the ministry or find a saved employer
because there can be that temptation can't they find that ultimately you know
you know so you only around save people a sinless job whatever it is yeah we
don't want sinful jobs of course you know we shouldn't I don't think
Christians should be working in bars or anything around alcohol we're told not
to give our neighbor drink aren't we should be working them sort of places
and many other places I think we shouldn't be involved in you know we I'm
not gonna have time to go into them but I could think of a few ideas of things
we shouldn't be involved in but at the end of the day we on the flip side you
don't have to just right I've got to find that perfect Christian Christ
honoring you know there's only for example with ministry and yeah we want
to we want to grow Church to here as well but the majority of people in here
aren't gonna in gonna be an employed active ministry but that you know that
doesn't mean that anyone's any lesser and it doesn't mean that God still
doesn't have something for you to do in life it's an easy thing is it to just
think well to serve God you've got to be either a pastor or something similar
that's not that's not what the Bible says does it we all serve God in our own
roles in our own lives verse 25 says now concerning virgins I have no
commandment of the Lord yet I give my judgment as one that is faithful sorry
yet I give my judgments one that obtained mercy of the Lord to be
faithful okay so we're back to something that wasn't a direct commandment from
Jesus to write but it's still scripture okay it's still scripture it's still
given by inspiration Paul is saying that his judgment is faithful judgment and
that's an interesting thing isn't it in the same way there are many situations
that we need to judge as believers aren't there and as and there's nothing
wrong when there isn't a clear scripture or command from the Lord to still judge
a situation we have to do that Paul's doing that here under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit when we're filled with the spirit we can make some pretty good
decisions which aren't necessarily based on a clear direct commandment yeah
Christians that are living for God faced in the Word of God in prayer server the
Lord should be able to make judgments shouldn't they that are faithful to the
counsel of God wouldn't you say we should be able to do that and sure like
we talked before I got about going out to godly counsel as well but and and
that godly counsel should be able to give counsel that's according to how
God's will would be without it necessarily if there's scripture great
obviously the scripture is is where we should be going to sometimes there's a
clear scripture on many situations and unique situations okay verse 26 I suppose
therefore that this is good for the present distress I say that it is good
for a man so to be okay so he's saying that being a virgin is a good thing now
when he's saying being a virgin he's basically saying being unmarried is a
good thing verse 27 art thou bound unto a wife seek not to be loose art thou
loose for a wife seek not a wife right so if you have a wife then so be if you
don't have a wife he's not saying get loose very saying if you lose you don't
have a wife you say don't seek then a wife especially if you've been married
you shouldn't then be reseek your wife if they've departed and that's it that
that's it you know that's done there's no there's you need to get used to the
fact that you're single unless you can be reconciled because there is no
grounds for remarriage okay verse 28 but and if thou marry thou has not sinned
and if a virgin marry she have not sinned nevertheless such shall have
trouble in the flesh but I spare you okay right obviously it's not a sin but
there are people that could think that they're somehow superior maybe less
sinful if they don't marry and serve the Lord now you can see that in false
religions can't you as well is that with their Catholic monks and these kind of
ridiculous perverts who do all this stuff and they think they're somehow
these special holy people because they're not married and maybe you could
see maybe someone looking at people make and I don't think I think with our
culture that's not going to be the case but look at people married and thinking
oh can't contain a got to get married because you can't contain your lust and
I don't think you necessarily get that but you do get the opposite way where
people are looking at single people obviously can't get a husband or wife or
are they some sort of pervert or something else and that ain't the case
is it it's not the case because there are some people that have the gift of
being single it's a good thing if they use it right we'll talk about that in a
second and on on the flip side there are people you know there there there are
people that maybe maybe they don't have that gift of staying staying single but
at the end of the day for every reason maybe they they they're already married
or they've been married before maybe they haven't maybe they just haven't
found that person because it is it's a big decision it's a massive decision
getting married to someone is important who you get married to and it is a good
thing have they found a wife you know that's a good thing but at the end of
the day you don't be rushing into that either kids especially you shouldn't
just be rushing to whoever it is oh well they're safe let's get married I mean
that's obviously the bare minimum yeah but marriage is a good thing he says
this now look at verse 29 31 but this I say brethren the time is short
remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that
weep as though they wept not and they that rejoice so they rejoice not and
they that buy as though they possess not and they that use this world as not
abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away okay Paul's saying our time
here is sure when we're in heaven none of those things are gonna matter none of
those things are gonna matter once we're in heaven in the presence of God we're
not gonna be looking back on our lives you know just say finally I still had
that or that you know this because we're not going to be married or giving in
marriage are we in heaven Jesus made that clear we're not gonna be looking
back on our past emotions possessions worldliness it'll all be long gone once
you're in heaven I think you know I think we will have this kind of maybe
maybe they have this picture of heaven as all these worldly lusts and all these
cool things and maybe you're gonna be flying or maybe gonna I think you're
literally just gonna be spending most minutes of every day just going wow
thanks to Jesus and I'm in the presence of God like it's just gonna be
absolutely amazing I think that's going to completely occupy your thoughts
rather than all the cool things you could have and do and everything else
okay but even that so even the millennial reign so that thousand year
reign of Christ it's not long is it compared with eternity thousand years
ain't long compared with eternity if our life is only a vapor yeah that thousand
year reign is between 10 and 20 vapors isn't it I'm looking forward to the
millennial right I think that's gonna be amazing see how things really should you
know should work and will work under the law but yeah 10 and 20 vapors then what
then it's eternity it's a time to look just quickly you go go to Revelation 21
Revelation chapter 21 and from verse 1 21 1 and I saw a new heaven and a new
earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there
was no more sea and I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem coming down from God
out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a
great voice out of heaven saying behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he
will dwell with them and there shall be his people and God himself shall be with
them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there
shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any
more pain for the form of things are passed away and he that sat upon the
throne said behold I make all things new and he said unto me right for these
words are true and faithful that sounds pretty amazing to me that sounds amazing
I don't think I'm gonna be thinking too much about my past life when I'm when
I'm in that that sounds amazing now okay verse 32 back to 1st Corinthians okay
but I do think that if we really focus on eternity focus on that real eternity
then all of our worldly troubles they do pale and insignificance don't they they
really do everything we're going through in this vapor of a life is nothing
compared with that glory that we're going to be in for eternity okay but
first 32 but I'd have you without carefulness he that is unmarried careth
for the things that belong to the Lord how he may please the Lord but he that
is married careth for the things that are of the world how he may please his
wife there is a difference also between a wife and a virgin the unmarried woman
careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in body and in
spear but she that is married careth for the things of the world how she may
please her husband okay so notice here how it's that it's not wrong for a
married man or lady to care for their spouse okay clearly that's what they
should be doing it's part of marriage it needs to be for a successful marriage
doesn't it now women were created as an help yeah which was meet suitable for
the man if in Ephesians 5 22 they're sold they're told wives submit yourselves
unto your own husbands as unto the Lord okay now listen even without children
that's a busy job okay that is a busy job providing for caring for the needs
of a husband is a busy job add children to it as well wow that that is that is a
really really busy time and that that's there's a lot that women have to do now
men are commanded to love their wives yeah we know that that's clear and in a
features 5 28 to 29 the Bible says so ought men to love their wives as their
own bodies he that loveth his wife loveth himself for no man ever yet hate
his own flesh but nourish ith and cherish ith it even as the Lord the
church right nourishing and cherishing your wife let alone providing for your
house is a busy job isn't it it's a busy job because when you're married you're
now providing for your wife because if it's biblical she shouldn't be out in
the workplace should be submitting to someone else's husband should be
submitting to her own husband so you're providing for your wife and and you're
nourishing and cherishing them that is a busy job it should be and if you're not
doing much for it then it isn't but then that's going to be a problem in your
marriage okay it's not sinful in fact it's sinful to get married and then not
fulfill your roles isn't it because they're clear commands how you should
behave as a husband and wife okay if a husband spent every minute that you
wasn't working either soul-winning Bible reading is that loving nourishing
and cherishing his wife it's not is it it's not okay now also though if he did
absolutely nothing for the Lord then that wouldn't be loving for his wife
either because you're not gonna get the blessings of God you're gonna have an
unhappy marriage as well because you're not going to be happy you're not you're
not going to be serving God okay so I'm not saying that the husband right it's
all just about the wife but to nourish and cherish your wife part of that is
serving God but there's more than just serving God okay if a wife is it
providing for her husband's needs but she's serving the church he's got happy
with her so if a wife literally did not submit did not do anything for her
husband was not a help for him oh but she's at church all the time she's here
when no church is shark cleaning doing things for the church she's so winning
every day she reads that Bible she studies he's got happy with her no no
wait no way is he happy with her because she's clearly she's clearly
disobeying clear commandments in the Bible okay so look at verse 32 and 34
there where it says but I would have you without carefulness he that is unmarried
careth for the things that belong to the Lord and how he may please the Lord okay
in verse 34 there is a difference between wife and a virgin a young
married woman care for the things of the Lord that she may be hope holy both in
body and in spirit but she that is married care for the things well of the
world how she may please her husband okay the unmarried are therefore
expected to be caring for the things of God okay clearly yeah that's what the
Bible says there okay that's it's a good thing it's a good thing not to be
married it's a good thing not to be single and by the way kids none of you
as far as I'm concerned because it's highly illegal and it's not right
married so therefore you count in this as well especially as you get older okay
situations are different yeah and and look there are some unmarried men maybe
that might not be at home with their families being cooked and cleaned for
maybe have a little bit more to do on that side they don't have that help but
remember they're not also providing usually for their wife they might be
providing a little bit for their household maybe they are maybe they're
not okay and there are some different situations there may be some women out
there that are maybe having to go to work still etc but still but still the
men won't need two jobs I'd imagine I don't think there's many single men
that need to be working two jobs to provide for just themselves and no kids
at all or they've got some really expensive habits and the unmarried women
might be having to work or have other family responsibilities but I tell you
what I would I would say that they're doing nothing compared with in terms of
those duties at home compared with what what a woman with children especially
but and then also provided for husband as well because there's a funny thing
in the world where they look at it like the husband's there to help the wife no
the husband the wife has been made as a help for the husband so on top of the
children she then also has to help the husband who's then providing for her and
I know there's there's different situations people in different
situations and I'm you know I'm just gonna preach what the Bible says here
but as a general rule looking after a husband and kids is busy and providing
for a wife and kids needs as a husband is busy okay that's that there's a lot
to do there and obviously there are different stages with kids it's not just
oh well I've got more kids so it must be the busiest because there's different
there's different stages and I bet if you talk to maybe you know people here
who've got older kids as well there's some tough stuff that we're not we
haven't even got to yet those of us whose kids are younger are dealing with
teenagers and there's so much that in you know in terms of child rearing as
well and obviously there's so much just that goes into a marriage okay now we
all have to find the right balance with that but if you're single it's a good
thing if you then serve the Lord so anyone single here and all you kids as
you grow up and you're single people it's a good thing if you serve the Lord
you have so much more time to serve the Lord that then a married that then
married couples do and because if they're serving the Lord as much or more
than you then either there's something wrong in their marriage or there's
something wrong in your single life okay because the Bible is clear here that
that's that it's a gift if you're serving the Lord and if you think you
well I don't have that gift well well you're not while you are single make
use of it take advantage of it and serve God and there's so much you can do so
much you could do to serve God and like I said as kids get older to serve the
Lord serve the Lord because you won't get that chance to be able to serve the
Lord of the amount of time that you can give to it when you're married you can't
do it or if you do do it your marriage is going to suffer and I'll tell you
what it won't be as much of a shock when you've got multiple children because
when you got multiple children it's busy isn't it it's busy and it's a busy time
and and if you're just kind of well I'm just enjoying the easy love when I'm
married that's when I work hard that's when I'll start doing more yeah you
can't flick the switch like that it don't happen does it and and you know
praise God that we kind of have one child at a time because I once that
must have been a shock Wow triplet suddenly go from nothing to
three anyway okay verse 35 says it and this I speak for your own profit not
that I may cast a snare upon you but for that which is coming that you may
attend unto the Lord without distraction okay we shouldn't be feel pressured to
marry and like I said there is that stigma with not but if it's a snare if
you don't and obviously do marry but like I said if you if you're not and
because there can be like you know people in churches and people who
throughout life love to look at other people don't they love to look at other
people and you know they doing enough are they doing this a late you don't
really know their situation we don't know the situations but but if you if
you're sitting here thinking well maybe yeah maybe you're you're one of the
husbands or wives who's really not really doing much for the your spouse
but you're serving God you've got the balance wrong there you've got to be
serving you've got to be loving and cherishing your wife and and that's not
just from serving God serving God is part of that and and the other way
around if you're someone single here take advantage of being single and serve
the Lord and you'll be happy and it will get you more used to when you're really
really busy and and to be able to serve the Lord and and and then also you know
have a family love your kids and raise your kids and provide for your wife or
provide for your husband you know there's a lot there okay verse 36 but if
any man think that he behave with himself uncommity toward his virgin if
she passed the flower of our age and need so require let him do what he will
he sineth not let them marry okay so if the desire is strong marry it's not
sinful okay it's not sinful obviously getting married and yeah you're not
gonna have to serve God as much but for the majority vast majority of people
they do need to marry okay okay now check this bit if she passed the flower
of our age okay flower so basically the early part of life or rather manhood
the prime youthful vigor youth as a flower of Asia of life so if they're old
enough no longer a youth okay that's clear in the Bible isn't it no longer a
youth now this sadly is in sharp contrast isn't it to especially
religion such as Judaism and Islam okay sharp contrast now there's been a lot of
damage limitation on this more recently I've noticed because I had a little look
on this when I was preparing for this sermon but these wicked false religions
legitimize pedophilia okay now you've got Islam's Prophet Muhammad is is
basically an accepted nonce isn't he they don't argue it they don't but you
know what they do you know they say this is a typical that listen to this is a
typical defense so I was looking about and this is a typical defense that
you'll get online for from Islamic apologetics the heinous accusation that
was only raised by some ill-intentioned orientalists regarding the young age of
Lady Ayesha so if any of you are unaware Ayesha was was Muhammad's child bride
yeah at the time of her marriage to Prophet Muhammad he wasn't a prophet was
not raised by the vehement enemies of Islam like the Prophet's tribe Quraish I
wonder why during the time of Prophet Muhammad nor later along the Islamic
history even historians like Ibn Ishaq and many others who reported the story
the marriage of Lady Ayesha did not stop and wonder about a young age nor had
they had to justify the Prophet position of marrying her because simply at that
time girls were getting married at such young age really the fact that Lady Ayesha
was about to be betrothed to another man before the Prophet's proposal means that
this was customary practice and not a source of shame or a denigration of
morality Prophet Muhammad since time immemorial was well known among his
people of Quraish to possess the highest moral characteristics of one the hearts
of people through the perfection of his manners so basically what they're trying
to say oh it's okay because everyone was doing it isn't that disgusting and that
that that is a defense of it well they're all at it oh well that's all
right that was normal then so basically we're weird now it's just oh well we've
just got these strange strange ideas of morality now so check it out as well
this is the sort of jug sadly that I spent a few minutes reading also attempts
so this is what they attempt to suggest that Isaac's Rebecca so of course they
just attack Christianity don't they Jacob's daughter Dina Abishag that
ministered to David yeah they try and suggest that they were all children
based on what it gets where it's based on scholars yeah scholars have
discovered how yes scholars have discovered that these ladies in the
Bible were actually children because it was just normal commonplace the Bible's
full of it apparently yeah who are the scholars Jews aren't they
pedophile Jews trying to justify their own filth it's wicked it's okay so this
is another one I read as we have read so far Asia's marriage 1400 society Asia's
marriage sorry in that time in society was very normal very common among the
ancient cultures and all the way to the present day so apparently oh it was
common it was common place what's the problem what's the problem with
marrying a six-year-old consummate the marriage at night what's wrong with that
normal absolutely disgusting isn't it and and by the way that is a massive
religion of people that know that they're not they're not going on no no
no it's wrong it's a lie he was like they're just going no it was normal
that's that's her that's their apologetics about it it's normal we'll
just attack the Bible and pretend that people in the Bible were actually get
absolutely no evidence for it whatsoever because Abishag was a young virgin
alright well she must have by the way they didn't call it he actually didn't
know her it says that in the Bible anyway but regardless you know we're
just so they're completely off anyway but it doesn't matter because when
people read that they don't really understand and read the Bible and of
course they're quoting all these false Bible versions which didn't prove
anything other I read through this ridiculous attempt anyway what about the
Talmud as well the Talmud is a wash with pedophilic laws and commands isn't it
absolutely what should it now here's a funny thing though it's a lot hard
notes so I used to look at this stuff years ago about the Talmud I was really
interested in the wickedness in it and it's really actually hard to get when
you research online now it's a lot more difficult a lot the results were a lot
more kind of censored to some degrees you get a lot of sponsored results come
up it takes a lot longer and it's a lot hard to get to the bottom of things as
well there's a lot of damage limitation but yeah this is something I found
interesting no wonder then that the Jerusalem Post yeah had this recent
piece yeah and I'll skim read a little bit but basically tens of thousands of
pedophiles operate in Israel every year leading to about a hundred thousand
victims annually bear minus a small place yeah according to an Israeli
pedophile monitoring Association this by the way was on the Jerusalem Post
okay so this isn't like some anti-israel you know site or anything else the
Matzoff Association organization actually keeps track of reports on
pedophiles of various media and centralize the data month these states
that in July like 22 case of pedophilia were reported in Israel are brought to
the attention of the media the vast majority gone reported right this is in
Israel tens of thousands of pedophiles operate on a daily basis without any
problem said a lie ran malkey head of the Matzoff Association they are not
deterred by the police are certainly not deterred by the contemptuous rulings
that come from the hands of judges in the various courts he added citing an
incident in which one particular pedophile was let off by the courts
without punishment despite evidence of thousands of pedophilic items found this
computer as a court stated it would harm his career the court does not count the
number of victims and shows disproportionately favorable treatment of
the perpetrators according to malkey what a surprise does it surprise you at
all all but pray for Israel pray for Israel they're being persecuted they're
a bunch of nonces that it's disgusting is it and it's not just obviously Islam
and Judaism but they're I mean they're big for it aren't they and they're known
for it and for rabbi I remember in the estate years ago and I was looking like
I said it I think it was quite clear that there were actually more more
rabbis had been arrested and convicted for those sorts of crimes than Catholic
priests okay it wasn't just per per population or per amount just more as a
total would you believe that if you if you if you read if you just read a
newspaper or listen to the news no you would just like I mean and rightly so
you're thinking Catholic nonces yeah because they are aren't they but but
look at this look at that like like Israel is like I said Israel it is just
full of it and do they do they not say is it Tel Aviv they say is now the
queer capital of the world yeah what a wicked wicked oh but we should all be
praying for their salvation you know poor old Israel it's all the racist all
those anti-semites what a wicked bunch but the Bible is clear isn't it the
Bible is clear because what does the Bible say the Bible says if she passed
flower age okay the Bible is clear that that that is outlawed that is wrong okay
that ain't right you know a person has to have gone past youth and then
differing differing ideas of what youth is some would say over 20 some might not
some would say of at least in this country you'd say mate 18 plus really
wouldn't you but I tell you what I said that's a lot different that dirty pervert
Muhammad because that's disgusting and like I said you've got billions billions
of people that follow this what what is going on how do you follow that and then
like I said they start they're making excuses for it don't they and anyway
verse 37 back to 1st Corinthians verse 37 nevertheless he that standeth
steadfast in his heart having no necessity but have power over his own
will and if so decree in his heart that he will keep his virgin doeth well so if
a man is able to resist and need to marry then it's a good thing if they
serve God if they serve God verse 38 so then he that giveth her in marriage
doeth well but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better okay so it's a I
think it's talking about giving to someone in marriage it might be talking
about someone giving away someone in marriage but it's a good thing to be
married yeah it's a good thing to be married but if if she's able to stay
unmarried and serve the Lord it's even better again it's the serving the Lord
yeah verse 39 the wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth but if
her husband be dead she is at liberty to be married to whom she will only in the
Lord okay so again divorce is completely unbiblical okay clearly there if her
husband dies then the Bible encourages remarriage under 60 years old though for
widows under 60 oh sorry up until 60 in general okay and it says here in 1st
Timothy 5 because it does encourage it because like I said this is it's still
rare what Paul's saying here he's given the opposite because the rest of Bible
is encouraging marriage but here he's just showing the other side here that
people that do have that gift but in 1st Timothy 5 verse 11 says but the younger
widows refused for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ they will
marry having damnation because they have cast off their first faith and with
all they learn to be idle wandering about from house to house and not only
idle but tattlers also and busybody speaking things which they ought not I
will therefore that the younger women marry bear children guide the house give
none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully for some already turned
after Satan okay so as a general rule it's encouraged that that people marry
it's courage here it's talking about the younger widows there to marry again
that's not just right marrying the first person that comes along and and it's it's
an important commitment to make isn't it because it's till death do us part okay
here in verse 39 of 1st Corinthians 7 it says only in the Lord and and as I
mentioned before this is talking about not marrying an unbeliever okay marrying
a believer marrying an unbeliever is not an option okay it shouldn't be an option
if you if you're having doubts about someone's salvation and then that you
know that you need to be thinking hard about that and like I said not because
we're just trying to find a reason or excuse me if you're looking at
someone as a potential husband or wife and you're wondering if they're safe
there's a problem there isn't there because as people in this church and
wanting to serve the Lord and Bible believe in Christians who want to you
know believe every word of God in this Bible we should be wanting someone else
to share our life with that is the same yeah okay clearly okay verse 40 but she
is happier if she so abide after my judgment and I think also that I have
the Spirit of God okay so he's talking about it being better if she's not
given in marriage but that's only if she's able yeah like we said although
it's not a direct commandment from the Lord it's his opinion written in the
spirit okay so those bits reset he's just saying this isn't a command this
isn't a strict command of God but he's giving you he's giving advice in the
Spirit of God it's still inspired advice okay on that let's pray
heavenly father thank you for your word thank you for your guidance your advice
thank you that thank you for the gift of marriage thank you that that we're
able to be married we're able to love and cherish our wives if our wives to
love us and help us and submit to us and thank you that we we have that and but
also thank you for those that have that gift of being single thank you for for
those just in a position where where they are single and they're able to
serve you and and help all of us help all of us to serve you to do things
right to find just find the right balance the right balance between our
lives our lives with each other as married married couples and and a life
for you and help single people to to get that right to want to serve you and have
that time use that extra time they have to serve you with all their hearts and
in Jesus name we pray amen