Is It Good To Not Touch A Woman? (1 Corinthians 7:1-17) Series

Let's start today, by simply reading 1 Corinthians 7:1:

(1) Now, concerning the things which you wrote, "[it is] good for a man, a woman/wife not to touch." [a woman/wife is focused in Greek].

This sentence is almost certainly a Corinthian slogan that Paul is quoting. Paul not only specifically says, "concerning the things which you wrote," but more importantly, he doesn't actually believe this sentence. He writes this, in order to correct it and qualify it. And he will correct and qualify this slogan for the entire length of the chapter.

Now, how we read chapter 7 as a whole depends, in large part, in how we understand this slogan. What exactly is it that the Corinthians believe? What exactly is the problem?

Let's start with the last part of the slogan: "Not to touch." This is a euphemism to describe sex. And a number of English Bibles just go ahead and translate it this way, to help you.

Where the slogan starts to get a little muddy, is with the Greek word I've translated "woman/wife." In Greek, ???? can refer to either a woman or a wife. It's ambiguous, by itself.

English Bibles all have to make a decision when they come to this word. I guess it would be cheating to use a slash mark. And so they all choose the broader translation, "woman." But I think it helps us, off the bat, to understand that this slogan is ambiguous.

So what's happening in Corinth? What does this slogan mean? What I think, is that some Corinthian Christians have decided that "touching" people is always a bad thing. Possibly, they think they've reached the point spiritually, where they think they are mostly above normal, daily, physical concerns. They view "touching" as something beneath them-- as something they used to need/desire. But now, through the Holy Spirit, they have become Spiritual people, focused on Spiritual things (maybe Galatians 5:16).

The Corinthians, in believing this, are worlds apart from the average Christian. We find ourselves hearing this, and not really understanding it. So let me try to put you in their shoes:

In most churches, many of the people attending don't really seem to understand what it means that Jesus is Lord. They don't wake up each day, committing themselves to God. They don't live self-sacrificially, understanding that they have died to themselves. And they will tell you this, up front. They don't hide this. They'll tell you they aren't the best Christians.

But in every church, there are people who almost seem to glow. You talk with them, and you can tell they hunger and thirst for God and his righteousness. They are filled with joy; they genuinely love God and people. It's God's name, and his kingdom, and his will that are important to them. And what these people have done is build their entire lives around Jesus, stripping off everything that entangles them.

I think the Corinthians Paul is quoting in 1 Corinthians 7:1 are these type of Christians. But the problem these Christians have, is that they've gone a step further.

Imagine that you are this type of Christian, and you are married with kids. You get up in the morning, and you long to serve God wholeheartedly. But your kids are hungry. Your husband wants a lunch packed. The house is a mess. And you have dirty laundry to wash in every room of the house.

And you look at your life, and tell yourself, "I could do so much more if I was single. I'd have so much more time. I could serve God so much more effectively." Especially, if your husband isn't a Christian. You feel like he's ruining your life. Christianity is a constant battle. Every dollar you give to the church; every hour that you serve, is a sore spot between you and your husband. And to top it off, if you were a Corinthian wife, in Roman culture, you are dishonoring your husband by not serving his gods. You'd bring shame to him. The bottom line is that your marriage is really hard. You just want out, so you can serve Jesus.

Or, maybe you're the guy. You think to yourself, I wish I was single. I have to work so many hours to provide for my family. But if I was like Paul, I could make just enough tents to survive. I could work 20-30 hours a week, and spend the rest of my time evangelizing or teaching or serving in some other way. You eyeball your wife, and you think, "She is keeping me from really serving God."

For others, who aren't married, they are trying to make a difficult choice. Is it better to stay single, and not "touch" a woman? Or is it better to get married? What they want, above all else, is to serve God. And they look at married people serving, and single people serving, and they think, "people like Paul can do far more for God, than married people."