Maintaining God’s Intent For Marriage(& Singleness)-9

MAINTAINING GOD’s INTENT For MARRIAGE(& Singleness)-?IX—1Corinthians 7:10-17(7:1-17)

(Making Marriage(& singleness) Worthy of its Creator)

Attention:

My wife & I are ‘empty-nesters.’ Our children are all grown & out of the house(small but respectful ‘hallelujah’ with fingers crossed!). We are not consumed with the joys & frustrations of absolute directive authority over the children living in our home. We now have a secondary & distanced directive role.

So now, my wife & I are using this ‘grand opportunity’ to live with & love one another again without interruption. Our ‘co-workers in raising kids’ relationship has changed & come full circle.

We have personal couple-goals that are now more loosely-tethered to the children. The work of raising children underfoot has shifted into the realm of parental consultation—repudiating &/or confirming their lifestyles & choices per the request of our children(along with a little of our own chosen interventions!).

If we are careful to nurture God’s Intent in our marriages, then they will NOT end up ruined as do many marriages!

Paul answered the inquiries & clarified the concerns of the Corinthian Christians regarding marriage & singleness.

Christians maintain God’s intent/design for marriage & singleness.

But How do/can they do that?’

We've found previously that:

Maintaining God’s intent for marriage(& singleness) demands a concentration upon...

1. His DIRECTIVES(:1)

2. His LIMITATION(:2)

3. His AFFECTION(:3)

4. His AUTHORITY(:4)

5. His COMMITMENT/Attention(:5-6)

6. His GIFTEDNESS(:7)

7. His GOODNESS(:8)

8. WHAT GOD CONSIDERS ‘BETTER’(:9)

9—Maintaining God’s intent for marriage(& singleness) demands a concentration upon...

His DESIGN(:10-11)

Explanation:(:10-11)

:10—“Now to the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband.”

“Now to the married...”

In the previous verses—:1-9—Paul’s focus was upon those who might ‘consider’ marriage—the unmarried & widows. Paul described the depth of mutual spousal commitment among God’s people. The Holy Spirit thru Paul briefly describes how that spousal commitment plays into practical matters of commitment to our Lord & flows from that relationship.

Paul also reveals the God-driven virtue of sexual self-control, & how marriage is the God-ordained means of tempering/managing that.

What follows :10-11 in verses :12-16, are directives for those who are married to unbelievers.

The verb form here—Perfect Active Participle—shows us that once we marry, then we are to remain married.—RWP

Here in verses :10-11, Paul—“Now”(actually “but”)—enters into a discussion that is pertinent to Christians who are “married” to Christians., i.e., :10-12 concerns marriage between believers.—MTNAC

“Now/And/But”(See :9—“but”, :2—“nevertheless”; :3, 4—“and”)—de—Conjunction—1) But, moreover, and, etc.. Strong—a primary particle(adversative or continuative); But, and, etc..

“Married”(See :9, 28, 33, 34, 36)—gamew—Perfect Active Participle Dative Plural Masc.—1) To lead in marriage, take to wife—1a) To get married, to marry, 1b) To give one's self in marriage; 2) To give a daughter in marriage. Strong—To wed(of either sex). Used 29X.?From—gamov—Nuptials[i.e., relating to marriage or weddings].

“I command, yet not I, but the Lord:...”

What Paul will say next is NOT something that originates with him alone. He is NOT interpreting or expanding on a QUESTIONABLE subject. The direction that follows is something which our Lord Jesus spoke to directly(cf.-Mat. 5:31-32; Mat. 19:3-12; Mk. 10:2-12).

Paul has an ULTIMATE PURPOSE in re-stating the Lord’s command. Paul’s purpose is to secure, for the Lord, any marital activity within the Corinthian church.

•So with the following statements, Paul also seeks to put a stop to any marital activity that would undermine God’s intent for marriage.

So before discussing the boundaries that surround ‘marriage to an unbeliever’(:12-17), Paul reminds the Corinthian church of “the Lord’s” desire regarding ‘divorce.’

“I Command/Give Instructions/Charge”—paraggellw—Present Active Indicative 1st Sing.—1) To transmit a message along from one to another, to declare, announce; 2) To command, order, charge. Strong—To charge, is used especially of the order of a military commander to his troops. Strong—To transmit a message, i.e. by implication--To enjoin.?From—para—1) From, of at, by, besides, near. Strong—a primary preposition; properly--Near; i.e. From beside(literally or figuratively),or--At(or in) the vicinity of(objectively or subjectively), or--To the proximity with(local especially)--Beyond or opposed to, or causal--On account of.—&—aggelov—1) A messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God. Strong—A messenger; especially--An "angel"; by implication--A pastor.

“Not”(See :9; :1, 4, 5—mh(See below))—ou, ouk, OR--ouc—Particle—1) No, not; in direct questions expecting an affirmative answer. Strong—a primary word; the absolute negative [compare mh] adverb; No or not.

“I”(See :12)—egw—Pronoun—1) I, me, my. Strong—a primary pronoun of the first person I(only expressed when emphatic).

“But”(See :4, 7; :11, 14—de)—alla—Conjunction—1) But—1a) Nevertheless, notwithstanding, 1b) An objection, 1c) An exception, 1d) A restriction, 1e) Nay, rather, yea, moreover, 1f) Forms a transition to the cardinal matter. Strong—neuter plural of allov[else, i.e. different]; properly--Other things, i.e. adverbially--Contrariwise(in many relations). RWP—Perhaps, "nevertheless," in spite of the difference just noted.

“Lord”(See :12, 22, 25)—kuriov—Noun Masc.—1) He to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. Kuriov has a wider meaning[than despothv], applicable to the various ranks & relations of life & not suggestive of either property or of absolutism. Strong—from kurov(supremacy); Supreme in authority, i.e. as noun--Controller; by implication--Mr.(as a respectful title).