Paul went on to tell them that, if their unbelieving husband or unbelieving wife resented their new life in Christif they hated their faith so much that they did not want to stay with them any longerthen the believer should allow that unbelieving spouse to go. By: Pastor Jacob Gerber | Series: 1 Corinthians. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.1 Corinthians 7:17-19, ESV Never mind. Let him not become uncircumcised. But having said that in verses 12 and 13, the apostle does allow that, if the unbelieving partner deserts the believing partner and wants nothing more to do with the believer, then the believer is not bound forever to the relationship. And if we understand its broad cultural application, it offends all of us. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. (1 Corinthians 7:17-24) . John 7:1-13, 40-52 Study Guide: What's the Deal with Jesus? Let me give you an illustration of what this might look like. While on his third missionary journey, the apostle Paul wrote the letter of 1 Corinthians to a fractioned church in the city of Corinth in Ancient Greece around A.D. 54. Its not quite what Paul is dealing with, but we might as well address it since Paul comes close to the topic. We dont pray for an answer but for an illumination. Dont be anxious about your assignment in life. A brand new inner lifemade gloriously new in Christhas begun. Putting the two applications of Paul's principle together, the teaching seems to be this: Obeying the commands of God (v. 19) and enjoying his presence (v. 24) are so vastly more important than what your culture or your job is that you should feel no compulsion to change your position. Literally the verse says, "Let each one remain in the "calling" (not state) in which he was called." But Jesus came by one day and paid a call on Zacchaeus. Never mind. He is author of. 1 Corinthians 7:17-24: Christianity and Staves: E. Hurndall : 1 Corinthians 7:20-24: Pulpit Commentary Homiletics. But Paul was urging that this was not at all necessary for a believing Jewish person to do. It deals with the single lifestyle and what if offers compares to the marriage. We will pervert Paul's teaching and miss his intention if we take the sentence, "Let the uncircumcised not be circumcised" (verse 18), and make it an absolute prohibition of cultural adaptations. Let him not seek circumcision. Your Job as Ministry. We can paraphrase the verses to show the difference between the general call and the effective call: Paul says, "We call everyone to believe in Christ crucified, but many Jews find this call to be a stumbling block, and many Gentiles find this call to be foolishness, but those who are called (that is, powerfully and effectively drawn to Christ) find the gospel call to be the power and wisdom of God.". And the reason the person who is free can say, "Never mind," is similar: "He who was free when called is a slave of Christ." He didnt have to be circumcised, and become a devoted follower of the Jewish religious traditions. Likewise he who is called while free is Christs slave. Likewise, Paul also said, Was anyone called while uncircumcised? And Paul's answer is: You don't need to abandon your vocation if you can stay in it with God. That has to do with our outward mode of lifethe place of life in this world that God has granted to us. It is so important, in fact, that Paul repeats it three times in this short passage. This, then, is a very important principle for new creations in Christ. And note one more thing. This is my rule in all the churches. Gods joy gives us perseverance in the midst of sorrow. Paul says you dont have to worry about different groups of people, the horizontal assignments you have. Circumcision was an old covenant symbol and the purpose of the picture was to point to a person, the person of Jesus Christ and out of the Jewish circumcised people came the Lord Jesus Christ. "Were you a slave when called? God looked upon us when we were dead in our sins and trespasses, when we were nonresponsive to God. The question at Corinth was: When we come to Christ, what should we abandon? He told them; If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. Zacchaeus became a new creation by faith in Jesus. Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Prepare your messages on God's Word in 1 Corinthians with sermon outlines or an . 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal . An opportunity we are going to see is a lawful and properly available path where we might change our circumstances. Sometimes we think of calling in the sense of vocation, but the word calling as Paul uses it has to do with Gods effectual calling. We pray. Between the bottom two pieces are verses 2123 where the principle is applied to slavery and freedom. Any date. Were not automatically required to quit our jobs, or quit our course of study at school, or abandon our vocations. He used circumcision and slavery as illustrations to describe God's sovereignty over the social and religious barriers of his day. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Faith in Christ as Lord and Savior will never destroy the covenant of marriage which God ordained at creation. The call of God which puts us into believing, loving fellowship with Jesus is a powerful, effective call that draws us to the Son (John 6:44, 65). The most important thing is your faith and obedience and keeping the commandments of God. There was a monk whose name was Brother Lawrence who wrote a booked called, Practicing the Presence of God. The Holy Spirit takes the objective, inspired word of God and he illuminates that to my specific details of my life. Preach on topics including unity among believers, immorality, spiritual gifts, the meaning of love, and the certainty of the resurrection. In verse 18, he wrote Was anyone called while circumcised? Here begins our text in 1 Corinthians 7:17. The Bible tells us that there are two elements of this. We need to think long and hard about whether what we communicate to our children about success is biblical or just American. Effectual calling is the work of Gods almighty power and grace, whereby (out of his free and special love to his elect, and from nothing in them moving him thereunto) he doth, in his accepted time, invite and draw them to Jesus Christ, by his word and Spirit; savingly enlightening their minds, renewing and powerfully determining their wills, so as they (although in themselves dead in sin) are hereby made willing and able freely to answer his call, and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein. Then verse 20, "Everyone should remain in the state in which he was called." Even in there God made a way that he powerfully calls us out of ourselves and open our eyes to see Jesus and how good and glorious and radiant he is. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lords freedman. If we are always trying to discern if we are getting what we need, we will never be content. There is provision for freeing slaves in the Old Testament, and we are familiar with a tax collector who became a preacher and fishermen who became missionaries. This doctrine of effectual calling changes what we expect out of life. With God! But before we can understand either of these applications, we need to clarify a key word in the principle itself. Later text clarifies that Paul is not denouncing marriage or forbidding it in any sense. As Paul writes in verse 17, And so I ordain in all the churches. This is a foundational principle for every believer in Christ, in every Christian church, in any culture, in any nation of the world, at any time in history. As a declaration it would be: How you fulfill the demands of your vocation is an essential part of Christian discipleship. It was to be a follower of the traditions of the Jewish people. They are different from circumstance to circumstance and person to person. The Bible is an objective word; and it speaks objectively to some situations.There are other situations that are subjective. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. Their sins are completely forgivencast into the sea of Gods pardoning grace. Thats the most important thing. It doesnt give you a point system; its not one of those teen magazines where you can fill out the quiz and get a point score answer to find out who your perfect mate is. You should not be driven from one by fear or despair, nor allured to the other by wealth or pride. We dont need to be so concerned with what we are getting out of life. Paul has already used this word a few times and its good to look back and see them. Its taking the objective teaching of scriptures and applying it to the specifics of our lives. Text: Acts 20:17-38 Sermon Series: On Mission. Do not be concerned about it. All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Luke 1:26-45 Study Guide: What did Mary Know? 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Its not that we have a different Bible and the infallible word of God is just open to interpretation. We talk about language where we say that God is leading me here or some people say that they have a word from the Lord. These questions plague us.This passage doesnt establish our circumstances as unalterable. Even though he or she may claim to be a Christian, but does he or she really love Jesus? Let him not be circumcised. Therefore, when Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:17, 20, and 24 that we should remain and live with God in the state in which we were called, he means: Remain in the state you were in when you were converted, when you were drawn by God into believing, loving fellowship with his Son. Playing To Win - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. A believing husband should not divorce his unbelieving wife, and a believing wife should not divorce her unbelieving husband. If we are faithful in the place where He has called us, then He is better able to lead us to another place of calling if He so chooses. (2) If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast aboutbut not before God. So, he says in verse eighteen, Part 1: Is He the Christ? 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. We are to go to the same job or the same schoolbut were to now do it all as before God, and as His servants, and with trust in Him, and as unto His glory. If so, the application is clear, respond. There were some Jewish Christians who insisted on that, however. Bible > 1 Corinthians > Chapter 7 > Verse 17 Library Free Downloads eBibles 1 Corinthians 7:17 Apollos then went to Achaia (of which Corinth was the capitol) where he gave a powerful witness to the messiahship of Jesus (Acts 18:24-28). If everything on the inside is new, should we then completely get rid of every aspect of the outside life and start over? Devote yourself to that with all your heart, and take whatever job you want. That would have been a true statement. Its a good question. Now, Paul is then drawing the application of this point to probably one of the most difficult circumstances to find yourself in, that of a bondservant, a slave. Picking Your Fights - 1 Corinthians 9:1-23. So, the first thing that Paul talks about are these honorable assignments between different people groups. Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. Those that He has called to Himself by faith in Jesus were chosen by Him for that relationship long before they were ever born.