Summary: In most contexts, it is hard to imagine what it would be like for a church
community made up of entirely new believers. But in Corinth, that was the case.
So understandably, there were still very practical issues to understand from a
Christian perspective.
In chapter 7 Paul gives pastoral guidance about how to navigate marriage, singleness,
remarriage in the case of the death of a spouse, and matters of choice of all these in
light of the return of Christ.
● Marriage is good, but so is singleness.
● Divorce is inappropriate, even when one of the members of the marriage is not
yet a Christian.
● The single or widowed person should try to remain single to live a life dedicated
to God.
Whatever choice someone makes about marriage and singleness, they should do so
with a view toward eternity.
Questions for Reflection/Discussion:
-How does 1 Corinthians 7 differ from ways people in your cultural context envision
marriage and singleness?
-If you are single, do you think you could remain single in order to be totally focused
on service to God?
-How does the content of this chapter shape your understanding of divorce?
