THE KING’S BUSINESS
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of the Christian, no matter in how humble a sphere that life may be expected to show itself. All legitimate labor is honorable in the sight of God, and the Christian slave is Christ’s free man. The gospel is not intended to disturb the natural and normal relations of life (vii. 24; Ephesians vi. ,5-9). 3. A dvice C on cern in g V irgins an d W idow s (vii. 2 5 -4 0 ). What the apostle means by the statement of verse twenty-five—“Now concerning vir gins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath : obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful” —is that he does not know of any specific direction given by Christ regarding the mat ter with which he is now dealing. His words, being qualified as they are by the expression of verse twenty-six—“Because of the present distress”—show that what he had to say was but a temporary necessity and not an absolute rule (vii, 27). This is further corroborated by verse twenty-eight, which shows that Paul is dealing with the question from a certain standpoint, namely, saving “trouble in the flesh” (cf. Luke xxi. 23). It was better then, at that time,- for a young woman to remain unmarried because of the existing distressing circumstances (cf. vii. 29-35; yet compare Paul’s exhor tation in 1 Timothy iv. 3; v. 14 and Titus ii. 4). We repeat, however, that the disad vantages of celibacy may be greater than the disadvantages of marriage (vii. 33), and that many servants of God have found their cares lightened by marriage and found themselves able to do better work for God when married. It was the peculiar stress of the then present time that led Paul to speak as he did. Consequently this is not of universal application. It is not referred to again in any of Paul’s epistles.' Paul’s expression in the fortieth verse is best understood when we remember that he is contrasting himeslf with some other teachers who claimed to have the Spirit of God. Therefore he says, “I think that I also have the Spirit of God.” The word “think” does not imply doubt, but absolute certainty.
must be governed accordingly. This prob lem would be more acute in heathen lands, where a wife or husband is converted from heathenism and his or her partner remains still in heathen unbelief, than in a civilized country such as ours, where such a con trast in religious belief and superstition can hardly be said to exist. The advent of Christianity into the heart of the heathen Corinthian man or woman had wrought such a revolution in thought, feeling, and action that whatever was contrary to that change was immediately cast off. Doubt less some of the Corinthians were applying this principle to the marriage estate, which, of course, could not thus easily be set aside. No unholy marriage alliance should be entered into; but if it has been entered into, it should not be dissolved. 2. E ach S hould A bide in H is o r H er Ow n C alling (vii. 1 8 -2 4 ). The thought of the preceding section, dealing as it does with contentment in one’s estate, leads naturally to fuller discussion of the subject (vii. 18:24). Some of the Corinthian believers doubtless felt that since the advent of Christianity into their lives, revolutionizing as it had done their entire view and aspect of things, there ought, therefore, to be a change in matters social, domestic, and economic as well as jn matters pertaining to the spiritual realm. The apostle gives instructions regarding this matter in these verses. The slave, for example, must remain a slave until properly and legitimately freed. The same principle is then applied to the various relationships of life. Of course, if freedom could right fully be gained, so much the better. What the apostle insists on is that unless the cir cumstances in which one finds himself when Christianity enters into his life be sinful, he must not force or seek by undue or unchristian means to separate himself from such circumstances. We are to glorify God in whatever state of life conversion may find us until in His providence a change is brought about. No restless spirit of discontent must characterize the life
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