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1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 7 KJV WEB See previous page 1Cor 7,1-40 (100j) Thy kingdom come >> Devotion >> In your ministry to God >> Fulfill God’s calling in your life – This chapter speaks of man’s sinful nature, and verse one seems to summarize the entire epistle of First Corinthians, "Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman." This chapter was the cause of Paul writing to the Corinthian Church in response to their concerns, which they previously wrote to Paul. The crescendo happens in verse 35, "And this I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly, and to secure undistracted devotion to the lord." Compare this to the teaching we hear in the pulpits across America, and look for resemblance. They have little in common. Why is that? Paul was writing at a time when the Church was enjoying revival, a great upsurge of passion and attendance in the congregation; but when there is no revival and none in sight, people might as well marry, because there is no ministry in the Church worthy of dedicating our lives to it. See also: Commending the single person; 1Cor 7-1; 189c 1Cor 7,1-6 (8n) Responsibility >> Prevent sin from coming between you and God – It is apparent by these verses that God’s motive for marriage should be to avoid living in fornication. Nowhere in the Bible does it advocate getting married as a better way of life than remaining single. Instead, Paul suggested remaining single to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. According to Paul, marriage is an institution designed for those who have low self-control. If we can't live faithfully for Christ as a single person without committing fornication, then by all means get married; yet, the benefits of remaining single far outweigh the costs, though its not for everyone. The purpose of marriage in Christianity is to provide an avenue for sexual expression to avoid sinning against the body. 1Cor 7-1,2 (3g) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Remaining single is better than divorce – These verses go with verse 8. This chapter was the reason Paul wrote the book of First Corinthians saying, “Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman.” Paul wrote the first six chapters before he got to his main point. This whole chapter is about the subject of marriage, whether we should marry at all, and Paul’s answer was that it would be better if we didn’t. He continues in verse 2, though, saying, “But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.” It sounds contradictory, but Paul was trying to strike a balance between the ideal and cold reality; he would like to see God’s people remain single, though he worried about immorality. Their faith would benefit if they remained single, but fornication would become a greater concern, running the saints into spiritual problems, and in that case it would be better for them to marry. In other words, it would be better to have all the difficulties of marriage than to live in sin. This emphasizes the seriousness of sin; it can lead a person to lose his faith. Paul was saying that because of immorality everyone should get married, but when we do, we are to act as though we were not married. Paul wanted us to be more attached to Jesus than to our spouses. His ideal marriage is a couple who serves the saints, and when passions flare, they come together and then resume their service toward the Church. Paul did not want us transferring our zeal for Christ to our spouses and family, for these things are temporal concerns and Paul wanted us to focus on that which is eternal. Life without sex is too difficult for some people; therefore, they should get married, but within the bond of marriage, they should learn to serve in the area of hospitality and helping the saints in any array of problems they might have, and not just please themselves. (108a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Balance between truth and error >> Wisdom brings balance between truth and error -- These verses go with verse 5 (135b) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Immorality >> Fornication -- These verses go with verse 9 (199b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Frustrating the grace of God >> Frustrating Jesus >> Frustrating the Father -- These verses go with verses 7-9 1Cor 7-1 (22f) Sin >> Lust (craving pleasure) >> Fleshly desire -- This verse goes with verses 5-9 (76l) Thy kingdom come >> Desires of your heart >> Desires of your fleshly appetite -- This verse goes with verses 5-7 (103h) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> Cleanse yourself -- This verse goes with verses 32-35 (120l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Contentment >> Content with your way of life >> Content with remaining single -- This verse goes with verses 7-13 (134f) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Composition of our bodies is from the earth >> Worship unlocks the spirit realm -- This verse goes with verse 34 (137h) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Maturity >> Maturing in Jesus is hard work >> Maturity comes through discipline -- This verse goes with verses 7&8 (189c) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Holy sacrifice >> Acceptable sacrifice -- This verse goes with verses 29-35. Go to almost any church and you will see that everyone who is anyone is married with children. The man in ministry probably has a good job and has children who are well behaved. These are the criteria for choosing ministers in the Church for both pastors and laymen. Based on Paul's teaching to Timothy and Titus, when he said that deacons must be married to one wife (1Tim 3-12), he did not mean they should be married; he meant they should not be married to more than one wife, thus condemning polygamy. However, in the Church today if they have been divorced, it is a mark against them, and if they have never been married, it is a bigger mark against them. If their children are unruly, that too marks against them. So, what people look for in a minister is someone who is married to one wife, having never been divorced (either one of them preferably) and have children who are well behaved. Foremost of all, they should have good jobs, make lots of money, live in nice houses and pay big tithes. In other words the Church has embraced a misinterpretation of 1st Timothy chapter 3, and have completely ignored 1st Corinthians chapter 7. The result is false doctrine. Therefore, if you are not married and devoting your life to Christ as you should (instead of to a career) and want to minister in some fashion, you will be for the most part labeled a failure and rejected. These are the unspoken criteria in the Church, and it has virtually no basis in Scripture. However, if your forte is digging toilet paper from clogged toilets, they will pat you on the back and tell you to perform your ministry heartily as unto the Lord, because they certainly don't want the job. Sad but true, it is hard to find anyone who is willing to give single people a ministry that involves teaching the word of God. Single people are stigmatized, causing the married culture to believe there is something intrinsically wrong with them. As the stigma goes, they must not be able to attract a mate because of some deep personality flaws, and all the important, gifted and talented people get married and have families and are allowed to minister in the Church. In other words, being successful in the world is a sign of being successful in the Church, yet the question of their salvation has not even been addressed, but they are married with children and meet the criteria for ministry. Those who love God are abandoned, while those who scarcely know God if at all are given ministries controlling the doctrines that people believe. This is a very egregious inequality in the Church today. The worst of it is that single people have the most to offer, since they have the most time and energy to devote to their faith in the word of God and prayer. So the Church shuts out those who potentially can offer the most. See also: Commending the single person; 1Cor 7,3-24, 3c KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7-2 (3d) Responsibility >> To the family >> Marriage >> Advocating marriage 1Cor 7,3-24 (3c) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Instruction about marriage – 'It is better to remain single,' was Paul’s advice. Single people are the unsung heroes of the Church; those most deserving of credit are least recognized, no different from the world. Is the list of criteria really scriptural the Church uses to determine who ministers, based on marital status? Paul spoke to Timothy in chapter three, saying deacons should be husbands of only one wife. Did Paul really say that deacons must be married? No, he must not be a polygamist! That is very different from the requirement of marriage. Paul who wrote this instruction was not married and he was head of the Church. Jesus was not married and He was Savior of the whole world! Many great men of God, especially those in the early church who helped write the Bible, were not married. This suggests there is an epidemic of married unrighteous stewards taking advantage of God’s people and no one seems to notice. The Church has let down its guard because it appears that the preacher loves his wife and children, but when is the question of his faith addressed? Whether a Christian should be married is what prompted Paul to write 1st Corinthians, so we could say it is the most important subject of this epistle. It is good for a man not to touch a woman, he said, and God concurs with Paul’s opinion in Rev 14-4, in regard to the 144,000 Jewish witnesses, none of whom are married, and these will lead the gentile Church to victory over the Beast in the last days. So, we could almost say that the Church has it backwards; single people should be in charge of the Church, and let the married people take instruction from them. That sounds like the celibacy of Catholic priests. It was a good idea, but to mandate the overseer in the Catholic Church remain celibate is no better than mandating marriage for the overseer in the Protestant Church. Had the priests used their extra time and energy to devote themselves to the word of God and prayer instead of sexually molesting children, they could have become the greatest ministers in the Church. See also: Commending the single person; 1Cor 7,7-9; 199b 1Cor 7,3-5 (4i) Responsibility >> The choices you make >> Accountable for your sinful nature (134d) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Composition of our bodies is from the earth >> We are physically subject to this natural realm – Paul said that husbands should love their wives as their own bodies, clearly speaking on physical terms. We talk about soul mates, husbands and wives melding together in personality and character, but the Bible says that the two shall become on flesh (Mat 19-5,6). It is actually their bodies that meld together, indicating that sex is an important part of marriage. Referring to the consummation of the marriage that happened on their wedding night, some wives think the only reason they should physically be joined to their husbands is for procreation purposes, but the Bible says we cannot develop a bona fide marriage relationship that way. A platonic marriage is no marriage at all; it’s a friendship perhaps for roommates, but anybody who has this arrangement in mind for her/his significant other should not get married. Some women think sex is disgusting, and (without advocating prostitution) some men think having sex with prostitutes is better than their marriage in that the prostitute may not like having sex with him any better than his wife, but at least the prostitute puts-out or the business venture closes. This is what the wife doesn’t understand who clams-up: if her marriage doesn’t end in divorce, it is still doomed from the standpoint of the two becoming spiritually and emotionally disconnected. The prostitute in this case acts more like a wife than the wife, for Paul said in 1Cor 7,3-5, “The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband… Stop depriving one another….” 1Cor 7-3,4 (73h) Authority >> Respect authority in the family >> Respect the institution of marriage – Women have about as many affairs as men, though for different reasons; women have affairs because their husbands quit loving them and they are looking for romance; the woman wants the person with whom she is having sex to love her, whereas men have affairs either because the wife no longer puts-out or because he has sexually lost interest in her. A man’s sexual interests are just as complicated as a woman’s. Men say that women are complicated, but women have no way of understanding men. They say the only thing that matters to them is sex; then they get married and lose interest in their wives; that doesn’t make sense. When a man looses interest in his wife, it is like having sex with a blow-up doll. A man wants to have sex with a woman whom he finds sexually provocative; in other words, it is the novelty of it that he enjoys, which is destined to fail. Putting it that way we say that nature has instilled in the man a desire to spread his seed to as many women as possible, for the survival of the species. Meanwhile, the woman has nesting instincts and wants to settle down and have a family, but she wants to do it with a man who loves her, cherishes her, values her, and if her husband doesn’t, then she wants another man who does. What about the children? This is the part about the woman that doesn’t make sense. She has nesting instincts, though she puts her interests in romance above her own children and the home, willing to sacrifice it all for romance. This goes against her instincts and makes her just as illogical as the man. 1Cor 7-4 (72d) Authority >> Transferring authority >> Men delegate authority in their position (135e) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Abortion >> Consequences of abortion >> The woman has no authority over the fetus because she cannot control what she conceives – Paul explains what he means in the next verse, “Don’t deprive one another, unless it is by consent for a season.” We know that the process of conception happens through sex. In the same way, the woman “doesn’t have authority over her own body,” but the man decides when they should have sex, and the man doesn’t have authority over his own body, but the woman decides when they should have sex, so it is consensual. They both must agree to do this, knowing that it could produce a child, and if it does, the woman again relinquishes control over her body. She doesn’t have authority to abort her fetus, because she cannot control what or when she conceives. That is, when she is joined to her husband, something happens inside her body that she doesn’t control. The only say-so she has is whether she has sex or not, and that decision is not solely hers but also her husband’s, so her minimal control is cut in half again. There are precautions she can take, but none of them are foolproof. Once she conceives, all her abilities to change the outcome vanish, for God has given her no authority beyond that point. She can’t decide whether the child will be male or female, and she can’t decide if it will be a healthy baby or deformed. A woman who aborts her child has a barbaric manner of controlling the conception process; she aborts her child against God’s authority, who has established this process to continue the life cycle of the human species. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,5-9 (22f) Sin >> Lust (craving pleasure) >> Fleshly desire -- These verses go with verse 1. People in our own generation would like to think they have discounted the fact that sex outside of marriage is sin. A common occurrence is that people shack-up with a partner for years, and then one day decide to get married and the marriage last only a couple months and they split up. The relationship doesn't last under the bonds of marriage, because they removed the attribute of rebellion, and they immediately loose interest in each other. 1Cor 7,5-7 (76l) Thy kingdom come >> Desires of your heart >> Desires of your fleshly appetite -- These verses go with verse 1. Paul had been straightening out the Church for the past few chapters, addressing immorality among other things; he had to instruct married people to have sex. What? Sanctioned sex is not seductive enough for some people, because it is not rooted in rebellion. The kind of sex some of these Corinthians enjoyed was unlawful and immoral. So sex was not really about sex to them; it was about sin. They wanted unlawful sex for the very reason that it was unlawful, similar to the one fruit tree in the Garden of Eden from which God told Adam and Eve not to eat; they wanted what they couldn’t have. Paul had to tell married people to have sex, but to take a break occasionally for a period of fasting and prayer while they devoted themselves to the word of God and prayer, and then come together again, lest Satan tempt them to commit adultery from of their lack of self-control. We would think that if they were meeting each other’s sexual needs, they would not be as tempted to be unfaithful, but that is not how it works. The sinful nature is tempted by the rebellion of adultery and fornication more than by the sex itself. 1Cor 7-5 (7k) Responsibility >> Use time wisely >> Get ready >> Make time to pray – Christian married couples should live together with Christ by faith, not depriving each other of sex, but to have that time together. They should also regularly separate by agreement for the purpose of prayer. Instead of having sex, the two should turn that time into a Bible study and prayer meeting. This way both their prayers and their sexual union will be enhanced, one by the other. Come together for sex; come together for prayer, alternating one for the other, so that sex continues to be a special moment, instead of it growing monotonous. Psychologically, when prayer replaces intimacy, they will naturally associate it with their sex life, so that the lines between prayer and sex is blurred. This is the secret to a happy marriage, for the relationship with God and man is also with respect to marriage (Rev 19-7). It requires both husband and wife be saved and faithful in their relationships both to God and each other to be fulfilling. This becomes a ministry in that the things God teaches one is meant for both, which they in turn share with others to help them grow in the faith. God’s influence on each person is in this way multiplied throughout the Church. God deals with each person differently, even dealing with women differently than men, yet the things that God reveals to each person has direct application to the body as a whole. (82e) Thy kingdom come >> Three elements of prayer >> Our approach >> Be devoted to prayer (100k) Thy kingdom come >> Devotion >> In your ministry to God >> Devoted to prayer (108a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Balance between truth and error >> Wisdom brings balance between truth and error -- This verse goes with verses 8&9 (160i) Works of the devil >> Overcoming temptation >> Prayer overcomes temptation (187d) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Die to the flesh >> Dying to receive the glory of God >> Die to self through prayer KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,7-13 (120l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Contentment >> Content with your way of life >> Content with remaining single -- These verses go with verses18-35. Paul said, “I wish that all men were even as I myself am.” His wish was that the saints would remain unmarried in order to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. The single person is free to commit every available hour to serving the Lord, whereas the married person is obligated to his wife and children, who demand large segments of their time that must be taken from the potential service they could have rendered to the Lord. Paul would rather that Christianity consisted largely of single people, but when we go to church, we see the opposite; most people in church are married with only a handful of single people lightly sprinkled in the assembly. So the Church is virtually the opposite of Paul’s wish on this point. Paul said it is not bad to be married. The fact that most people in Church are married can be a positive thing, but Paul was saying that it would actually be better if they remained single, so they could spend more time in the word of God and prayer and in service to others instead of allocating their time and energy to their personal interests. There is really nothing wrong with being married either as a pastor or as a member of the Church, but the fact that the Church is virtually the opposite of Paul’s wishes is a telltale sign that things are amiss. 1Cor 7,7-9 (199b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Frustrating the grace of God >> Frustrating Jesus >> Frustrating the Father -- These verses go with verse 28. God would rather His people remained single, since there will be no marriage in heaven, and we are called to reflect the Kingdom of Heaven in this world, according to Mat 6-10, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven." However, we have needs in this life, and for this reason the physical aspect of marriage is the only reason two Christian people should get married. As Christians if we can live without sex we should remain single, according to 1Cor 7-1,35, “It is good for a man not to touch a woman,” because it secures undistracted devotion to the Lord, whereas a married person’s time is divided between his worldly interests and his godly interests. See also: Commending the single person; 1Cor 7,26-35; 69a 1Cor 7-7,8 (11n) Servant >> Paul’s example of devotion (137h) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Maturity >> Maturing in Jesus is hard work >> Maturity comes through discipline -- These verses go with verses 26-35 (247d) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> Concern >> Caring about the body of Christ -- These verses go with verses 24-40. Married people have monopolized the Church to such a degree that it generally makes single people feel queer among the sea of wedlock in the house of God. There are obviously some single members who feel they have a place in the body of Christ who are useful to others, but that is the exception to the rule. The norm is that church society accentuates the feeling of incompatibility in single people. Most large churches have a singles group, who don’t mix with married people, for the married are considered the real society, while singles are seen as just another problem in the church. When it comes to ministry, selecting a single person is foreign to the thinking of those in charge. Instead, they make the marriage attribute a priority in candidates, thus eliminating any opportunity for single people to have a viable ministry in the body of Christ, which is a travesty. 1Cor 7-8,9 (108a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Balance between truth and error >> Wisdom brings balance between truth and error -- These verses go with verses 15-28 1Cor 7-8 (2e) Responsibility >> Keep your commitments >> it is better not to vow at all (3g) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Remaining single is better than divorce -- This verse goes with verses 24-40. Try to imagine a church led by single people; when a married couple with their children joined the Church, they are made to feel comfortable; now they know how single people feel. Imagine when leadership is looking for a lay minister they prioritize the single person, the married community would have a fit about that. Imagine the difference this would make in the Church compared to Church-management today. People would think it would turn into an orgy, taking on the attributes of a single’s bar, picking up partners and going home with each other. That probably does happen in some single’s groups, especially when there is unbelief, disobedience and unfaithfulness among married people. Nonetheless, single people can devote more time and energy into the ministry and have greater effectiveness to reach their communities with the gospel, which was Paul's point. 1Cor 7-9 (135b) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Sins of the body >> Immorality >> Fornication -- This verse goes with verses 1&2 (190c) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Masochism (Self-made martyr) >> Passing through the fire – Single people are in a position where they must allow God to replace the fulfillment of their sexual needs with the fulfillment of their spiritual needs; hence, they are very capable of ministry. As you know, physical desires and spiritual desires do not overlap, so the single person’s needs are not met; they are merely distracted by an interest to please God. It takes enormous faith to remain single, by no means for the faint of heart. It seems that single people would be far more tempted to fornicate, than married people to commit adultery, since their sexual needs are not met, yet this is not reflected in the high divorce rate these days with two of three marriages scrapped, mostly driven by infidelity. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,10-16 (3f) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Divorce because of your hardness of heart – Paul switches gears from his own opinion to the Lord's, reiterating what Moses said in Deuteronomy 24-1, giving permission to divorce our spouses, but Jesus added that if we do, we cannot remarry (Mat 19,3-12). He gives no valid reason for divorce except unfaithfulness, and even then we are advised to remain together if repentance is present. The gist of this seemingly difficult passage is that we should not divorce our mate, but if our mate divorces us, we have no control over that and are therefore free to remarry, only in the Lord; we are "not under bondage in such cases." Paul is saying that the other person can divorce us, but we, the believing spouse, cannot initiate the divorce and hope to remarry. We will define the “other person” as the unbelieving spouse (who is disobedient to God’s instruction). We can’t force the person to stay, so if he/she is determined to leave, allow the divorce, for God has called us to peace. There is one other legitimate cause for divorce, though the Scripture does not address it; that is when the person is physically or emotionally abusive to the point of jeopardizing our physical or mental health. Remember what Jesus said about the Sabbath, “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath” (Mk 2-27). We could say the same about marriage, since both are under the same law and the circumstances are identical. Paul’s main objective for drawing up papers for divorce is determining whether a person can legitimately remarry. He concludes that if we initiate the divorce under the condition that our spouse has been unfaithful and is unrepentant, then we can remarry, but if the spouse is abusive and we divorce him/her, we cannot remarry. This makes sense, since if we picked an abusive spouse the first time, in indicates we are attracted to such personalities, and for that reason alone it would be better to remain single. 1Cor 7-10,11 (10b) Responsibility >> Bringing order to the Church >> Issues between men and women (90h) Thy kingdom come >> Keeping the law >> Righteousness of the law >> We must keep the law because it is righteous -- These verses go with verse 19 1Cor 7-10 (2b) Responsibility >> Avoid offending God >> Keeping your commitments >> Fulfill your vows in marriage to your spouse 1Cor 7-12 (89h) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom >> Wisdom of the Spirit -- This verse goes with verse 25 1Cor 7-14 (133e) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> The temple of God is holy -- This verse goes with verse 34 (191k) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Result of putting off the old man >> Set apart by faith in the truth – We all face the judgment of God on our own; we cannot bring in our spouses at the judgment to mediate for us. When we die we face God alone, so this mediation does not carry to the next life. It only sanctifies the person while they are alive. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,15-28 (108a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Balance between truth and error >> Wisdom brings balance between truth and error -- These verses go with verses 35-40. Paul's instruction pertains to cases where adultery is not involved. He explains that if either the man or the woman is determined to leave the marriage, the believing spouse should let him/her leave; “The brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases.” Paul’s point is that the person who seeks divorce should never remarry, and his presumption is that the one leaving is probably not saved. Seeking divorce is evidence (not proof) of a lack of faith and dedication to Christ, and since the person wants to leave, divorce would probably be in the saved person’s best interest. Paul’s advice is that the brother or sister who is being divorced is free to remarry, yet he still advises against it, since marriage is a complicated living arrangement, compared to single life, also since the person has demonstrated poor choice in marriage partners. The Christian is no longer tied to an unequal yoke. Christians have no business marrying unbelievers, but perhaps they were married before he/she was saved, and now the unbeliever wants to leave. These are all common cases in divorce situations, and Paul says that God accepts this particular case as though it were based on unfaithfulness, but the Christian should not seek divorce. A person can say, ‘I believe in Jesus but I still want a divorce,’ but Paul says the one who seeks divorce is the unbeliever. 1Cor 7-15 (126e) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Peace >> Peacemakers >> Peacemakers avoid unnecessary confrontation – Jesus stated that the cause for divorce is adultery; then Paul added another legitimate cause in 1Cor 7-15, 'If the unbelieving one wants to leave for any reason, let him leave.' The spouse seeking divorce other than for the cause of adultery can never remarry, but the other one can. God will consider his/her subsequent marriages adulterous affairs, because He did not recognize the divorce. According to Paul, a person who marries somebody who is terribly abusive physically, mentally, emotionally but sexually faithful, if the person tiers of the abuse, she can divorce him, but she can never remarry. Why would she want to anyway, since she chose a lousy partner, she is likely to do it again? Marriage isn't meant for everyone. These may be hard facts, but those looking for ways around them will only find harder facts and consequences, such as remarrying and ending up with a husband no better than the first, or maybe worse. Meanwhile the man or woman could have remained single and devoted him/herself to the faith; that was Paul’s advice. 1Cor 7-16,17 (219b) Sovereignty >> God overrides the will of man >> The elect >> Man is a spectator of his own salvation >> Man is not in control of God’s calling 1Cor 7-16 (178a) Works of the devil >> The religion of witchcraft >> Presumption (Hinduism) >> Presuming the will of God >> Presumption fills in the blanks 1Cor 7,17-24 (91f) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> Walking along the narrow way >> Walking in God’s calling is to fulfill His purpose -- These verses go with verses 29-35 1Cor 7-17 (92a) Thy kingdom come >> The narrow way >> Trail of good works >> The good works that He prepared for us – We know that God loves everyone. Jn 3-16 says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” God loves every person, regardless of what he has done, whose love is based on a vision of us doing His will and committing our lives to fulfilling the purpose and calling that He has prepared for us. If we walk along our trail of good works, our place will be secured in heaven (2Pet 1,5-11). Therefore, we are never to give up on God. 1Cor 7,18-35 (120l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Contentment >> Content with your way of life >> Content with remaining single -- These verses go with verse 40. If we remain in our current state, it is a guarantee that we will be pleasing to God, but he says if we do get married, we have not sinned. Therefore, Paul is not commanding us but advising us to remain in that condition in which we were called. Marriage is a big decision; we should involve God in it, because the Holy Spirit might say no. He may forbid us to marry a certain person, or He may forbid us to marry at all; however, the Bible does not forbid us to marry. 1Cor 7-18,19 (190i) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Circumcision >> Circumcision is a sign of obedience >> Obeying the Holy Spirit makes circumcision obsolete – Jews are the circumcision and gentiles are the uncircumcision. As a gentile, though, we can be circumcised, and the only benefit we will receive from it is better hygiene, so circumcision is a good thing, unless we use it to seek approval from God. Anyone who feels this way would be better to remain uncircumcised, for their evil conscience being uncircumcised is no worse than their good conscience believing they have favor with God being circumcised. It has never approved anyone to God, since it is merely a sign, like a stop sign. The stop sign is there to tell the driver to stop, so it’s not the sign that stops the car, but the driver. Circumcision started with Abraham when God commanded him to be circumcised after He demonstrated his faith toward God, so his circumcision did not help him believe in God, but merely acted as a stamp of approval regarding his faith that he had before being circumcised. The Jews, though, turned circumcision into a means of divine approval and got the cart before the horse, so they could point at something as proof of their faith, and over the centuries circumcision morphed into the substance of their faith instead of a mere symbol of it. The same could be said about baptism, which is the new covenant sign of faith. 1Cor 7-19 (90h) Thy kingdom come >> Keeping the law >> Righteousness of the law >> We must keep the law because it is righteous -- This verse goes with verses 10&11 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,20-35 (7j) Responsibility >> Use time wisely >> Get ready >> Take time to prepare – One of the best ways to prepare for the future is to create favorable conditions that facilitate accomplishing our goals. Surviving the last days tribulation, there are three issues we should consider: what kind of job we have (does it leave any time to be with the Lord?), whether we are in debt, and whether we are married. All three have one thing in common; they take up a lot of time and resources. 1Cor 7,20-23 (31c) Gift of God >> God is our Father >> He favors you in your circumstances (93n) Thy kingdom come >> Perspective on the circumstances of this life -- These verses go with verses 27-35 (119f) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Freedom >> Fences of freedom >> Being a slave to freedom -- These verses go with verse 39. If you are a slave (working for somebody) and it is too difficult to become free, then don’t worry about it. God can use a slave as well as a free man. Paul thinks we would be better to remain a slave than to be free if it meant we had to take your eyes off Christ (to be self-employed), but if you make up in your mind to become free, then use your freedom for the Lord. He will use you in your freedom, even as He would use you as a slave, but whether He will use you more effectively in your freedom is questionable. This is why he says not to worry about it, for who knows if you change your vocation that it will actually benefit God's purpose in your life? Paul is primarily talking about marriage, but it has other applications, such as deciding whether to go to college, or whether you should take a job that requires all your time and energy, leaving little for your faith. God expects as much from us as He did from the early Church, but these issues seem archaic and inapplicable to us. We think our lives are our own to do as we please, but that was not Paul’s opinion, and God doesn't see it that way either. 1Cor 7-20,21 (24d) Sin >> Poverty (Forms of fear) >> Pursuit of happiness creates anxiety 1Cor 7-20 (76i) Thy kingdom come >> Desires of your heart >> Your interests -- This verse goes with verses 26-35 1Cor 7-21,22 (14c) Servant >> Slave is free/free is slave – Here we see perfect balance and equality. Paul's advice to slaves was to become free if possible, but if they couldn't, they were no less Christ’s freed man. In Christ we are both slave and free, meaning our flesh is slave to the law of Christ, while our spirit is free to obey Him. If we are free, we are still Christ slave, and as a slave, we are free in the Lord. In this life we will never be totally free and we are not totally a slave, as it says in Gal 3-28, "there is neither slave nor free man." 1Cor 7-22,23 (53f) Paradox >> Opposites >> Freedom and bondage >> Slaves are free/free are slaves 1Cor 7-23 (7i) Responsible to defend God’s cause >> Protecting your freedom (213k) Sovereignty >> God is infinite >> Jesus owns you >> His will becomes our will >> We are bought with a price KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,24-40 (3g) Responsibility >> To the Family >> Remaining single is better than divorce -- These verses go with verses 1&2. God hates divorce (Malachi 2-16). Jesus said about divorce that immorality is the only legitimate cause, and the one who pursues divorce outside of infidelity and marries another is an adulterer, for God does not acknowledge divorce outside of unfaithfulness. The victim of divorce under those terms can remarry with God’s blessing, but Paul says she would be better to remain single. If she has already chosen a partner who cheated on her, the likelihood of choosing another to do the same increases. The Bible teaches to practice love even when it hurts, is the very definition of marriage. If there is any benefit to marriage in Christianity, it is an opportunity to practice our faith toward each other in love. (247d) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> Concern >> Caring about the body of Christ -- These verses go with verses 7&8 1Cor 7-25 (89h) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom >> Wisdom of the Spirit -- This verse goes with verse 40 (102g) Thy kingdom come >> Faithfulness (Loyalty) >> Trustworthy >> Faithfulness -- This verse goes with verse 40 1Cor 7,26-35 (69a) Authority >> Discernment >> Judging truth and error >> Correcting false reasoning – Paul's motive for writing the book of 1st Corinthians is found in the first verse of this chapter, "Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman," and he makes his main point in verse 35, “to promote what is seemly, and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.” This reveals what kind of life God wants us to lead as Christians. Single people have freed themselves to serve the Lord and availed themselves to the Church, and the Church doesn’t want them, because they are not married. It is a contradiction of epic proportions! The Church doesn't have to be a single’s club, but neither should it be a marriage club. We should wake up to just how far the Church has drifted into error; the majority of what most Christians think about the Bible is wrong. Over the centuries we have come to misinterpret just about everything, so that the Church hardly resembles what God had intended. We have churches on every other street corner in America, and they are not persecuted, so we can worship God without fear, still we can’t seem to accomplish anything, and the world is more messed up than ever. Christians of many countries must worship God underground, and it is a real hindrance in spreading the gospel, because it must be secretive. If they tell the wrong person about Jesus, they are liable to be arrested, tortured and possibly killed; maybe the whole church would be hauled to a concentration camp, but we are free to openly worship God and we can’t accomplish a thing, because of our distorted doctrines. See also: Commending the single person; 99d (76i) Thy kingdom come >> Desires of your heart >> Your interests -- These verses go with verse 20. Paul is giving general principles of walking with God. He is just trying to spare us from trouble, for there will be trouble as Christians in this life. The reason marriage is not a good fit for Christianity is that it gets in the way of our devotion to Christ. God wants us devoted to Him, not to a wife or a husband, which means He wants us to spend hours every day in the word of God and prayer and in ministry, the same amount of time that married people spend on their families. That accounts for many hours a day. How many Christians are that devoted to their faith in Jesus? (99d) Thy kingdom come >> Endurance (Thorn in the flesh) >> Enduring the will of God >> Endure abiding in Him – Paul says if you were called while unmarried, don’t seek marriage, and if you were called while married, don't seek divorce. “Let each person remain in the condition in which he was called.” Those who married prior to salvation should remain married, and those who were saved while single should not seek a spouse. This is only Paul’s opinion. People have a right to get married if they want, but Paul is trying to spare them a lot of grief, because marriage compounds the problems of this life. There are spiritual advantages to remaining single. Getting married and raising a family is like building a house in a hurricane. There are many strong forces against us in this life, and it would be easier if we sought contentment, but living a simple and uncomplicated life is not for everyone. Paul would prefer that Christians remained committed to their faith rather than invested in this temporal life. However, there is a caveat to Paul's opinion: He gave it during a time of the Church's revival, so his opinion matters more during revival, but in times of apostasy this advice doesn't matter as much, since there is very little opportunity for ministry in the Church under those circumstances. (137h) Temple >> Building the temple (with hands) >> Maturing in Jesus is hard work >> Maturity comes through discipline -- These verses go with verse 1 (247f) Priorities >> God’s priorities >> God’s interests >> Concern >> Caring about the will of God KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,27-35 (93n) Thy kingdom come >> Perspective on the circumstances of this life -- These verses go with verses 20-23. Paul is urging the Church not to invest anymore time or energy into this life than what is absolutely necessary. If someone makes us sad, if someone makes us happy, if we are excited about our latest store purchase, we are not to let these things take precedence. Those who are married should still make room for God in their lives, and those who have possessions are to live as though they had nothing, “For the form of this world is passing away.” Paul wants us investing our time and energy in the Kingdom of God. You could say that Paul was a zealot, but he was confirming God’s opinion. If the world doesn’t pass away in our lifetime, then we will pass away. Either way this life will end, and when it does, all that will survive will be what we invested in the Kingdom of Heaven (1Cor 3,12-15). 1Cor 7-28 (42e) Judgment >> Satan destroyed >> Be like Jesus >> Innocent before God (165j) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Hardship >> Troubles of this life – For Christians, being single is better than getting married. Let the world marry, and let the Christians remain single, but Paul added that if we marry, we have not sinned. He could not make it a law, because law doesn’t work with the new covenant (Catholic priests take note); instead, the new covenant is based on a Spirit-controlled willingness to obey God. Paul earnestly desired the Church to take his advice to heart and consider remaining single, for the single person has very few needs, providing opportunity to dedicate his free time to promoting the Kingdom of God. This is how Paul saw the Church in his day; he preferred that the saints remained single, but other references, such as in Timothy, said that some people are just not made for single life. They fornicate, getting themselves into all kinds of trouble; therefore, they should get married (1Tim 5-14), but if we can manage our affections, we should remain single in order to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord (v35). We already have enough trouble in this life, and getting married will exponentially give us more trouble. When we think of how many resources a family with three children needs to survive, compared to the single person; he/she can potentially live on a part-time job, while a married couple with children barely skimp with both partners working full time. That is about a five-times greater income to run a family, compared to an individual. See also: Commending the single person; 1Cor 7,29-35; 91f (199b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Frustrating the grace of God >> Frustrating Jesus >> Frustrating the Father -- This verse goes with verse 34 1Cor 7,29-35 (91f) Thy kingdom come >> The called >> Walking along the narrow way >> Walking in God’s calling is to fulfill His purpose -- These verses go with verses 17-24. Paul advises people in the Church to remain single if they can, because there is a powerful anointing ready to help them deal with their circumstances and complement their sacrifice of forgoing a family. This anointing can turn into a powerful ministry that can help reach the lost and establish the Church in the faith, and for this reason people need to honor single people in the Church by providing opportunities for them to minister, who are devoting themselves to the grace of God. Unfortunately however, the opposite is happening. Single people in the Church are often not allowed to have a ministry, because they are single, not realizing that some may be answering God's call to remain single for the purpose of ministry. See also: Commending the single person; 128j (128j) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Bearing fruit >> Living a fruitful life >> Living a continuous life of fruitfulness – Just about everybody has a prayer life, but most do not have a life of prayer. We say we are too busy raising a family to sustain a life of prayer. There is nothing wrong with having a family, except that Paul forewarned us that we get too busy to have time for God. Paradoxically, the only people who are allowed to minister in the Church are married couples; single people are often shunned from ministry. They are welcome to the service and to tithe of course, but these are the limits of their ministry in most cases, because they are not trusted. Many single people in the Church are the only ones obeying Christ, who have actually devoted themselves to the faith and have remained single for the cause of Christ, and we should honor them for their commitment, studying their lives, making sure they are truly in love with God and exalting them as ministers in the Church instead of shunning them. Single people are often lonely and need spiritual fellowship more than married people, because many of them go home to a lonely house and they need a way to connect with people. The best way to minister to single people is to let them minister to us. They need to be trusted and they have many answers that the Church needs. See also: Commending the single person; 1Cor 7,32-38; 55m (189c) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Separation from the old man >> Holy sacrifice >> Acceptable sacrifice -- These verses go with verse 1 1Cor 7,29-31 (63d) Paradox >> Anomalies >> Righteous deception >> Righteous self-deception – We all have needs, but if we took Paul’s advice and bought the things we needed as though not possessing them, as though not allowing our left hand know what our right hand was doing, we wouldn't become materialistic. People who consider themselves important because of their possessions don’t believe in the Bible. (108g) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Balance >> Do all things in moderation (170f) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Outward appearance >> Temporary >> Whatever is temporary will perish – When Paul said that the time had been shortened, he was referring to the fact that the first century had just entered the last days. Before Jesus came believers were not under this time constraint; a person could have a wife, could find a career, could earn a good living and make full use of the world. God had no problem with that, but now the time has been shortened so that even Paul had reason to believe that Jesus would return before his demise, because there was nothing in Scripture that suggested otherwise. 2000 years later, many events have transpired making his return that much sooner. The time has been shortened in that if Jesus could have returned in Paul’s day, how much likelier is He to return in our day, and how much truer is this passage than when it was first written? In this case the word of God has become truer with time, like a good wine or like antiques that gain value the older they get. Verse 29 has indeed been seasoned by time. (192b) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Result of putting off the old man >> Gain by losing >> Life for life >> Losing your life to gain God’s purpose (200m) Denying Christ >> Whoever is not with Jesus is against him >> He is against Christ who does not receive Him >> Whoever receives the world is against Christ – Paul is talking about taking off the edge; don’t weep so hard, and don’t rejoice so much; don’t be too sad and don’t be too happy; don’t let the world get you down and don’t celebrate with it. He is talking about maintaining an even keel, not without emotions, but minus the drama. If we allow our emotions to dominate us, they will take over our faith, making us too busy crying or too busy partying to serve Christ. A person who has a tendency for depression (apart from clinical depression) is taking this life too seriously. Perhaps he thinks this life is not giving him what he wants, but Paul is telling us not to ask anything from this life. If we don’t ask for anything, we can’t get depressed when it doesn’t happen. 1Cor 7-29 (214h) Sovereignty >> God controls time >> God’s timing >> God’s time is soon >> Relatively soon 1Cor 7-31 (165e) Works of the devil >> Manifestations of the devil >> Do not partake of the world >> Do not desire the treasures of the world – There is a popular saying in Christendom, “Everything is going to burn” (2Pet 3,10-12). Nevertheless, there will be some things that will remain from this life, our memories and relationships, but materialistically, nothing. All our labor will come to nothing. Long before God destroys this universe, all their work will be buried in a dump somewhere atop other people’s labors and dead visions of this life. The only things that will survive are the fruits of the Spirit and our relationships with others and our faith in God. God told us to emphasize these things because they are eternal. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,32-38 (55m) Paradox >> Lose by gaining >> Lose God’s will to gain your own will – Married people are more concerned about their own families than they are about the family of God, and Paul said the only way to fix that was to not get married. He didn’t condemn marriage or say it was wrong; he just said that marriage is an inferior life-choice compared to remaining single in terms of serving Christ. Married people have two families: their personal family and the family of their local church, and so of course their interests will be divided. Paul wanted people to remain single so they could devote themselves to the grace of God, but things have changed so much since the past two millennia that devoting oneself to the faith has little purpose anymore, since opportunities for ministry no longer exist for the single person, unless he wants to sacrifice a wife and children to fold chairs and clean bathrooms. Ministry that is worthy of sacrificing the future simply doesn’t exist in the Church today. This is one of the tell tail signs of apostasy. The Church back then was a community that took their meals together as a family, the singles often ministered to married people and their children, but now things are backwards; married people are controlling the Church and setting up token activities for single people, but when those singles grow past a certain age, concerns for them time-out. Older singles have no place in the contemporary Church, when in fact they should be the greatest ministers of all, if they have in fact remained single for the cause of Christ. See also: Commending the single person; 1Cor 7-35; 127n (195b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Idolatry >> Serving two masters >> You can only serve one at a time – Single people are strong and resilient as a result of their devotion to Christ. They have the greatest opportunity for ministry in that they have more time and energy to devote to the things of God, but married people are obligated to spend their time and resources on their personal families. Nowadays, a fter a single woman has lived beyond her youth and wants to marry, she would simply elope if her father forbade her to marry. In Paul’s day, though, elopement was almost as egregious as divorce, and so Paul was saying that it really depends on the daughter. If it creates excessive friction between the father and the daughter, it would be better to just let her marry, and if she has her mind set on marriage, she probably wouldn’t be of much service to the saints anyway. She would just become angry and bitter that she was forced into a life she never wanted, and hate her father for it. (197g) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Man withers when he is in control >> Distracted from a fruitful life (233e) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Seeking the kingdom >> Seek The Kingdom With Your Essence >> Seek the Kingdom of God with your whole life – The Church has changed since the first century. If the father had strong convictions and wanted his daughter to devote herself to Christ as a single person for the purpose of serving the saints and becoming a blessing to God's people and allowing her faith in Christ to be the main focus of her life and not to have a family of her own, she would not be throwing away her life, for there were many opportunities for ministry in the Church. The father had authority over his virgin daughter to decide for her if she should marry, and if he stood firm on his own convictions, being no mandate that he must do this, but if his daughter could accept it, Paul said this decision would be beneficial to all, in contrast to being married. The temporal benefits of marriage are confined to her immediate family, while the benefits of remaining single and dedicating her life to the saints were unlimited, and in the resurrection of the righteous she would be eternally rewarded for her service to the saints. (241g) Kingdom of God >> Opposition toward the Kingdom of God >> Hindering the kingdom >> Obstacles in the way of the kingdom >> Distractions 1Cor 7,32-35 (103h) Thy kingdom come >> Purifying process >> Cleanse yourself -- These verses go with verse 1 (193l) Die to self (Process of substitution) >> Turn from sin to God >> Run to God in your freedom to choose righteousness (236f) Kingdom of God >> Pursuing the kingdom >> Invest in the kingdom >> Invest your strength into the kingdom >> Invest your ambitions 1Cor 7-34 (133e) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Holiness >> The body of Christ is holy >> The temple of God is holy -- This verse goes with verse 14 (134f) Temple >> Your body is the temple of God >> Composition of our bodies is from the earth >> Worship unlocks the spirit realm -- This verse goes with verse 1 (199b) Denying Christ >> Man exercises his will against God >> Frustrating the grace of God >> Frustrating Jesus >> Frustrating the Father -- This verse goes with verses 1&2 KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7,35-40 (108a) Thy kingdom come >> Faith >> Balance between truth and error >> Wisdom brings balance between truth and error -- These verses go with verses 1&2 1Cor 7-35 (55da) Paradox >> Opposites >> Darkness exposes itself by its own reaction – This chapter probably does more to expose false doctrine in the Church than any other chapter in the Bible, in that for Paul to advise us to remain single flies in the face of American Christianity. The saying, “We are in the world but not of the world” (Jn 17-14,15), epitomizes what Paul is saying here. If we strive to make full use of the world, then how are we not of it? A married couple living in a new house with two cars, having two or more children and a dog, dwelling in the suburbs, are said to have it all. This is the American dream, and it also has become the Christian dream. We have been taught over the years that it is our Christian right to have all that the world offers, but this theology originated from the pits of hell. (127n) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Goodness >> Devote your life to doing good – Life is often hard, and so to make it harder would seem unnecessary, yet people do it all the time by getting married. There are tax breaks for married people and other advantages, such as sex, children, grandchildren, companionship and family life, yet despite all these perks Paul said, “in view of the present distress” marriage is more a detriment than a benefit to Christianity. Nevertheless, if we are single and over the age of 25, our character will come into question in the Church as to why we are still single. This attitude is so prolific that we could just about use it as a measuring stick to determine just how far the Church has drifted from biblical truth. Paul is saying the exact opposite here, saying that Christians should reconsider getting married. Had Paul’s wishes come true, there would be many single people in the Church, and they would all have vibrant ministries, but we don't see this anywhere. There are many single people in the world but not many in the Church, because they don’t feel welcome there, proving that Church is indeed a marriage club. Married people control of the Church to such an extent that single people are not even allowed to minister, and they use the passage in Timothy to justify their attitude, “An overseer... must be... the husband of one wife” (1Tim 3-2). They say Paul was restricting single people from ministering in the Church, commanding all ministers to be married, but Paul was actually alluding to polygamy; otherwise, how could Paul command ministers to be married when he advocated Christians to remain single? See also: Commending the single person; 1Cor 7,1-40; 100j 1Cor 7-36,37 (122f) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Confidence in yourself as you die to sin >> Confident in what you are doing – Paul was saying that back then if the father refuses to let his daughter marry, in view of their present distress, both father and daughter would have diverted nonessential trouble. This is especially true under times of war and persecution. Someone might say that Paul's advice was specific to their particular circumstances, that it is not true for us, but the word of God remains true regardless of the circumstances. That is, it will always be true that single life is simpler than married life, yet how much simpler is in fact based on circumstances. The biblical reason for remaining single is to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. The greatest advantage for the father allowing his virgin daughter to marry is grandchildren. This also delineates between our culture and the first century. In times of hardship and persecution, which literally defined the early Church, children were a liability. Without children a single man or a woman could pick up and flee at a moments notice, but it is not so easy with children or while pregnant. Paul advised to sacrifice the personal family in order to devote more resources to God's family. Not only is it a sacrifice to the father, it is a bigger sacrifice to the daughter, who must deny motherhood. It would take enormous faith on her part to do this, and for that reason she is a very rare and valuable asset to the Church. KJV WEB / Navigation Bar 1Cor 7-37 (74e) Thy kingdom come >> Heart is man’s central value system >> Where man interprets worth 1Cor 7-39 (119f) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Freedom >> Fences of freedom >> Being a slave to freedom -- This verse goes with verses 20-23. According to Rom 7,1-6, Married people are obligated to remain faithful to his or her spouse, but the person whose spouse dies is released from the marriage and is free to remarry, but Paul suggested to remain single. That is, instead of enjoying our freedom Paul commanded us to invest it by dying to self. The one who dies is just as free from the Law as the one who lives, and since we are free to remarry, Paul suggested that we marry Christ. 1Cor 7-40 (89h) Thy kingdom come >> Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom >> Wisdom of the Spirit -- This verse goes with verse 12 (102g) Thy kingdom come >> Faithfulness (Loyalty) >> Trustworthy >> Faithfulness -- This verse goes with verse 25 (120l) Thy kingdom come >> Manifestations of faith >> Contentment >> Content with your way of life >> Content with remaining single -- This verse goes with verse 1. This was Paul’s attitude about marriage: it is well, but remaining single is better. Remaining single is better in view of the present distress, meaning more adverse circumstances makes Paul’s advice more relevant, and better circumstances make his advice less relevant. There is nothing wrong with getting married, but he was trying to spare us trouble, because he knows we will endure hardship in this life (Vs26-28). We don't need to get married and have a family to help perpetuate the human species, for there is more than enough people already doing that. We don’t need to get married and have a family to help perpetuate the Church, because God has commanded us to win souls for Christ, not grow them. Most Catholics were born Catholics, because it is almost impossible to win converts to Catholicism, since it is a religion only for old women, but true Christianity according to Scripture is appealing, for it calls us to live a clean and simple life with a simple faith, comforted in the fact that we have peace with God and the hope of eternal life. (142e) Witness >> Validity of Jesus Christ >> Witnesses of Jesus >> Having a good reputation >> A reputation of being trustworthy See next page