1. American society prizes upward mobility; we always look to the next stage of life, identify ourselves by our social status.
2. Gospel relativizes our social status and gives us a new identity.
3. Our calling in this present age: serve God faithfully wherever you are.
4. Paul’s instruction: remain as you are (but in every case there is an exception).

I. The Marriage Bed, 1-7
1. Corinthians’ position: v. 1
2. Paul’s response: v. 2: sex is a weapon to fight against sin.
3. Therefore, spouses have an obligation to each other: vv. 3-4 (based on Gen. 2:24)
4. Sexual fulfillment in marriage does not guarantee victory over sin, nor does lack of sexual fulfillment in marriage negate one’s responsibility to avoid sexual sin. But it is a weapon to be used.
5. Men are hardwired by God to be sexual pursuers; this is a good thing, but it must be controlled. Wives: affirm your husband in his pursuit of you.
6. As with anything, die to yourself and give to your spouse, and you will find life.
7. Paul’s command: remain as you are (i.e., don’t seek celibacy if you are married), but here’s the exception: vv. 5-6: (1) mutual agreement; (2) for a limited time; (3) for the purpose of prayer.
8. Paul has the gift of celibacy (v. 7), and perhaps the Corinthians had appealed to it; but it is not universal.

II. Widowhood, 8-9
1. “the unmarried” are likely widowers; Paul’s instruction: Remain as you are.
2. Exception: If marriage is needed for you to fight sin, then marry.
3. Bottom line: what matters most is not your marital status but your faithfulness to the Lord.

III. Divorce, 10-16
A. With Respect to Believing Couples, 10-11
1. Desire for celibacy may have led some to seek to dissolve their marriages.
2. Command (from Jesus): Remain as you are; do not divorce.
3. Exception: If you do divorce, do not seek remarriage (which is adultery)
B. With Respect to Mixed Couples, 12-16
1. Those who desired celibacy and were married to unbelievers had more ammunition for divorce.
2. Command (that Jesus never addressed): Remain as you are; do not divorce (vv. 12-13)
3. Why not? Marriage has a sanctifying effect: 14, 16
4. Exception: 15: A believer is not “enslaved” to this direction if his/her unbelieving spouse wants to leave.
5. Summary: In each case, the point is to be faithful to God in your situation as it is.

IV. The Call of God, 17-24
1. Main point: vv. 17, 20
A. Primary Racial/Religious Distinction: Circumcision, 18-19
1. Instruction: Remain as you are, whether circumcised or uncircumcised
2. Why? v. 19: Wasn’t circumcision a command? Yes, but a shift has occurred in redemptive history in Christ.
B. Primary Social Distinction: Slavery, 21-24
1. Instruction: Don’t worry about your status as a slave (21)
2. Why? In Christ we are all free, and we are all slaves (22)

1. Bottom line: your identity is defined by the call of God, not your earthly standing.
2. v. 23: Note similarity to 6:20; Do not become a slave (to the law, to the traditions of men, to “wisdom” defined by Corinthian values, or to the American dream).
3. Key words in v. 24: “with God”
- Are you single? You are with God.
- Are you married? You are with God.
- Are you widowed? You are with God.
- Are you a parent? You are with God.
- Are you childless? You are with God.
- Are you working at a difficult job? You are with God.
- Are you at a stage of life that makes you constantly look to the next thing? Wherever you are, you are there with God. Live as you have been called.

Remain As You Are, Part 1