It’s hard not to buy into the lie that you need something else or something different in life in order to live life well. Perhaps you are tempted to think if you only had that degree, or that job, or a spouse, or children, or that person’s respect, or that accomplishment, then life would really be all that you long for it to be. And, I don’t mean that simply in some non-Christian way. Maybe you’re thinking that if you only had that degree, you’d really be able to serve the Lord. Or if you just gained that person’s respect, you’d point them to Christ as the giver of all good things in your life. Or if you just had that spouse, then you’d really show forth the relationship of Christ and the church in how you live out your marriage.
This kind of thinking is rightly labeled a temptation because it is a hopeless path. Going down that road of trying to get one more thing that will enable you to have joy and even serve Christ well provides a nasty little secret, and it is that once you get that thing (whatever it is) there’s always something else you feel you need that’s just out of your reach. It is a never ending rabbit hole.
But the temptation is strong. I’ve known it, felt it, and given into it on countless occasions. I’ve oftentimes allowed my emotions, my sense of worth, and my contentment be dictated by my desire to have something that I didn’t have or see something change that simply wasn’t changing. And, if you identify with that, then it will perhaps be comforting to see that the Corinthians seemed to struggle with that same reality. More than that, in 7:17-24 Paul wrote to them concerning the topic in order to help them be strengthened to find contentment in their lot in life and live a God-honoring life in whatever situation they found themselves.
It’s hard to miss Paul’s message to the Corinthians in 7:17-24. He gives the same exhortation three times. First, in verse 17 he writes, “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.” Then, again in verse 20, he writes, “Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.” Finally, in verse 24, he concludes this section writing, “So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.”
Now, when Paul writes about where one was when God “called” him, he means what life situation the individual was in when he first came to saving faith. Therefore, Paul is saying to them that no matter what life situation or status they had in this world when they came to faith in Christ, they don’t have to change it in order to serve Christ effectively. If they were single when they came to faith, they can serve Christ faithfully as a single person. Were they married when they came to faith? They can serve Christ faithfully as a married person. Or, as he’ll note in our text specifically, if they were a slave when they came to faith, nothing needs to change. They can remain where they are in their present status and still serve Christ faithfully. Nothing needs to change for them to live God-honoring, Spirit-empowered, Christ-exalting lives.
Bringing it to our current setting then, I know you might be in a position where you wish you status or situation in life where you are right now would change, but the Lord wants you to know that nothing has to change in your life for you to be a valuable servant of Christ for his kingdom. And nothing that ever will change concerning your status or situation in life will put you in a place to have a better standing before God.
That’s the central truth of this text. But, knowing that this is hard for us to accept, especially as we find ourselves struggling with where we are in life, Paul gives the Corinthians (and us) a number of truths to help strengthen us against the lies that come at us constantly and threaten to keep us from believing this truth. This is what I want us to see this morning as we look at the text. What does Paul tell us in order to strengthen us in this truth he lays out? First, Paul wants you to know that:
In the midst of giving his exhortation to remain in the position in which you were when the Lord called you, not seeing it necessary to change in order to honor and serve Christ, Paul notes that our lot or situation in life is the work of the Lord. He writes in verse 17, “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him.”
Do you hear that language in the text? Paul writes of “the life that the Lord has assigned to him” and to “which God has called him.” But his examples of this life in the following verses aren’t concerning a vocation necessarily. He says, “Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? . . . Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised?” (v. 18). And again in verse 21, “Were you a bondservant when called?” You see, Paul is not limiting this idea of the Lord’s assigning his children to something to the topic of vocation as we might say that the Lord called, assigned, or directed me (in some subjective way) to be a teacher, a nurse, a missionary, a salesman, or the like. He’s saying that your life situation (even whether one was circumcised or not) at the time when we came to faith was under the Lord’s supervision and direction.
Now, we see this idea elsewhere in the Scripture, even from Paul. In Acts 17 Paul says to those on Mars Hill of the Lord that he “determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place” (v. 16). But now Paul is affirming that this isn’t true simply in regard to one’s birthplace or city in which one lives but to one’s whole life. That is to say, not only is the Lord not surprised that a Corinthian believer in the first century is a slave when he saves his, the individual’s lot as a slave was part of God’s very design for his life.
And the same is true for us. When the Lord saved me, he intentionally had me living in London, KY, getting a mediocre education in the largest school in the state, as a nine-year-old. None of that had the Lord wringing his hands, thinking, “How in the world can I use him in this setting?” In fact, it was the Lord’s providential working in my life that had me at that point.
And in regard to you, whatever situation you’re in right now in your life, nothing is outside of the Lord’s providential plan in your life. Are you married? Are you single? Are you running around all day trying to raise little kids? Are you less educated than others? Did you come from a bad home? Well, the Lord has worked your life to have you exactly where you are right now. You’re under his providential guidance. That should be encouragement number one. You’re not where you are, in the situation you’re in, having the status you have in life by accident but under God’s providential guidance.
Now, that brings us to our second truth that should encourage us:
After noting that one who was circumcised when he came to faith need not seek to somehow remove the marks of circumcision (apparently there was a procedure for this), and that one who was uncircumcised need not seek to be circumcised, Paul notes the reason why, writing in verse 19, “For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.”
Paul uses the specific case of circumcision here because there have no doubt been occasions where an uncircumcised Gentile, for example, came to faith and thought, “I really should be circumcised since this is how God marked out his people under the Old Covenant,” or a circumcised Jew came to faith and thought, “I really should get rid of the evidence of circumcision” for whatever reason. And Paul is saying that both actions are unnecessary. Being circumcised or uncircumcised has no impact on your standing before God. What you should focus on rather is simply obeying the Lord (i.e. “keeping his commandments”).
But since the Corinthians probably weren’t wrestling with circumcision specifically, Paul is using this as an illustration to make his point. And his point is, your status or standing in life when the Lord calls you to himself cannot keep you from obeying and honoring the Lord. Whether born in a missionary’s home or the home of unbelieving parents, neither of those commends you to God. And neither of those keeps you from loving God and obeying him.
Now, perhaps we’re trying to stretch our minds to come up with a situation where we really would be limited in obeying God. Well, Paul comes up with one of the most challenging circumstances for us. He says in verse 21, “Where you a bondservant (or slave) when called? Do not be concerned about it.”
Yes, it is true that slavery was different in the first century Roman world than it was in the 19th century in our country, with slaves often being educated and able to serve in lofty places within society. But it was slavery nonetheless. So, if there was ever an occasion where one might argue that his present situation in life keeps him from being able to honor the Lord, it might be where you’re a slave of another person, having many of your actions dictated by him. Yet even there Paul says, “Do not be concerned about it” (v. 21). Sure, he notes, if you can be freed, be freed. But you’re not kept from obeying Christ as a slave.
Therefore, where we are and what situation we find ourselves is under the providential hand of God, whether married, unmarried, in a difficult job, in a great job, with children, without children, rich, poor, etc. And, second, nothing about your status or standing in this world counts for anything in the Lord’s sight. But he expects all of us simply to obey him. The Lord doesn’t care if you’re poor, but he does want you to obey. He doesn’t care if you’re uneducated, but he does care if you obey. He doesn’t care if you’re single or married, but he does care about your obedience to him, and he wants you to obey him. And wherever you are in whatever situation you’re in, you can obey him.
But there’s more we need to see. A third encouraging truth:
This point is so utterly crucial for us to grasp, and it can be so difficult for us to hold onto in times of temptation. First, let me show it to you in the text. After saying in verse 21 that it doesn’t matter if you were a slave at the time of your calling and that you shouldn’t be concerned about it (though you can avail yourself of the opportunity for freedom), Paul writes, “For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ” (v. 22).
Do you see what Paul does there? He takes their identity in this world and then says that there’s another identity they have that’s actually the opposite. So, Paul says in essence to the Corinthians, if we were to ask anyone in Corinth who you were, they would answer, “He’s a slave.” But I’m telling you that the world only sees your identity in this world. But you have another identity. In Christ, you are free. You are free from condemnation, free from slavery to sin, free from fear of death, free from the hold of Satan. On the other hand, would all say you are free? Well, you have another identity in Christ. You are a slave of Christ, gladly submitting yourself to his commands at every point.
Being in Christ gives us an identity that is often at odds with our identity in this world. And I think this is the key. We can never lose sight of who we are in Christ. In my own struggles against thinking I need something about my circumstances in life to change in order to be good, or right, or really honoring to God and valuable in his kingdom, this has been what I have prayed the Lord would open my eyes to. “Father, please remind me of who I am and what I have in Christ,” I have prayed again and again.
Paul simply used two examples, but we could use many more, couldn’t we? Are you poor and thinking if you only had more money you could really make a difference for the kingdom? Well, not only does Paul dispute that, reminding us in this text that we can obey in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, but we can also remember that we are united to Christ who is the heir of all things. Thus, we have all things in Christ. Do you feel that you’re not very honorable or haven’t achieved all you should have? Well, in Christ, you are God’s treasured child who will one day reign with Christ.
Set your eyes on this truth so that you may be helped in your times of discontentment or struggle in your circumstances of life. Remember who you are in Christ.
And maybe if you are truthful, your struggle with discontentment or inadequacy in your present circumstances does not so much originate with your own judgment of yourself but your perceived judgment from others. It may not be that you’re so discontent in your achievements in life if it weren’t that so many others around you are succeeding, and it seems that others are looking at you as if you’re simply not measuring up. Or maybe even in your singleness. Perhaps it’s the expectations of others or the questions of others about when you might get married that is the main incentive for your struggle with discontentment. And if that is the case, Paul gives us a good word in verse 23.
After talking about being a slave in Christ or being free in Christ, Paul writes in verse 23, “You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.”
Now, there’s a chance that Paul is meaning this in a literal way, exhorting the Corinthians not to literally become slaves in their culture. And it is no doubt a good thing, if you can keep from it, from becoming a slave of another man in this world. But I don’t think that’s what Paul is saying here. I don’t think he’s being literal here. Rather, I think when he says, “Don’t become bondservants of men” he means, “Don’t become enslaved to the judgments and opinions of men.” In the words of one commentator: “Don’t make yourself dependent on the value judgments of men.”1 I think that’s exactly what Paul is saying.
You can’t live your life imprisoned and enslaved to the value judgments that others make of you, especially when who you are and what you have in Christ is not seen when others make judgments of you. Do others think that with your degree you should have a different job, or at your point in life you should have achieved this, or …? Don’t be enslaved to their value judgments of you.
And why does Paul tell us that we shouldn’t become enslaved to men’s judgments of us? He says, “You were bought with a price.” That is, you belong to Christ. Following the slave imagery, Paul reminds us that you are owned by another. Jesus Christ has purchased you with his blood. Therefore, your responsibility is to please and obey him.
Are you striving to obey his Word, please him, and honor him in all you do? Are you seeking to fight sin and run from temptation? Then it doesn’t so much matter whether others think the circumstances of your life should be different. Let me say it this way, it’s not Jesus that’s telling you, “I can’t believe you’re still single, or only making this much money, or haven’t achieved all these great things, or aren’t being exalted by your fellow man.” He’s merely saying, “You’re mine. Obey me. Seek to please me. That’s all that matters.” And one blessing of being purchased by Christ as he lived, died, and was raised for you is that you no longer have to be enslaved to the value judgments of men.
Do you see how Paul is giving us weapon after weapon to walk in contentment in our situation, knowing that our circumstances cannot keep us from living an honoring, obedient life to the Lord Jesus Christ? Well, there’s one more I want you to see.
In the last verse of our section Paul repeats his main exhortation one more time, but notice how he ends the exhortation in verse 24. He writes, “So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.” Do you see the words? With God. That is, wherever you are this morning, whatever situation you’re in, whatever circumstances you’re facing, the Lord is with you.
For the Corinthians, Paul wanted them to know, that in their difficult marriages to unbelievers, in their widowhood, in their singleness, God is with him. And I say to you this morning, God is with you in your situation. God is with you as you’re raising your child in the difficult situation. God is with you in your loneliness. In fact, the Scripture says he is like a husband to the widow. He is with you. So, be encouraged.
Thirteen years ago, during a difficult time at the church, I drove my car up here, sat on the back and lamented to the Lord about my circumstances. In college, people have all these great dreams for you and tell you, and here I was, pastoring a small group of people in a warehouse. And a great number of them were leaving. It was hard. But that night, as I lamented to the Lord, he reminded me that he was with me, and I think God that that’s been true for the last thirteen years, and it’ll be true no matter what tomorrow holds.
You don’t have to change your circumstances to walk with and honor the Lord. Now, yes, if you’re walking in sin you do. But I mean outside of sin, you don’t have to change your circumstances before you can honor the Lord. You can obey him where you are right now because he’s providentially put you there, he’s purchased you so that you don’t have to be enslaved to what others think of you, he’s united you with him so that your identity is bigger than your situation in life, and he is with you. And if you ever doubt his grace toward you and love for you in your situation, then just remember the cross where he’s proven it in a way that can’t be doubted. So, let us rejoice and profess our faith in Christ as we come to the table this morning. Amen.