Based on 1 Corinthians 7:1-24 (New King James Version)
“Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. But I say this as a concession, not as a commandment. For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to divorce his wife. But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband; otherwise your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”
In this passage, we received the Lord’s counsel for what to do with respect to our relationships. We should always remember that the Lord was the One that created marriage. It is clear that much evil has been done against marriage because of the sins of many. The institution of marriage has been abused, distorted, and turned into something that is very far from what God designed. Nonetheless, even though man tries to destroy it, that doesn’t mean that it is something that is no good. God through Christ comes to give meaning to things again, but in the manner they were designed. So then, if a person wishes to do God’s will, then they always need to see what He commands and not do as they think.
Now then, the Word teaches us that getting married or staying single is not sin. But each situation bears its own responsibility. If a person gets married, then they need to treat marriage the way God says they should. And yes, that implies that for obvious reasons, they will need to use more energy to precisely take care of their marriage. That’s why it says that a man needs to render affection to the woman, and the women needs to render affection to the man. There is nothing here related to manipulation or abuse on any side. If either person does such things, they have already started to destroy what they have. The Bible teaches us that there must be love, respect, and order in marriage.
With regards to marriage and when it speaks about the union with an unbeliever, it is referring to when a couple have been exposed to the Gospel and one of the parties receives the Lord and the other one has not yet. There is no implication here about justifying being unequally yoked because the Bible does not contradict itself. A single person that belongs to the Lord should not get married to an unbeliever. The advice that the apostle gives here is that if both spouses are in agreement, and there is no forbidding one to follow the Lord or if the unbeliever wants to stay in the relationship, then they should stay together. So then, under those conditions, a marriage between a believer and unbeliever can continue, especially with the hope that the unbeliever converts to the Lord.
In the same manner, a single person or a widow also have an order, that there can be no fornication, and fornication consists of having sexual relations outside of a marriage relationship. It is clear in the Word of God that He will judge fornication, and the consequences will become evident both now and even worse, in the coming judgement, if there is no repentance and change in lifestyle. If a person practices fornication, they will not inherit the kingdom of God. What the apostle teaches us even further is that if a person does not have any issue with fornication, that it is even a good idea to remain single because they obviously will not have carnal ties (per se). They are freer to do things for the Lord.
Throughout all of this, what we can see implicitly here is that everything that we do, we should always take the Lord into consideration. The Lord should be our main goal along with fulfilling His commandments. As it is written: “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” Romans 14:8-9. We should always think about the reality that we all will give an account for our actions, including those of us that have come to Christ. Do not let yourselves be deceived by the lie and use grace as a shield to justify sin. This is what the Word teaches: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. In all things, the Lord should be our first consideration, our priority. He should be above everything in our life, for this is the first commandment: “…‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” Mark 12:29b-30. So then, are you honoring God and treating Him as Lord in whatever state you are, knowing that one day you will give an account for everything you do, whether good or evil? Lord bless! John