1 Corinthians 7:25

1 Corinthians 7:25 says, Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.  Paul said that he had no commandment from the Lord concerning what he was about to write.  Though Paul said he had no commandment from the Lord, he still had the Holy Spirit directing him as he wrote these things.  We may not have a direct voice from God commanding us in every situation, but we do have the Holy Spirit to help us discern the truth.  Paul was still writing under the leadership of the Lord.  Verse twenty-six adds, I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I say, that it is good for a man so to be. Christians were suffering a lot of persecution at the time Paul was writing, and he said that in this time of persecution it might be better to be single.  Paul was certainly not condemning marriage.  We must remember that God Himself ordained marriage.  Yet, Paul said that marriage brings responsibility for the well-being of the spouse into the relationship with God and the world.  Verse twenty-seven continues, Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.  Paul was writing to the Christians at Corinth during a time of persecution.  We recognize his letter to the Corinthians as God's word to His people then and now.  I believe that Paul was saying that those who were married had a greater responsibility to things of this world than did those who were not married, so the unmarried person would have greater freedom to serve God, especially in those perilous days.  Paul was never endorsing a lifetime of celibacy for believers or even for those in certain positions in the church.  Verse twenty-eight states, But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.  Paul said that marrying was not a sin, but that marriage brought with it responsibilities.  Some people today ask why anyone would want to get married in these times of trouble that we live in, because being responsible for one's own life is hard enough.  What we have to remember is that marriage is ordained of God, and when two Christians are married, they strengthen and uplift one another, especially through the hard times.  Verse twenty-nine adds, But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;  I believe that Paul was saying that those who were married should put doing God's work ahead of many of the responsibilities that marriage can bring.  Paul said time was running short, and that reaching people for Christ needed to come first.  It still does. This does not mean that family is unimportant, but that we are to put God first and have faith that He will take care of our families when we do.  Verse thirty continues, And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;  I believe Paul is still speaking about not allowing anything in this world to come between God and us.  The things of this world should not be our priority.  Verse thirty-one concludes, And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.  We are not to abuse the world.  We are to be responsible in the way we use any of the world's resources, but need to acknowledge at the same time that they are only temporary.  We can allow nothing to come between us and our relationship with God, but through His leadership all things will be made good.