You have a master, its the Lord Jesus Christ. "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). So, he says in verse eighteen, Let him not be circumcised. If a Gentile man became a believer in Jesus the Jewish Messiah, he himself did not have to then become Jewish. Let me conclude now with some practical implications. In other words, in communion with God this would secure their contentment and happiness. Gods life gives us courage as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Do they love Jesus in a way that through the challenges of life they will never be a hinderance to following Jesus? In 1 Corinthians 7:8, I know what God has called me to be to my family and I know that this job will take time away from me which will cut into the way that I should be loving my family and the way that I should be serving in my church and my neighbors. These three statements of Paul's principle divide the text into two parts. Most practically, how do we evaluate opportunities that present themselves? (All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated). Stay Where You're Called (1 Corinthians 7:17-24) In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He also gives us some illustrations of what this principle should look like in some specific cases. I love to watch Paul put his theology to work like this. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him Learn more about Desiring God Ways to Follow. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.1 Corinthians 7:17-24, ESV All of our resources exist to guide you toward everlasting joy in Jesus Christ. Let's read 1 Corinthians 7:1724. 1 corinthians 7 17 24, Sermon series on 1 corinthians 7 17 24, Sermon series about 1 corinthians 7 17 24. He didnt have to be circumcised, and become a devoted follower of the Jewish religious traditions. There are times where opportunities present themselves to make something different of our circumstances. In both of those cases, Paul is saying remain in your assignments, whatever they may be as you await the hope of glory when Christ returns. Why You Should Preach This Book. Christianity is not a revolutionary religion of upward social mobility. Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. Never mind." Our big idea today is this,We can abide in our circumstances because God calls us to abide with him. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. We are to walk as faithful followers of Jesus in whatever place of life it is that God has called us to Himself. This may be correct, but I find it hard to accept since the principle he is illustrating is expressed in v. 20 as "Everyone should remain in the state in which he was called," and in verse 24 as "In whatever state each was called, there let him remain with God." This has far-reaching cultural implications: if you are black, don't try to become white; if you are white, don't try to become black. It deals with the single lifestyle and what if offers compares to the marriage. Not for an answer, but for the wisdom that other believers, who are further along in the faith perhaps, have gained through the Holy Spirits illumination in their lives as they have been faced with similar questions. The call of God which puts us into believing, loving fellowship with Jesus is a powerful, effective call that draws us to the Son (John 6:44, 65). Yet if you are in the condition of a bondservant, understand you dont need to seek a change from that either. Where we are in our life is not by accident. He told them; If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. We begin to treat our daily responsibilities and duties more seriously. But it's true. He could have said, "For being a slave is nothing, and being a freedman is nothing, but keeping the commands of God is everything." Jun 14, 1981. And Paul's answer is: You don't need to abandon your vocation if you can stay in it with God. Other times slavery provided opportunities for upward social mobility that poor people wouldnt normally have. Paul says that its good, if you can, to remain in the situation that you are in. Is this fulfilling my personal goals and aspirations? Paul has already used this word a few times and its good to look back and see them. Dont be anxious about your assignment in life. English Standard Version Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This sermon (1 Corinthians 1: 10 - 17) was preached at West Ewell Evangelical Church, Surrey, on Sunday 15 March 2015. There were some Jewish Christians who insisted on that, however. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. A- He has discussed marriage and divorce. Then Paul expands that principle to show us that its a general principle that should affect all of our lives. Please place your trust in Him. Introduction. In verse 19, Paul wrote, Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing And we should understand that Paul, in saying this, didnt mean that such things didnt matter. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 Study Guide: The Sin of Tolerance. b. Theme: We are to walk as a faithful Christian in the place of life where God has called us to Himself. The Bible tells us that. What does that mean? Father make us steeped in the scriptures, not so we can just spit out the right answers without thinking to complicated questions, but so that you can frame the way that we are thinking and wrestling with you in prayer. Amen. The first word is assignments, I see this in verse seventeen. New practices and habits begin to be embraced. O God, give me the grace to obey your commandments, which I know are all summed up in this, to love my neighbor as myself. Sunday services at 10:30 am. In verse twenty-four Paul tells us what is means to abide with God. Its taking the objective teaching of scriptures and applying it to the specifics of our lives. Let no man enslave your soul. Sermons on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24: showing 1-15 of 94 Sort By Scripture Clear Scripture Filters Rating 5 stars 4 stars or more 3 stars or more Any Rating Date Last Week Last Month Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last Year Any Time Denominations Adventist (1) Anglican (1) Assembly Of God (4) Baptist (30) Calvary Chapel (2) Show more Language English (93) Christianity is a message that the calling of God transformations whatever you are doing so that you can remain there. These are our assignments, the relationships that God has given us to live in. Not only that, but this translation does not do justice to all the words in the Greek ("even" and "rather") which come out in the alternative translation: "Were you called as a slave? Gods joy gives us perseverance in the midst of sorrow. And do you remember what Zacchaeus did? We will pervert Paul's teaching and miss his intention if we take the sentence, "Let the uncircumcised not be circumcised" (verse 18), and make it an absolute prohibition of cultural adaptations. They are made brand new on the inside. Praise God for the total transformation that comes from being a new creation in Christ. Some Jewish men made themselves Hellenisticthat is, members of Greek cultureby doing so. Search the scriptures, but not for an answer. The moment any woman or man or young person places their faith in Jesus Christ, they become completely born-again in Him. Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. Rather, he simply meant that in terms of a saving relationship with God through Christ, those things are not what is important. Now obviously, staying in that place in which He called us assumes that it is not an inherently sinful place. How do I sort through my own mixed emotions when Im trying to make decisions on how to live in the various circumstances of my life? The calling of God hits you right there and you are no longer dead in your sins and trespasses, but by the grace of the Holy Spirit your eyes are opened to the goodness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. It will transform and transcend everything else you do. 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 (1 Corinthians 7:12-14). The new legalism would say, "You can't be circumcised if you want to be saved. You are not my life. "So brethren," Paul concludes in verse 24, "In whatever state each was called, let him remain with God." Very simply the call of God that comes to a person in his vocation is the power of God converting the soul through the gospel. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Gods Calling Teaches Us to Abide with God. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lords freedman. Hes talking about this calling about what Jesus has done and a calling to believe that what Jesus has done is for me.Let me read you what the Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 67 defines the effectual call as it looks at all the places this word is used in scripture. Specifically, the definition that we are going to get about what this calling is toward is in verse twenty-four. I have to ask for the illumination to understand the objective teaching of scripture, does that line up with this situation? He is not to become uncircumcised. Its important to remember that when someone comes to faith in Jesus, it wasnt only thenat that momentthat God had begun to work in their lives. Rejoice in the Lord and hope in him and you will be freer than all the anxious nobles." Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. If they were called to God in a state of cultural slavery, then they are to be faithful to walk with Jesus Christ as His servants within that state of slavery. We are to go to the same job or the same schoolbut were to now do it all as before God, and as His servants, and with trust in Him, and as unto His glory. They are new creations. The Bible is an objective word; and it speaks objectively to some situations.There are other situations that are subjective. He may call us to Himself while we are in a place of sin; but He then leads us to live for Him outside that place of sin. First, I believe we should learn to be confident in Gods call for us. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) Either waywhatever the cultural or social situation we are called in, we are to do as Paul says in verse 24. Most Popular. The calling of life has been provided by nothing less than the blood of Jesus Christ and the faith that he gives us by the Holy Spirit. You dont have to leave what you are doing; you dont have to quit your job and enter full time vocational ministry. Are we doing this in response of faith and the obedience to Jesus Christ in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in? This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Don't let that be a care to you; but, even if you can become a freedman, rather make use of (your present position)." Paul says you dont have to worry about different groups of people, the horizontal assignments you have. And now, as we continue our study in 1 Corinthians 7, we find that this was not just a principle meant only for marriage. We dont need to be so concerned with what we are getting out of life. 21 Were you a bondservant when called? Paul is a very unfashionable thinker and, therefore, eternally relevant. Some of them had become born again by faith in Jesus, and were now brand new creations in Christ. What do the scriptures teach about how God leads and directs the various circumstances in our lives? Our separation from the world as Gods holy church is not marked by ceremonial circumcision, but by holy obedience that God graciously enables through Christ by his spirit in our lives. Paul's first application of the principle is not to vocation, but to circumcision and uncircumcision. John Piper Dec 9, 1984. Do you notice how he was able to say how thankful he was for his calling? This is actually a remarkable thing, if you were a Jew, one of the primary things you were called to do was to be circumcised. Paul gave the same principle again in verse 20; Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Do you notice that Paul referred to that place in which God calls us as a calling? This wasnt meant just for the believers in Corinth. I have no doubt that, if all our young people are bending every effort to stay close to God and to obey the commands of Scripture, God will distribute them in the world exactly where he wants their influence for him. How you fulfill the demands of that job is just as essential in life as what you do here on Sunday. He was considered a traitor to the covenant promises of Israel, and a robber of his own people. Respond to Gods effectual call through faith in Jesus. We begin to pray about everything. We areeach of usto remain with God in that state in which we were called. Stay in the relationship you were in when God called you to faith. In verse 23, Paul said, You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. And that is the true condition of a new creation in Christ, whether they are a slaves or freedmen. Gods Calling Transcends Vertical Assignments Paul is not saying that a professional thief or a Corinthian cult prostitute should stay in the calling in which they were called. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Denomination: Baptist God's Word About Sex, Divorce, & Singleness Series Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Mar 6, 2003 based on 27 ratings | 5,976 views The purpose of this sermon is to teach God's Word about these areas and inspire obedience to it. The point is: when you are called into the fellowship of Christ, you gain a new set of radically Christ-centered priorities; so much so that if you are a slave, it should not cause you to fret. It declares to us how much it is that Jesus transforms the life of whoever trusts in Him. Quietness Of Spirit . We belong to Him wherever He calls us; For, as Paul tells us in verses 22, he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lords freedman. That is the great message of this mornings passage. This is my rule in all the churches. This, then, is a very important principle for new creations in Christ. The early church lifted up the single lifestyle. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. In Corinth, there was a grave danger facing a girl who had reached the age of marriage. The fact were urged to stay in the place we were when God called us does not mean that thats where God will always keep us. As one commentator, Lenski, writes, Paul is taking the minor idea of these assignments that we have, and he is including them with the major blessing to the call to faith in Jesus Christ.. That has to do with our outward mode of lifethe place of life in this world that God has granted to us. But if it is not sinful place of lifeif it is not a place that is in violation of Gods clear commandmentsthen we are to remain there and let God work through us. 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 New American Standard Bible 17 Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this way let him walk. We start seeking out fellowship with other Christians. 2. One of the questions that they asked had to do with their marriages. These assignments are the circumstances of our lives. God had providentially called them from within that particular relationship in order that He might use them as a witness to their unbelieving husband or unbelieving wife. He is saying that in the gospel there is an antidote for despair in menial jobs and an antidote for pride in highly esteemed jobs. You have heard this morning about how He transforms the lives of all those who trust Him. They are different from circumstance to circumstance and person to person. Responsible Freedom - 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. You have to look at what the scriptures teach, and you have to ask for Gods illumination to see how that relates to what is in front of me. This is a very unfashionable teaching in contemporary western society, because it cuts the nerve of worldly ambition. There's the crucial phrase. God would not call us in Christ to remain in a continually sinful lifestyle or to carry on sinful practices. The circumstances you are in are relatively unimportant because of the glory that God is calling to you in Christ. Do not be concerned about it Paul didnt mean, of course, that it was a matter of indifference that someone was a slave.
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