Newsletter Vol.1, #39—September 18, 2005
Matthew 6: 24"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” ESV
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Ain’t It Funny, How Time Slips Away!
Remember that old country song? Its true, isn’t it? And the older we get, the quicker time slips away!
We moved here the first part of December last year and its already September! Nine months have slipped away!
We are appreciative of the brethren here and thankful for you. Especially are we thankful for your thoughtfulness and kindness during this period when I have been somewhat incapacitated.
It might be good if I give you a little information regarding my “office hours.” I do not keep regular office hours, but you can usually reach me just about any time since my office is in my home. I am an early morning person and I’m usually in my office before 7 a.m. and usually close up shop about 5 p.m. although I still do some work on sermons for Sunday or the Bible classes in my bedroom (using my laptop).
I welcome any calls or visits from brethren and encourage any questions or comments – either about my work or something you have a Bible question about or comment regarding a passage of Scripture.
--Larry A. Bunch
THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION
--Larry Ray Hafley
Question:
From Texas: “It is agreed that Christians should marry Christians, but does ‘only in the Lord’ in 1 Cor.7:39 mean only a Christian?”
REPLY:
“The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord” (1 Cor.7:39). This text and its phrase “only in the Lord” has claimed the energies of Bible students through the years. It is a difficult text in some respects. I do not profess to have all the answers. (I do not even know all the questions!) But with an open mind and Bible we can approach this passage with a sincere desire to know the will of the Lord. When we have dug around the foundations, when we have excavated and mined the precious ore and metal of Divine truth, let us resolve to preach and practice what we have learned.
(1) The Context: In I Corinthians Paul spends space responding to items written to him, “Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me” (I Cor.7:1; cf. 7:25; 8:1; 12:1; 15:35). We do not know what they had written to him, but the circumstances the Corinthians displayed may have prompted and provoked his utterance, “It is good for a man not to touch (marry-lrh) a woman.” To avoid sexual immorality, one should marry. Not everyone could be celibate as Paul (1 Cor.7:2-9).
Next, Paul discusses Christians married to unbelievers (1 Cor.7:10-16). Had the Corinthians asked him about this? Possibly. Then he comments on maidens, “Now concerning virgins” (1 Cor.7:25). Again, it is likely the Corinthians had asked him about this matter. Thus, this topic with its attendant advice and admonition continues through verse 38. The “So then” of verse 38 is a conclusion of the thought commenced and introduced in verse 25. In verse 39, he refers to the married status. In verses 10-16, he urged those married to unbelievers hot to leave their companions. In verse 12, he says, “Let him not put her (the unbelieving wife- lrh) away.” In verse 13, he says, “Let her not leave him (the unbelieving husband-lrh).” In verse 39, he summarizes the substance of what he stated in verses 12 and 13. “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth.” Well, Paul, suppose her husband is dead? “But if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to marry whom she will; only in the Lord.” That is, this time, under the circumstances of the “present distress” (v.26), you must marry a believer, a Christian, one who is in the Lord.
In this context, Paul is considering a particular situation. Where this circumstance does not obtain, the order cannot be enforced. One should not generalize a specific. Paul goes on to say in verse 40 that he believes a widow should remain unmarried. because of the “present distress” (vs. 26). Do brethren today encourage widows to remain unmarried? Do we tell widows today they will be “happier” if they remain unmarried? No, but Paul did. If brethren are consistent in their general use of verse 39 when they say every widow in all ages and situations is always bound to marry a Christian; then they should first advise every widow to remain unmarried, If they bind verse 39 in all ages, at all times, why not verse 40? But why did Paul tell the widows then they would be “happier” if they did not remarry? Because at this time marriage was under the handicap of that “present distress.” Under similar circumstances, the same advice should be given today as was given in verse 40, but when that condition is not prevalent, the advice is not extended. Likewise, with verse 39, If a widow marries after her husband dies, let her marry only a believer due to the present distress,” and the “trouble in the flesh” (v.28).
(2) “In The Lord:” The expression “in the Lord” is used several times in 1 Corinthians (1:31; 4:17; 7:22; 7:39; 11:11; 15:58). Each time it refers to a sphere or location. It has reference to place and not to manner.
Conclusion: Some in Corinth wondered and inquired, “Should we put away our unbelieviug mates”“ And Paul replied, “No, live with them if they be pleased to live with you; however, in the present distress in this difficult period, if your mate dies and you marry again, marry only a believer. Although, in my judgment, one would be happier, better off, if they just remained unmarried.” --Truth Magazine, Vol.19, #19
Note: Our Bible Class is in a study of Ephesians and Wednesday night we got to 6:1 which brings up the question discussed above. I maintained that “in the Lord” means “Christian” in all instances the phrase is found in the New Testament. I was wrong!
Eph.6:1 is one passage that probably means “as the Lord instructs” – consider these passages also: Acts 9:42; 14:3; 16:2; 1 Cor.16:19; 2 Cor.10:17
Here are all the other passages: Rom.16:8,11,12,13, 22; 1 Cor.1:31; 4:17; 7:22,39; 9:1,2; 11:11; 15:58; Eph.1:15; 2:21; 4:17; 5:8; 6:1,10,21; Phil.1:14; 2:19, 24,29; 3:1; 4:1,2,4,10; Col.3:18; 4:7,17; 1 Thess.1:1; 3:8; 5:12; 2 Thess.3:4; Phm.1:16,20; Rev.14:13. –Larry A. Bunch