1 Corinthians 7:25-40

[Hidden In Him]

Why Soldiers Don't Entangle Themselves In Worldly Affairs, Part 2

     Part 1 of this study focused how Paul's teaching on marriage was actually a practical application of the saying, "a soldier must not entangle himself in the affairs of this world." As Paul explained in a previous passage, marriage at least for those not specifically called to it, could be paramount to making oneself a "slave of men," and in process leave you no longer free to serve the Lord Jesus Christ without hindrance.
     In the context of discussing remaining single vs. marrying, this was essentially Paul's point in telling the Corinthians the following:

     20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it. But if you can be made free, rather use it. 22 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. 23 You were bought at a price. Do not become slaves of men. 24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. (1 Corinthians 7:20-24)

     Paul urged believers to remain single if at all possible, for several reasons. As I related in the previous study, there have been visions given by the Spirit of God which have revealed that many believers with strong callings in our time have nevertheless squandered their opportunity by marrying the wrong person, or marrying when they weren't supposed to. As a result, they have spent their entire lives failing to fulfill the call of God, and are now in old age still hoping they can accomplish His will.
     But in our next passage, Paul will now relate some additional reasons why remaining single was preferable. These are a little more grim, but were nevertheless very relevant to the Christians of his day. They may not seem as relevant to us today, but prophecy suggests they will become increasingly relevant as we move deeper and deeper into the end-times, and conditions become ever more severe.
     As he will now tell them: 

     25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. 29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

     What was the "present crisis" Paul was referring to here, and why would he say that married believers should be living as though not married because the time was short? The Greek word translated "distress" here was occasionally used in reference to compelling others by means of violence and torture. Thus it appears Paul was referring here more specifically to the persecution they were enduring at the hands of the authorities, who were attempting to coerce them into silence. But why would he say the time was now short? The reason is because a lot was going on in the early church era that suggested the return of Christ was already at hand, and they needed to prepare for His coming.
     Increasing persecution and the subsequent increase in expectations of the Lord's return are conditions the end-time church will have to deal with, and as that day approaches, the church will need to again take a closer look at Paul's reasons for why it was a good idea to remain single. Investing in the dream of a happy home, a good marriage, and a white picket fence is certainly something many give themselves to today, and it can come with many blessing when it is truly ordained of God. But such dreams may become less and less relevant the more deeply we move into the end-times, and the increasing distress of persecution, spiritual war and suffering make Paul's teachings evermore relevant by the day.


Why The Apostles Believed Time Was Short

     The widely held belief during New Testament times was that the Lord's return was imminent, and it was not just the apostle Paul who believed this but all the New Testament writers. Both James and Peter made statements to this effect as well:

     Be long-suffering, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the Farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being long-suffering over it until it receives the early and the latter rain. Therefore you be long-suffering also. Firmly establish your hearts, because the coming of the Lord has drawn near. (James 5:7-8)

     The time having past is sufficient for us to have worked out the will of the nations, having walked in licentiousness, lusts, wine drinking, revels...  but the end of all things has drawn near. Be sound-minded therefore, and watchful unto prayers. (1 Peter 4:3, 7)

     Why did they all believe the Lord's return was at hand? Because many of the prophesies spoken by our Lord appeared to be on their way to fulfillment, leading the entire early church to believe the time was now short, and that the "mode of this world was now passing away." For starters, the stage already appeared set for the Antichrist to assume power in Rome. Once he did, it was believed he would march on Jerusalem, set up an image of himself in the temple as a god, and then outlaw worship of the one True God on threat of death. There were already false Christs in the earth as well just as Jesus had promised in Matthew 24, when He told the disciples the following:

     The disciples came to Him privately saying, "Tell us, when shall these things be, and what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said unto them... "Nation shall raise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and earthquakes in diverse places. But all these are the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you up to affliction, and will kill you. And you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake... When therefore you shall see the abomination that causes desolation standing in the Holy Place, that having been spoken of through the prophet Daniel, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains... for then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall be. And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would be saved, but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, the Christ is here, or there,' do not believe it. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall show great signs and wonders so as to mislead if possible even the elect." (Matthew 24:3-4, 7-9, 14-16, 21-25)

     All the above appeared to be on its way to fulfillment. For starters, the phrase "the abomination of desolation" referred to when the Antichrist would eventually conquer Israel, take his seat in the Jewish temple, and thereby demonstrate that he was for all intents and purposes "god" now. It was also believed he would outlaw the observance of Jewish Law, by which he would earn the title "the lawless one," and by 54 A.D. Paul was warning that this "mystery of lawlessness" already appeared to be on its way to realization.
     As he would tell the Thessalonians:

      No one should deceive you in any way if the apostasy has not yet come first and that man of lawlessness has been revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above everything that is called God or is worshipped, so as for him to sit down in the temple of God, exhibiting himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was with you I was telling you these things? And you know it yet remains for him to be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already on its way to realization, only he is holding back at present until he manifests out of the midst, and then shall that lawless one be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus Christ shall annul with the breath of His mouth, and depose with the brightness of His coming. (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8)

     Another thing that seemed to further suggest His return was imminent was the presence of false Christs, whom Jesus also said would precede His coming. For more on this, see 2nd Thessalonians Studies #8, #9, and #10. For additional detail on fears that the Antichrist was potentially only years away, also see 2 Thessalonians Studies...


The "Present Distress" Christians Were Facing

     Along with witnessing the unfolding of end-time prophecies that suggested Christ's return was imminent, the early church was suffering persecution just as Jesus had promised as well. Paul spoke of this to the Thessalonians, encouraging them that what was happening to them was no coincidence, for it was happening to everyone who was choosing to live godly in Christ Jesus:

     You became imitators, brothers, of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus, in that you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus, and the prophets, and drove us out... But you yourselves know that we are appointed unto this, for even when we were with you we were telling you beforehand that we were about to suffer affliction, even as it came to pass, which you know. (1 Thessalonians 2:12-15, 3:4)

     The epitome of a soldier on the front lines was the apostle Paul himself, who in enduring beatings and floggings refused to stop preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. As he told the Thessalonians in this same letter:

     For our good news did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and in great assurance, even as you know what type of men we were among you for your sakes… For you yourselves know, brothers, that the entrance we made unto you was not in vain, but having been treated abusively and made to suffer at Philippi beforehand, we were nevertheless bold in our God to speak the gospel of God to you amid great contentiousness, even as you know. (1 Thessalonians 1:5, 2:1-3)

     In a succeeding letter, Paul would catalog for the Corinthians the full gamut of what he was enduring at the hands of persecutors, telling them:

      I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. In traveling frequently I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, in danger from false brethren, [serving God] amid labor and toil, frequent sleeplessness, hunger and thirst, frequent fastings, and cold and nakedness. (2 Corinthians 11:23-27)

     Given the persecution that he and others were suffering through at the time, it didn't seem to be the best or wisest environment to be starting a family in, and it is especially difficult to envision a soldier of Christ like the apostle Paul having to see to a wife and children. His entire mindset was in advising Christians to adopt the same mindset he had; that they were soldiers awaiting return of the Lord Jesus Christ from Heaven, and needed to remain ever alert and watchful for the events that would precede it:

     We who are of the Day should remain sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of deliverance, for God has not appointed us unto wrath but to obtain deliverance through Him who died for us, our Lord Jesus Christ, that whether you may watch or we may sleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore exhort one another and edify each other, even as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:8-11)


As We See The Day Now Truly Approaching

     The apostles turned out to be mistaken, and Christ's return did not come in their lifetimes. But it is becoming evident from the way world events are taking shape that the day may indeed be approaching now, and this time for real. Israel is surrounded by Muslim nations, and Islamic leaders over the last several decades have cited Muslim prophecy that the day is coming when the Jews will be exterminated as a race, and completely wiped off the map. And when the Antichrist does finally assume power, Christians will fair no better, for it is prophesied that when Satan realizes he cannot completely exterminate the Jews, he will turn against the Christians instead (Revelation 12...)
     Kathryn Baxter received a prophecy concerning this, and the conditions that will exist after the Antichrist has assumed world dominion:

     The beast and his followers will persecute those who refuse the mark, and will kill many of them. Whatever pressures they can bring to bear will be used to force believers of the true God to be marked. Children and infants will be killed before the eyes of the parents who refuse to take the mark. There will be a time of great mourning...
     Some of you will weaken and surrender to the beast and receive his mark in your hand or forehead. You will say, 'God will forgive. God will understand.' But I will not repent of My Word. I have warned you repeatedly through the mouths of My prophets and ministers of the gospel.... If you do not obey the beast and refuse to take his mark, I will take care of you. I do not say that many will not have to die for their faith in these times, for many will be beheaded for trusting the Lord God. But blessed are those who die in the Lord, for great will be their reward... Fear not what man can do to you, but fear him who can cast your soul and body into Hell. (Baxter, A Divine Revelation Of Hell, P.196-197).

     Jesus also warned concerning this time that those who are weak in the faith will betray fellow believers to their deaths, not being willing to pay the ultimate price for trusting in the Lord. As He told the disciples:

     You will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith, and will betray and hate each other... and because of the increase in wickedness, the love of many will grow cold, but the one who stands firm until the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:9-13)

     All things considered then, there will be numerous reasons why marrying may involve greater risks during the end-times. Should a believer be married to someone who isn't strong enough to stand for Christ, they may find themselves being betrayed into the hands of the authorities by someone they entrusted with their very lives. As a result, those wishing to give themselves completely to the Lord's service may forego marriage, choosing instead to focus exclusively on fighting the good fight of faith with whatever time they have left.