1 Corinthians 7: ☧'s Marriage Fundamentals Amid Distress

Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, North Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study 1 Corinthians 7. “Those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short.” Is Paul for or against marriage? In chapter 7 the Apostle charts a middle course, not for the sake of compromise, but with a view to both the present circumstances as well as the unchanging fundamentals. Marriage, sex, and family are good gifts from God, central to His created order. Yet in the midst of famine, political turmoil, and impending war & disaster, it was not a good time to start a family. Paul offers pastoral counsel that focuses on how God has called us, not our own desires or individualistic preferences. By God’s own faithfulness in Christ, we know grace in this major part of our lives.