Unity: A Study in 1 CorinthiansSample
What does it say?
Paul addressed principles related to marriage and singleness.
What does it mean?
The Corinthians had sent Paul a question: “Is it better to be married or not to be married?” Paul answered that some have the gift of staying single while others have the gift of marriage; either way, it’s a blessing from God. Since Paul was not married, he was able to give every aspect of his being to serve the Lord without distraction. However, those with the gift of marriage should honor that relationship in order to avoid sexual temptation. Each Christian should seek God’s purpose for his life, as guided by the Holy Spirit.
How should I respond?
Our society has rejected God’s principles for both marriage and singleness. People have rearranged God’s ideal in an effort to find happiness through relationships. To which group of people in this passage do you belong? What specific instructions do you need to follow in order to live by God’s standards for marriage, divorce, remarriage, or remaining single? If today is particularly difficult, ask God for strength and guidance. He has a life of purpose designed just for you!
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About this Plan
The church at Corinth was plagued by internal division and sinful derision. Paul provides the only solution potent enough for their disunity and spiritual disruptions: “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:10). 1 Corinthians reminds us that by focusing on Jesus and His glorious resurrection, we too will “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the word of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
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