What is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 7:1? Now for the matters you wrote about Paul opens this section by acknowledging a letter the Corinthian believers had previously sent to him. • He signals a shift in subject, just as he will do again in 1 Corinthians 8:1 and 12:1, showing pastoral responsiveness to their concerns. • The phrase reminds us that Scripture addresses real-life issues raised by real people; God’s Word is not abstract but speaks directly into everyday situations (cf. Acts 15:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:1). • Paul’s willingness to engage their questions models how believers today should seek biblical counsel before forming convictions (Proverbs 19:20; Psalm 119:105). • Because all Scripture is inspired (2 Timothy 3:16), Paul’s response carries divine authority, not mere opinion. It is good to abstain from sexual relations The Corinthians had asked whether celibacy is spiritually superior. Paul begins by affirming that celibacy is indeed “good,” but the verses that follow clarify that it is not mandated for everyone. • “Good” points to moral value, not a universal command; celibacy can foster undistracted devotion to the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:32-35; Matthew 19:11-12). • Marriage is also declared good in Scripture (Genesis 2:18; Hebrews 13:4). Paul will say, “because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife” (1 Corinthians 7:2), balancing the earlier statement. • The apostle later distinguishes between a concession and a command (1 Corinthians 7:6), showing that personal calling determines whether singleness or marriage best serves the Lord’s purposes. • Paul’s affirmation protects against both licentiousness and asceticism: sex is neither to be idolized (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5) nor despised (Proverbs 5:18-19). • Whether single or married, believers are to honor God with their bodies, bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). summary Paul answers a Corinthian question by first agreeing that celibate singleness is “good,” yet the broader context reveals it is a gift, not a rule. Scripture esteems both marriage and celibacy when undertaken in obedience to God’s calling. The guiding principle is wholehearted devotion to the Lord, expressed through purity in singleness or faithfulness in marriage. |
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