What does "acting improperly" mean in the context of 1 Corinthians 7:36? Setting the scene Corinth was a bustling port city, saturated with sexual immorality. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul tackles questions believers had sent him about marriage, singleness, and sexual purity. Verse 36 falls in the section where he answers, “What about those who are engaged, or fathers responsible for an unmarried daughter?” Key verse in focus “If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward his virgin, if she is beyond her youth and it must be so, let him do as he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry.” (1 Corinthians 7:36) Digging into “acting improperly” • The Greek verb “aschēmonéō” means to behave shamefully, indecently, or unfittingly. • Paul uses the same root in 1 Corinthians 13:5 (“love… does not act disgracefully”) to describe behavior that violates God-given propriety. • In Chapter 7 the chief concern is sexual purity (vv. 1–2). Anything that stirs continual temptation or brings dishonor to a woman’s reputation counts as “acting improperly.” Two real-life situations Paul could be addressing 1. A fiancé and fiancée delaying marriage • They are committed but keep postponing the wedding. • Prolonged delay fuels passion (v. 9: “For it is better to marry than to burn with passion”). • If the man senses he is nearing the line of sexual misconduct—thoughts, touching, or compromise—he is “acting improperly.” 2. A father withholding marriage for his daughter • In the ancient world a father arranged the marriage. • If she is “beyond her youth” (fully of age) and wishes to marry, blocking her could expose her to temptation or public reproach. • Refusing a suitable marriage when circumstances call for it is likewise “acting improperly.” Why the delay becomes improper • It risks fornication, a sin Paul warns against repeatedly (1 Corinthians 6:18–20). • It can tarnish a woman’s honor in a culture that valued chastity (Deuteronomy 22:13–21). • It violates the principle of loving, protective leadership (Ephesians 5:25–28). • It ignores the legitimate God-given desire for marriage (Genesis 2:18). Related passages that shed light • 1 Thessalonians 4:3–4,7 — “For this is the will of God: your sanctification; that you abstain from sexual immorality… God has not called us to impurity.” • Proverbs 18:22 — Marriage is presented as a blessing, not a concession to sin. • Hebrews 13:4 — “Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled.” Summary of Paul’s counsel If delaying marriage starts to: • Invite sexual temptation, • Endanger reputations, or • Violate loving responsibility, then the man (or father) is “acting improperly.” The godly remedy is simple—“let them marry.” In doing so, they remain pure, honor one another, and walk in obedience to God’s design for marriage. |
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