Do All You Can To Be Devoted

After addressing a number of matters that should not be occurring amongst the believers at Corinth, such as boasting in worldly wisdom, divisions, tolerance of gross sexual misconduct, public lawsuits over trivial matters and sexual immorality, Paul goes on the offensive in chapter 7, providing a potential preventative for at least one of these issues by saying what should be happening amongst them: sex... in the right and proper context of marriage, where there is a mutual giving of oneself to the other in love.

The culture of our day is not unlike aspects of that in Corinth. We too, need all of God's help and instruction in regards to our marriage relationships and our conduct with one another, married or not. What a gracious Father we have... who isn't squeamish when it comes to such things.

Paul goes on to instruct the members of the church to remain as they were when they were called, as much as it is possible, whether married, single, betrothed, slave or free. The reason behind these instructions is so that each person can lead the life to which God has called them (v. 17), without increasing the risk of immorality (vv. 2, 5, 9, 36) and to promote good order and undivided devotion to the Lord (v. 35).