For a full description of the (Y3) reading plan, see the “About” page.
- What attributes of God’s character does this passage reveal?
- How does the passage point to Jesus?
- How should the truth of this passage change me?
- How do the events of today’s reading help you better understand the grand narrative of Scripture?
1 Cor. 7
Paul made an interesting statement about husbands and wives here. He said, “A wife does not have the right over her own body, but her husband does. In the same way, a husband does not have the right over his own body, but his wife does.” (1 Cor. 7:4). When I read that, I couldn’t help but think of the mantra of women who support abortion. They defiantly shout, “My body, my choice!” Never mind the murder of innocent, unborn babies this mantra supports, the mantra itself is not a Biblical concept. Our bodies, in many ways, are not our own.
My line of thought with this actually has nothing to do with other people’s rights over our bodies. To me, Paul’s statement, and the reason that mantra is not Biblical, has more to do with commitment and devotion. When a man and a woman give themselves to each other in marriage, they are to give their whole selves. That includes their bodies. Which means they no longer do whatever they want whenever they want because there is now somebody else to consider. And the oath of marriage is to love that somebody else with all you are and all you have no matter what.
The real insight comes when you realize that marriage is a model of our restored relationship with God through Christ. My mother-in-law, who is suffering from the confused mind that comes with age and 24/7 bed confinement, made a profound statement to me yesterday. She said that people should be as devoted to their marriages as they are to God. So there it is. When we give ourselves to God, we are to give our whole selves. That includes our bodies. Which means that we no longer do whatever we want whenever we want because we have made a lifelong commitment to love God with all that we are and all that He has given us, no matter what.
1 Cor. 8-9
As believers, God has given us knowledge of His Gospel, leading to our salvation and freedom from sin and the Law. What, then, should we do with these gifts? Paul says that if we use these gifts to serve ourselves without regard to the obstacles our actions might create for others, we aren’t acting in love. I love how Paul puts it. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it.” (1 Cor. 8:1b-2). This goes along with the concept that we don’t really receive anything from God until it flows through us to others. In this case, if our knowledge of our freedom works to enslave others, we aren’t really free after all.
Paul used his own life as an example to demonstrate this teaching. As an apostle and a teacher of the gospel, he had certain “rights”. He chose, however, not to claim those rights, “so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.” (1 Cor. 9:12c). Interestingly, he equated this to storing up treasures in heaven, essentially saying that his reward was in the rights he gave up. He did not preach the gospel for the rights it gave him, but, rather, because it was his commission. Just as an athlete, Paul worked with purpose toward an end result.
What does all of this mean for my life? Though I am not an apostle or an evangelist, Christ still commissioned me to love God and love others. That means I am to put love of others before the knowledge of my own freedoms. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not at all saying that we should live to please others. We do need to learn to recognize, however, those times when that spirit of defiance rises up in us, causing our knowledge of our freedom in Christ to puff us up. Those are the times we need to set our freedoms aside and choose to love others instead.