October 9, 2025 • 8 mins
1 Corinthians 7:25-40
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
This is the Love One Another podcast from Beach Point
Church.
Together, we're exploring thefirst letter to the Corinthians
with the hope that we will beformed by the way of the cross
and the love of the one who boreit.
Admitting, as this letter says,that we are nothing without
love.
Love empowered by the Spiritthrough the work of Jesus is an
(00:26):
unstoppable force.
It invites each of us to joinGod in the work of redeeming all
things back to God's self.
With that in mind, let's openour hearts to God's word today.
SPEAKER_01 (00:48):
Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord,
but I give a judgment as one whoby the Lord's mercy is
trustworthy.
Because of the present crisis, Ithink that it is good for a man
to remain as he is.
Are you pledged to a woman?
Do you seek to be released?
Are you free from such acommitment?
(01:09):
Do not look for a wife.
But if you do marry, you havenot sinned, and if a virgin
marries, she has not sinned.
But those who marry will facemany troubles in this life, and
I want to spare you this.
What I mean, brothers andsisters, is that the time is
short.
From now on, those who havewives should live as if they do
not, those who mourn as if theydid not, those who are happy as
(01:33):
if they were not, those who buysomething as if it were not
theirs to keep, those who usethe things of this world as if
not engrossed in them, for thisworld in its present form is
passing away.
I would like you to be free fromconcern.
An unmarried man is concernedabout the Lord's affairs, how he
(01:54):
can please the Lord.
But a married man is concernedabout the affairs of this world,
how he can please his wife, andhis interests are divided.
An unmarried woman or a virginis concerned about the Lord's
affairs, her aim is to bedevoted to the Lord in both body
and spirit.
But a married woman is concernedabout the affairs of this world,
(02:15):
how she can please her husband.
I am saying this for your owngood, not to restrict you, but
that you may live in a right wayin undivided devotion to the
Lord.
If anyone is worried that hemight not be acting honorably
toward the virgin he is engagedto, and if his passions are too
strong and he feels he ought tomarry, he should do as he wants.
(02:39):
He is not sinning.
They should get married.
But the man who has settled thematter in his own mind, who is
under no compulsion, but hascontrol over his own will, and
who has made up his mind not tomarry the virgin, this man also
does the right thing.
So then he who marries thevirgin does right, but he who
does not marry her does better.
(03:01):
A woman is bound to her husbandas long as he lives, but if her
husband dies, she is free tomarry anyone she wishes, but he
must belong to the Lord.
In my judgment, she is happierif she stays as she is, and I
think that I too have the Spiritof God.
(03:21):
My wife and I are about to entera new season, empty nesters.
We haven't been without kids forthirty years.
One way I've been managing thischange is to reflect on all the
seasons I have served the Lordin.
I was single, then newlymarried, then small kids, teens,
and now adult kids.
In each season, the challengeswere unique, but what was
(03:42):
constant was our desire to servethe Lord well.
We sought to steward theopportunities and challenges
that each unique period of lifepresented to us.
In this portion of the chapter,Paul turns his attention more
specifically to those who areunmarried or engaged, offering
pastoral wisdom to people tryingto follow Jesus in uncertain
(04:03):
times.
He makes it clear that he is notissuing commands, but giving
trustworthy counsel shaped bymercy and experience.
The culture in Corinth waschaotic and unstable.
And Paul wanted believers to befocused, not frantic.
His message is not that marriageis wrong or less spiritual, but
that there is a gift inundivided devotion.
(04:26):
For those who are not married,there's a unique opportunity to
give full attention to the Lordwithout the additional concerns
that come with family life.
It is essential to understandPaul's heart in this context.
He's not elevating one lifestage over another.
He's not downplaying the beautyof marriage or family.
What he is doing is lifting oureyes to what matters most, our
(04:49):
relationship with the Lord.
In every season, the goalremains the same: to live a life
that honors God and reflects hisgoodness.
This is a message thatchallenges every heart.
For the married, it serves as areminder that devotion to Christ
does not cease when wedding vowsare exchanged.
For the single, it is aninvitation to see this season
(05:11):
not as a holding pattern, but asa holy calling.
Paul also acknowledges that timeis short.
The world as we know it ispassing away.
That is not a reason to panic,it's a reason to live with
focus.
The things we often stress aboutare temporary.
What will matter in the end isnot a relationship status, our
(05:32):
possessions, or a perfect plan,but whether we live with a heart
set on the kingdom of God.
At the end of the chapter, Paulhonors the responsibility of
those entrusted with decisions,parents, engaged couples, and
widows, calling them to seekwisdom, not pressure.
Each decision should be madeconsidering the bigger picture.
(05:53):
What will bring peace,faithfulness, and freedom to
serve the Lord.
This passage is not a rule book,it's a call to live with clarity
and purpose, no matter yourseason of life.
Paul's message is that we aremost fulfilled, not when we have
everything the world says weshould want, but when we are
fully present, surrendered, andready to respond to God's
(06:17):
leading.
Here are some questions fortoday's reflection.
Have you been viewing yourcurrent season as a gift or a
limitation?
(07:09):
How would your priorities shiftif you truly believed that the
time is short and eternity isnear?
(07:34):
Whatever your season, set yourheart on him.
Live now with devotion thatlasts forever.
SPEAKER_00 (07:48):
Thank you for taking intentional time to align
yourself with God's love and thecall to love one another.
You can find Love One AnotherSermon Series and other
resources at Beachpoint.comslash messages or on the
Beachpoint Church app.
May you carry the love of Godinto every encounter you have
(08:09):
today.
This is the Love One Another podcast from Beach Point
Church.
Together, we're exploring thefirst letter to the Corinthians
with the hope that we will beformed by the way of the cross
and the love of the one who boreit.
Admitting, as this letter says,that we are nothing without
love.
Love empowered by the Spiritthrough the work of Jesus is an
(00:26):
unstoppable force.
It invites each of us to joinGod in the work of redeeming all
things back to God's self.
With that in mind, let's openour hearts to God's word today.
SPEAKER_01 (00:48):
Now about virgins, I have no command from the Lord,
but I give a judgment as one whoby the Lord's mercy is
trustworthy.
Because of the present crisis, Ithink that it is good for a man
to remain as he is.
Are you pledged to a woman?
Do you seek to be released?
Are you free from such acommitment?
(01:09):
Do not look for a wife.
But if you do marry, you havenot sinned, and if a virgin
marries, she has not sinned.
But those who marry will facemany troubles in this life, and
I want to spare you this.
What I mean, brothers andsisters, is that the time is
short.
From now on, those who havewives should live as if they do
not, those who mourn as if theydid not, those who are happy as
(01:33):
if they were not, those who buysomething as if it were not
theirs to keep, those who usethe things of this world as if
not engrossed in them, for thisworld in its present form is
passing away.
I would like you to be free fromconcern.
An unmarried man is concernedabout the Lord's affairs, how he
(01:54):
can please the Lord.
But a married man is concernedabout the affairs of this world,
how he can please his wife, andhis interests are divided.
An unmarried woman or a virginis concerned about the Lord's
affairs, her aim is to bedevoted to the Lord in both body
and spirit.
But a married woman is concernedabout the affairs of this world,
(02:15):
how she can please her husband.
I am saying this for your owngood, not to restrict you, but
that you may live in a right wayin undivided devotion to the
Lord.
If anyone is worried that hemight not be acting honorably
toward the virgin he is engagedto, and if his passions are too
strong and he feels he ought tomarry, he should do as he wants.
(02:39):
He is not sinning.
They should get married.
But the man who has settled thematter in his own mind, who is
under no compulsion, but hascontrol over his own will, and
who has made up his mind not tomarry the virgin, this man also
does the right thing.
So then he who marries thevirgin does right, but he who
does not marry her does better.
(03:01):
A woman is bound to her husbandas long as he lives, but if her
husband dies, she is free tomarry anyone she wishes, but he
must belong to the Lord.
In my judgment, she is happierif she stays as she is, and I
think that I too have the Spiritof God.
(03:21):
My wife and I are about to entera new season, empty nesters.
We haven't been without kids forthirty years.
One way I've been managing thischange is to reflect on all the
seasons I have served the Lordin.
I was single, then newlymarried, then small kids, teens,
and now adult kids.
In each season, the challengeswere unique, but what was
(03:42):
constant was our desire to servethe Lord well.
We sought to steward theopportunities and challenges
that each unique period of lifepresented to us.
In this portion of the chapter,Paul turns his attention more
specifically to those who areunmarried or engaged, offering
pastoral wisdom to people tryingto follow Jesus in uncertain
(04:03):
times.
He makes it clear that he is notissuing commands, but giving
trustworthy counsel shaped bymercy and experience.
The culture in Corinth waschaotic and unstable.
And Paul wanted believers to befocused, not frantic.
His message is not that marriageis wrong or less spiritual, but
that there is a gift inundivided devotion.
(04:26):
For those who are not married,there's a unique opportunity to
give full attention to the Lordwithout the additional concerns
that come with family life.
It is essential to understandPaul's heart in this context.
He's not elevating one lifestage over another.
He's not downplaying the beautyof marriage or family.
What he is doing is lifting oureyes to what matters most, our
(04:49):
relationship with the Lord.
In every season, the goalremains the same: to live a life
that honors God and reflects hisgoodness.
This is a message thatchallenges every heart.
For the married, it serves as areminder that devotion to Christ
does not cease when wedding vowsare exchanged.
For the single, it is aninvitation to see this season
(05:11):
not as a holding pattern, but asa holy calling.
Paul also acknowledges that timeis short.
The world as we know it ispassing away.
That is not a reason to panic,it's a reason to live with
focus.
The things we often stress aboutare temporary.
What will matter in the end isnot a relationship status, our
(05:32):
possessions, or a perfect plan,but whether we live with a heart
set on the kingdom of God.
At the end of the chapter, Paulhonors the responsibility of
those entrusted with decisions,parents, engaged couples, and
widows, calling them to seekwisdom, not pressure.
Each decision should be madeconsidering the bigger picture.
(05:53):
What will bring peace,faithfulness, and freedom to
serve the Lord.
This passage is not a rule book,it's a call to live with clarity
and purpose, no matter yourseason of life.
Paul's message is that we aremost fulfilled, not when we have
everything the world says weshould want, but when we are
fully present, surrendered, andready to respond to God's
(06:17):
leading.
Here are some questions fortoday's reflection.
Have you been viewing yourcurrent season as a gift or a
limitation?
(07:09):
How would your priorities shiftif you truly believed that the
time is short and eternity isnear?
(07:34):
Whatever your season, set yourheart on him.
Live now with devotion thatlasts forever.
SPEAKER_00 (07:48):
Thank you for taking intentional time to align
yourself with God's love and thecall to love one another.
You can find Love One AnotherSermon Series and other
resources at Beachpoint.comslash messages or on the
Beachpoint Church app.
May you carry the love of Godinto every encounter you have
(08:09):
today.
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