Question 1

What does Paul mean by “present distress” in this passage?

Accepted Answer

When Paul speaks of “present distress,” he is pointing to hard times the believers were facing, likely including persecution, pressure, and general trouble for followers of Christ. In such a setting, starting a family could add extra burdens and worries. His counsel to remain as they are, if possible, is very practical. It is not a rule for all times, but advice fitted to a season of special difficulty, so that believers would not be weighed down more than necessary and could keep a clear focus on serving the Lord.

Question 2

Why does Paul say it is good to remain unmarried here?

Accepted Answer

Paul says it is good to remain unmarried because of the present distress and because “the time is short.” In hard and uncertain days, those who are single can often move more freely, face danger with fewer family concerns, and give more attention to the Lord’s work. He is not saying marriage is bad or sinful. Instead, he is showing that singleness can be a wise and peaceful path, especially when life is unstable and believers are under pressure.

Question 3

Does Paul teach that marriage is sinful in this passage?

Accepted Answer

No, Paul is very clear that marriage is not sinful. He writes that if a man marries and if a virgin marries, they “have not sinned.” His warning is that married people “shall have trouble in the flesh,” meaning extra cares, responsibilities, and sorrows that come with family life, especially in hard times. He honors both marriage and singleness. His aim is not to condemn marriage but to help believers make wise choices that will help them follow the Lord with less distraction.

Question 4

What does it mean that “the time is short” and “the fashion of this world passeth away”?

Accepted Answer

When Paul says “the time is short” and “the fashion of this world passeth away,” he reminds believers that this present way of life is temporary. Sorrow, joy, buying, and even marriage belong to a world that is fading. Because of this, he urges Christians to hold these things with a light grip, not letting them rule the heart. This does not mean neglecting duties, but seeing everything in the light of eternity, so that love for God stays first and strongest.

Question 5

How can married believers live “as though they had none”?

Accepted Answer

Paul is not telling married people to ignore or abandon their spouses. When he says those who have wives should be as though they had none, he means that even good gifts like marriage must not take first place over devotion to God. In practice, this means fulfilling marital duties with love, yet not letting family life swallow up all time, energy, and affection. Believers are to remember that their highest loyalty is to the Lord and to live in a way that keeps their hearts free for him.

Question 6

Why does Paul say the unmarried care for the things of the Lord?

Accepted Answer

Paul explains that an unmarried person is able to care more directly for “the things that belong to the Lord,” thinking about how to please him. A married person rightly pays attention to spouse and household, which divides their concerns. This is not a complaint about marriage, but a simple fact. Paul’s desire is that believers, where they can, live in a state that allows them to serve God with fewer competing worries and with more settled, undistracted hearts.

Question 7

What does Paul mean about fathers or guardians and their virgins?

Accepted Answer

In this passage, Paul speaks about a man who has responsibility for an unmarried young woman, often understood as a father or guardian. If he feels he is acting improperly by keeping her unmarried when she is past the usual age and there is real need, he may let her marry, and this is not sin. If there is no pressing need, and both are settled in heart to remain single for the Lord’s sake, that is also good. Paul shows that both choices can honor God, depending on circumstance and conscience.

Question 8

Why does Paul say “he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better”?

Accepted Answer

Paul says the one who does not give her in marriage “doeth better” in this setting because of present distress and the benefit of undivided service to the Lord. He is comparing good with better in that situation, not right with wrong. Marriage is good and honorable. Remaining single can be better when it frees a person from extra cares and dangers in troubled times. His words encourage thoughtful decisions, not pressure, so that each choice is made before God with a steady and willing heart.

Question 9

What does it mean that a widow may marry “only in the Lord”?

Accepted Answer

When Paul says a wife whose husband has died is free to marry “only in the Lord,” he means her new marriage should be to someone who belongs to Christ and lives under his rule. She is not bound to stay single, but she is to choose a husband who shares her faith and walk with God. Paul adds that she is happier if she remains as she is, in his judgment, again pointing to the benefits of singleness in that time, while still allowing full freedom to remarry in a godly way.

Question 10

How should this passage shape my view of singleness and marriage today?

Accepted Answer

This passage helps you see both singleness and marriage as gifts from God, each with its own cares and blessings. It encourages you to ask not first, “What do I want?” but, “In my situation, what helps me serve the Lord with a peaceful, undivided heart?” For some, that may be marriage; for others, singleness for a season or for life. Whatever your state, the call is the same: hold earthly ties and possessions loosely, remember that this world is passing, and seek to please the Lord above all.

1 Corinthians 7:25

Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

The Unmarried and Widowed

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1 Corinthians 7:25

Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful.

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The Unmarried and Widowed

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