“Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.”
1 Corinthians 7:25-28 NIVUK
Paul’s assessment of the Corinthian church was that there was a “crisis” there, and in the context of this chapter, this referred to issues related to sexual matters. Marriage, sexual immorality, societal attitudes, idolatry, virginity, and celibacy were all wrapped up in a potpourri of challenges that had caused Paul to devote much time and energy to try to unravel what was going on. There were unmarried people, virgins, who had never had any sexual relations with anyone, and Paul was concerned for them. He didn’t have any specific, God-given guidance for them, but he did have some thoughts based on his own experiences. He referred to himself as being a person “who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy”, something that both the Corinthians and we would endorse. Paul was putting much weight on his advice, an indication that the situation in Corinth had become a distraction and was getting in the way of the purity of their worship. So his advice was, firstly, if you are married or committed to be married, then get on with it, but be warned; a marriage will bring with it “many troubles”, and Paul wanted to spare those who were thinking of embarking on such a life choice from the resulting hassles. Secondly, Paul suggested that being a virgin was ok as well. But above all, Paul implied, don’t make any rash decisions and instead take time to think things through, and remain as they were.
The word “virgin” isn’t commonly used today, unless it is associated with travel or financial companies originally founded by Sir Richard Branson. To describe a young woman (or man come to that) as being a “virgin”, is not considered politically correct, and in any case, in this day and age, who knows the sexual status of anyone. And what does it matter anyway? But that is the secular viewpoint. In the Kingdom of God, sexual relationships are set out as being between a man and a woman. This couple had previously bound themselves together in a lifelong marriage commitment. The expectation from Genesis 2 was that God decided that man, on his own, even if expected to live forever, sustained by the Tree of Life, needed a companion. Genesis 2:18, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him””. Don’t forget what God said in the previous chapter, when He spoke into being, from nothing, the world and the universe and everything within them, all with a mind-boggling, detailed complexity. So, God spoke again and made a woman, but not from dust this time. He created a woman from one of Adam’s ribs, a process that recorded the first operation carried out with a general anaesthetic. Why did God create Eve in this way? Genesis 2:22, 24, “Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. … This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one”. It was God’s intention that there would be a perfect marriage between men and women, with no need for virgins, or so it would seem. Incidentally, there is an almost perfect 50:50 split between male and female births (statistics record 50.4% male and 49.6% female globally); have we ever asked the question “why?”. The evolutionists will point to “natural selection”, but such perfection, regardless of the devil’s ambitions and interference, has God’s creative fingerprints all over it.
Paul gave the Corinthians some practical advice, addressing the specific concerns that they had. In similar circumstances today, the same advice applies, but as Paul said, he had “no command from the Lord” about such things. There is, therefore, no substitute for guidance from the Holy Spirit. Human beings are wired to conform to God’s order, male and female, joined together in marriage, but if someone wishes to be a virgin, then that is ok as well.
We can’t leave this topic without referring to the “gender wars” currently underway. What arrogance, that a person thinks that they are born “in the wrong body”, directly challenging God’s order and creation. But that is just like the devil, who has always tried to frustrate God’s plans, His perfect order. But we needn’t worry about this deviation in human thinking. God has not fallen off His throne. We live in a moral universe, in one where God honours the choice made by human beings everywhere. John 3:16 is clear about God’s amazing and perfect love, and man’s choice. We read, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life“. We must note, because Jesus said it, that it is only those who believe in Jesus who will not perish. That means that those who don’t believe in Him, by their own choice, will perish. Just think about it. Those who say that they were born “in the wrong body” and go to great lengths to correct the situation they perceive as being wrong are committing a grave sin against God, for which there will be consequences. How can God allow such a sin to be left unpunished? So their unconfessed sin will result in their perishing, unless, of course, they repent and accept Jesus before they die. Rather than go through the chemical and surgical procedures that are available today, they would have been far better advised to follow Paul’s suggestion, “for a man to remain as he is”. We note, of course, that “man” involves “woman” as well.
We pilgrims may be in a married relationship, just thinking about it, a widow or widower, or still a virgin. Before God, Paul said, all these conditions are acceptable. Instead of concerning ourselves with such things, we should look to Jesus, seeking to serve Him day by day, in our journey to eternity. He is our Saviour and Lord. Forever.
Dear Lord Jesus. We sincerely thank You for all You have done in our lives, through the Cross at Calvary. Please forgive us for getting our priorities wrong sometimes. We pray that You lead and guide us on our journey to Glory, step by step and day by day, through Your Spirit that dwells within each one of us. In Your precious name. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 