The culmination of the seventh chapter of Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians ties together the subject of marriage. A lot of time was spent addressing the context of the church in Corinth, so it is important for Christians to fully consider the biblical doctrines on marriage.

As Paul draws this chapter to a close, he reminds believers of the Christian’s number one priority: undistracted devotion. This is the source of the believer’s freedom from anxiety and this comfort comes to us through diligent study of the Word and faithful submission to the Spirit.

Paul wants to encourage the churches to maintain a disposition of singleness. Some argue Paul teaches this because of his erroneous expectation of the immediacy of Christ’s second coming. Such misinterpretation is often used to discredit the Apostle. Instead, one must consider the context of the church in Corinth, and that is one of impending persecution, especially if and when the church applies a biblical worldview.

The seventh chapter is Paul’s exposition on marriage to the church in Corinth. What seems to be a strange aside turns out to be a major subject for churches today. This is the subject of contentment, which without it can lead marriages into disarray. More broadly, contentment is a key virtue for Christians to foster.