Marry If You Can't Contain 1 Corinthians 7:9

Paul the apostle shared with the church members concerning “marriage” and the reponsibilities within it. However, there were those in the church who were “unmarried and widows” whom he told “it is good for them if they abide even as” he. In chapter seven and verse nine of First Corinthians, Paul told the “unmarried and widows” among the church members “if they cannot contain”, “let them marry” where we read:

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

The verse begins, “But if they cannot contain, let them marry:” Paul began with the word, “But” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about be written takes precedence over what is about to be stated “if they cannot contain” which means “if the single person is not self-controlled, continent or able to keep themselves temperately or to abstain”, “let them marry” or “get married”. Paul told the church members that if single people were not able to “abstain” from each other, they should “get married”.

The verse goes on to say, “for it is better to marry than to burn.” Paul continued with the word, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, verily and therefore” “it is better” or “it is more useful, serviceable, advantageous and excellent”“to marry” which means “to get married” “than to burn” or “burn with fire, kindle, be incensed and indignant”. Paul knew it was much better for “single” people to “get married” than to “burn” in their desires for one another.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we see how he was implementing “righteous” behavior within Jesus' church again. It is quite possible that there were couples in the church who were “single” and desired one another which is normal behavior, and Paul's instruction was for them to “get married” and not “burn” with desire for one another. The idea was to keep “fornication” and “sinful behavior” out of the church, and for those who desired each other, getting married was the way to keep not only themselves pure, but also the church.

Next time Paul tells the married church members, “let not the wife depart from her husband”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.