I Corinthians 7:8-9 – Advise to the unmarried and widows

Paul told the unmarried and widows that it was good to remain single. Why? Was he saying that it was good morally? In the light of his other teachings on marriage, it can’t be that Paul is saying being married is not good. In his writings in Colossians, Ephesians, I Timothy and Titus, he gave instructions to the married and family life. Hence it can’t be that he was against marriage. Furthermore marriage is a divine institution given by God at the onset of Creation. It was unlikely that Paul should counsel against it. So what did Paul mean?

I Corinthians 7:26 and 28 seemed to suggest that there was a social political crisis that would stress a married person. Apparently, there was at that point a mandate that said that a widow should be married within 18 months. Any widow who was not married within that period was levied a special tax as a penalty. Singles were then incentivized and would rush into a marriage hastily. So Paul was saying, it was not a time to get married but to refrain from it and he advised them not to be pressured into marriage by this incentive. It was not only unnecessary but also not prudent.

While Paul did not want the single to rush into marriage, yet at the same time he did not want any to practice immorality. So he said that a person should marry if he or she has a strong sexual urge and found it hard to control that passion. In this case it would be better for that person to be married than allow the passion to burn.  By the way, verse 9 seems to suggest that a person’s desire for sexual expression is a clue to whether he or she has been called into a life of a celibate or not. However, even if a person had a strong sexual passion, Paul’s point implied that he should not hastily get married too.  

Whether married or single, every one of us must be mindful that we belong to Jesus Christ. He is our Lord and Master. Our goal in life is to please and honor Him, whether single or married. Let’s conduct our lives in such a way that would cause His name to be praised!