Today in the One Year Bible, we read from 1 Corinthians 7:25-40. Paul gives us some dating advice. And it's not exactly in agreement with what we read in Genesis or Proverbs. Genesis very much encourages us to be fruitful and multiply, which is understood to be in marriage. And Proverbs tells us that he who finds a wife finds a good thing. So why is Paul giving us this "it's better not to marry, but if you're gonna burn if you don't, then I guess go ahead" advice?
Well, there are lots of good answers to that question. Answer one: we want to take the ENTIRE Bible into account when considering an issue, and not just one verse. So we balance what Paul says here with what we read in Genesis and Proverbs and realize that not everyone is called to marriage, and not everyone is called to celibacy. Some are called to one, some to the other.
Two, we realize that it's important to take things in context. At the time of Paul's writings, the Roman empire was falling apart. Things were coming to an apocalyptic end very soon for most Christians, and many (most?) of the people that Paul was writing to were about to become martyrs. So in those circumstances, it certainly makes sense to put "sharing the kingdom" above marriage.
Three: eternal truths are eternally true. But the way they play out in our lives changes from time to time. It's eternally true that we should respect and cherish life. So the death penalty should be off limits in almost every case. However... there ARE times when it's necessary. That doesn't change the fact that life should be respected and cherished. It just means that different social systems call for different answers in how our respect for life plays out. If you're on a deserted island with twenty children and a mass murderer, it's probably necessary to kill the murderer in order to protect the children. But in our society, where it's possible to incarcerate someone for life, it's no longer necessary.
So it will always be true that we should love one another. That we should love God. That we should follow the ten commandments. However, laws like not eating pork or not combining different types of cloth have served their important purpose, and now we can call them fulfilled.
Think of it this way: a gun is a powerful thing, and can be very dangerous. So a good rule for children is: don't ever touch the gun. However, once children grow up (to whatever age you as the parent think they're mature enough to handle it), the rule changes. The truth hasn't changed: the gun is still dangerous and powerful. But the rule is now: if you handle the gun, treat it with respect, don't point it at anyone you're not ready to shoot, make sure the safety is on when you're not firing it, and so forth. The truth is the same, but the rules regarding them have changed with the maturity of the person who observes the rules.
So it is with us. As we mature, God gives us fewer laws and rules to follow, and it turns more into "love everyone."
God, thanks for teaching us how the truth always remains the same, while the rules dealing with that truth grow as we grow.
1 comment:
Amen
Post a Comment