The Love One Another Podcast | Episode 16 - Living With Undivided Devotion

This is the Love One Another podcast from Beach Point Church.

Together, we're exploring the first letter to the Corinthians with the hope that we will be formed by the way of the cross and the love of the one who bore it.

Admitting, as this letter says, that we are nothing without love.

Love empowered by the Spirit through the work of Jesus is an unstoppable force.

It invites each of us to join God in the work of redeeming all things back to God's self.

With that in mind, let's open our hearts to God's word today.

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 you 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.

What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short.

From now on, those who have wives should live as if they do not, those who mourn as if they did not, those who are happy as if they were not, those who buy something as if it were not theirs to keep, those who use the things of this world as if not engrossed in them, for this world in its present form is passing away.

I would like you to be free from concern.

An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs, how he can please the Lord.

But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world, how he can please his wife, and his interests are divided.

An unmarried woman or a virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs, her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.

But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world, how she can please her husband.

I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants.

He is not sinning.

They should get married.

But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion, but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin, this man also does the right thing.

So then he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.

A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives, but if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.

In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is, and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

My wife and I are about to enter a new season, empty nesters.

We haven't been without kids for thirty years.

One way I've been managing this change is to reflect on all the seasons I have served the Lord in.

I was single, then newly married, then small kids, teens, and now adult kids.

In each season, the challenges were unique, but what was constant was our desire to serve the Lord well.

We sought to steward the opportunities and challenges that each unique period of life presented to us.

In this portion of the chapter, Paul turns his attention more specifically to those who are unmarried or engaged, offering pastoral wisdom to people trying to follow Jesus in uncertain times.

He makes it clear that he is not issuing commands, but giving trustworthy counsel shaped by mercy and experience.

The culture in Corinth was chaotic and unstable.

And Paul wanted believers to be focused, not frantic.

His message is not that marriage is wrong or less spiritual, but that there is a gift in undivided devotion.

For those who are not married, there's a unique opportunity to give full attention to the Lord without the additional concerns that come with family life.

It is essential to understand Paul's heart in this context.

He's not elevating one life stage over another.

He's not downplaying the beauty of marriage or family.

What he is doing is lifting our eyes to what matters most, our relationship with the Lord.

In every season, the goal remains the same: to live a life that honors God and reflects his goodness.

This is a message that challenges every heart.

For the married, it serves as a reminder that devotion to Christ does not cease when wedding vows are exchanged.

For the single, it is an invitation to see this season not as a holding pattern, but as a holy calling.

Paul also acknowledges that time is short.

The world as we know it is passing away.

That is not a reason to panic, it's a reason to live with focus.

The things we often stress about are temporary.

What will matter in the end is not a relationship status, our possessions, or a perfect plan, but whether we live with a heart set on the kingdom of God.

At the end of the chapter, Paul honors the responsibility of those entrusted with decisions, parents, engaged couples, and widows, calling them to seek wisdom, not pressure.

Each decision should be made considering the bigger picture.

What will bring peace, faithfulness, and freedom to serve the Lord.

This passage is not a rule book, it's a call to live with clarity and purpose, no matter your season of life.

Paul's message is that we are most fulfilled, not when we have everything the world says we should want, but when we are fully present, surrendered, and ready to respond to God's leading.

Here are some questions for today's reflection.

Have you been viewing your current season as a gift or a limitation?

How would your priorities shift if you truly believed that the time is short and eternity is near?

Whatever your season, set your heart on him.

Live now with devotion that lasts forever.

Thank you for taking intentional time to align yourself with God's love and the call to love one another.

You can find Love One Another Sermon Series and other resources at Beachpoint.com slash messages or on the Beachpoint Church app.

May you carry the love of God into every encounter you have today.