Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 12/18/2005

Question
Hi....
got it
thank you
cann
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Followup To
Question -
I'm not to sure what Paul is trying to say
I have gone to a couple of commentaries and have come up with
"not to be involved in the things of the world"
"worldly values are not permanent"
but................
being married, weeping, rejoicing are not worldly values.
I think those commentators are overlooking something................
what do you have?

secondly:
what in the world does V;31a mean?
.....and those who use this world as not misusing it." ?

thanks for your help again
cann
Answer -
Hi Cann,
 Basically Paul is saying to a person that whatever marital state a person is that it is Okay to remain that way.  The context should be read to understand the statements.  The context of Chapter 7 is marriage and various situations that it involves.   The passage from verse 25 on is talking about moderation in marriage because life is short.   The admonition is toward being faithful to the Lord in living our lives.  Being married or not being married seems was a great question in the Corinthian church.   Paul is saying, marriage if fine and honorable, but do not get so carried away.   Some seem to have been teaching believers should not marry, and others that marriage was vital.   Paul is saying...if you want to marry...then marry, but if not then a person is free to not marry.  Verse 31 is the end of the statement begun in verse 29.   Paul is saying the time is short and brief so do not get too attached to the world...because it will soon pass away.
Cooper Abrams

Answer
Hi Cann,
   Barnes expresses the meaning of these two verse very well and says this:   
"But this I say". Whether you are married or not, or in whatever condition of life you may be, I would remind you that life hastens to a close, and that its grand business is to be prepared to die. It matters little in what condition or rank of life we are, if we are ready to depart to another and a better world.
"The time is short." The time is contracted, drawn into a narrow space, (sunestalmenoV.) The word which is here used is commonly applied to the act of furling a sail, i.e., reducing it into a narrow compass; and is then applied to anything that is reduced within narrow limits.
  The idea of the apostle here is, that the plans of life should all be formed in view of this truth, THAT TIME IS SHORT. No plan should be adopted which does not contemplate this; no engagement of life made when it will not be appropriate to think of it; no connexion entered into when the thought, "time is short," would be an unwelcome intruder. See 1Pe 4:7; 2Pe 3:8-9.

It remaineth. to loipon. The remainder is; or this is a consequence from this consideration of the shortness of time.

Both they that have wives, etc. This does not mean that they are to treat them with unkindness or neglect, or fail in the duties of love and fidelity. It is to be taken in a general sense, that they were to live above the world; that they were not to be unduly attached to them; that they were to be ready to part with them; and that they should not suffer attachment to them to interfere with any duty which they owed to God. They were in a world of trial; and they were exposed to persecution; and as Christians they were bound to live entirely to God; and they ought not, therefore, to allow attachment to earthly friends to alienate their affections from God, or to interfere with their Christian duty. In one word, they ought to be just as faithful to God, and just as pious, in every respect, as if they had no wife and no earthly friend. Such a consecration to God is difficult, but not impossible. Our earthly attachments and cares draw away our affections from God, but they need not do it. Instead of being the occasion of alienating our affections from God, they should be, and they might be, the means of binding us more firmly and entirely to him and his cause. But alas! how many professing Christians live for their wives and children only, and not for God in these relations! How many suffer these earthly objects of attachment to alienate their minds from God, rather than make them the occasion of uniting them more tenderly to him and his cause!

{a} "time is short" 1Pe 4:7; 2Pe 3:8-9