Should Christians Marry? (1 Cor 7)

Should Christians Marry? (1 Corinthians 7)

In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul strongly seems to imply marriage is not a great thing. As he writes: “Now concerning the things whereof(or which of) ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman,” (1 Corinthians 7:1 KJV).

This is a confusing verse for the Bible strongly encourages marriage: “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord,” (Proverbs 18:22 KJV).

Yet, we ought not to reject context: “But because of immoralities (i.e. specifically sexual), each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband,” (1 Corinthians 7:2 KJV). Paul notes that marriage is good for people have sexual immorality, they suffer in their lust. As he says later: “But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn,” (1 Corinthians 7:9 KJV). The point is if one is to struggle in their temptations of lust, he or she ought to marry as to help with this.

Paul writes: “Let the husband render (or provide) unto the wife due benevolence (or goodness): and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud (or deprave) ye not one the other, except it be with consent (or agreed) for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency (or lack of control),” (1 Corinthians 7:3-5 KJV).

Marriage is a good thing for by it we can resist some temptation to sin. Paul also, notably, says that celibacy can be a good thing as well: “I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I (i.e. as a celibate). But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn,” (1 Corinthians 7:8-9 KJV). It is a good thing to be a celibate for it may bring more time for worship, but it also makes one more prone to sin. 

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