FIRST AND SECOND CORINTHIANS
Lesson 4: Sin in the Church
4.5 Marriage and Singleness
Living in Purity in Marriage and in Devotion to Christ
1. Introduction
Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 7 about marriage and singleness because the church in Corinth had specific questions concerning sexuality, relationships, and purity. After making it clear that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, he now shows how Christians can live out this truth in practical ways. According to God’s plan, marriage is a protected space for love, faithfulness, and sexuality. At the same time, singleness is not an inferior condition, but can be a special opportunity to serve God with undivided devotion. Paul places both ways of life under the lordship of Christ. What matters is not whether someone is married or single, but whether that person lives in purity, faithfulness, and devotion to God.
2. The Biblical Foundation
Paul writes:
“Flee from sexual immorality!” 1 Corinthians 6:18
Then he reminds the believers:
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?” 1 Corinthians 6:19
Concerning marriage, Paul says:
“But because of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.” 1 Corinthians 7:2
And he continues:
“To the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to remain as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry.” 1 Corinthians 7:8–9
These verses show that God’s will is purity, whether in marriage or in the single life.
3. Connection to Our Time
Sexuality is still one of the most challenging subjects for Christians today. Our culture often separates sexuality from faithfulness, responsibility, marriage, and the will of God. Many people regard sexual self-determination as the highest value, while biblical purity is viewed as old-fashioned or restrictive. Paul shows, however, that Christian sexual ethics are not based on repression, but on belonging to Christ. Both marriage and singleness must be understood in the light of God. The church therefore needs a clear, loving, and healing message about sexuality, faithfulness, and devotion.
4. Central Message of the Lesson
Both marriage and singleness are under God’s authority; Christians are called to live out their sexuality in purity, faithfulness, and devotion to Christ.
5. Theological Emphasis
The central thought of this lesson is that the body belongs to the Lord. Paul does not speak about marriage and singleness apart from his statement in 1 Corinthians 6 that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Our sexuality therefore does not lie outside our faith, but belongs at the very heart of our relationship with God.
Paul begins with the command: “Flee from sexual immorality.” This means that sexual immorality is not to be minimized or merely managed, but decisively avoided. In this context, Paul shows that marriage is a God-given place of protection in which sexuality has its proper place.
Paul does not devalue marriage. Some statements in 1 Corinthians 7 may at first appear as though Paul had a low view of marriage. But that is not the case. He is responding to specific questions and problems in Corinth. Elsewhere, the Bible speaks very positively about marriage, faithfulness, and marital fellowship.
According to the biblical understanding, marriage is a binding relationship between a man and a woman. It is a covenant in which love, responsibility, faithfulness, and mutual devotion belong together. Within this covenant, sexuality is not dirty or inferior, but a good gift from God.
Paul also shows that spouses have responsibilities toward one another. Marriage is not a place for selfish gratification, but for mutual love and consideration. In marriage, the husband does not belong only to himself, and the wife does not belong only to herself. Both are joined to one another in faithfulness and devotion.
At the same time, Paul speaks positively about singleness. He sees in it an opportunity to serve God with special freedom and focus. Singleness is therefore not a spiritual deficiency or an inferior way of life. Single people can also live full, valuable, and fruitful lives in the service of God.
This is theologically important because both marriage and singleness can be gifts from God. Not everyone has the same calling, the same circumstances, or the same abilities. Paul recognizes these differences and calls each person to live faithfully before God in his or her own situation.
The standard for both ways of life is holiness. Married people are to be faithful. Single people are to live in purity. No one is outside God’s will for the body and sexuality. Christ lays claim to the whole of life.
Paul’s teaching protects us from two extremes. One extreme despises marriage and sexuality as something inferior. The other turns sexuality into an idol and separates it from God’s order. The gospel leads to a healthy view: sexuality is good, but it belongs within the framework God has established.
The theological core is this: our body, our relationships, and our sexuality are to honor God. Because we were bought at a great price, we do not live by the standards of culture, but according to the truth of Christ. Purity is not merely a rule, but an expression of our belonging to Jesus.
6. Spiritual Deepening
This lesson invites us to view marriage and singleness spiritually. Both ways of life are often distorted by cultural expectations. Some people see marriage as the only path to a fulfilled life. Others see independence and sexual freedom as the highest goal. Paul shows another way: fulfillment is found first not in a relationship status, but in Christ.
For married people, this lesson means viewing marriage as a holy covenant. Marriage is not merely a private relationship, but an area in which God’s character is to become visible. Faithfulness, patience, forgiveness, consideration, and love all belong to the spiritual life.
A Christian marriage should not be governed by selfishness. Paul speaks of mutual responsibility. This means that husband and wife do not live against one another, but for one another. Marital love does not merely ask, “What do I get?” but rather, “How can I serve, protect, honor, and love?”
For single people, this lesson means that their lives are not incomplete. The Bible does not regard singleness as a second-class condition. Paul himself was unmarried and saw in it an opportunity for special service. A single person can serve God with wholehearted devotion and lead a rich spiritual life.
At the same time, Paul recognizes the reality of human temptation. He speaks honestly about the fact that not everyone is called to celibacy. This is not a flaw. Marriage is a good and legitimate path for living out purity and love within God’s order.
The church should therefore neither idealize marriage nor overlook single people. Both need encouragement, support, and spiritual appreciation. Married people need help to live their relationship in faith. Single people need community, dignity, and support without constantly being reduced to their relationship status.
It is especially important to understand that purity does not concern outward behavior alone. Purity begins in the heart. Our thoughts, desires, media habits, conversations, and relationships shape our sexual lives. That is why we need a living relationship with Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph is a powerful example of what purity can look like in practice. When he was tempted, he did not remain there to negotiate with temptation. He fled. This shows that sometimes the most spiritual step is not discussion, but distance.
We too need clear boundaries. In a world full of images, stimulation, and temptation, it is naïve to think that we can remain pure without vigilance. Purity requires decisions: What do I look at? What conversations do I have? What situations do I avoid? To whom do I open my heart?
Yet purity must not be understood only negatively. It is not merely about avoiding something. It is about honoring God with the whole of life. Those who love Christ want to place their body, relationships, and sexuality under His blessing as well.
For people who have failed in this area, there is hope. The gospel offers forgiveness, cleansing, and a new beginning. Paul wrote to a church with serious problems, yet he could still say: “You were washed.” God’s grace is greater than our past.
This grace, however, is not a license to sin. It is power for transformation. Christ not only forgives; He renews. The Holy Spirit dwells in us so that we no longer have to be ruled by old patterns.
The church must therefore be a place where truth and grace meet. It should teach biblically, but also bring healing. It should clearly name sin, but never leave people without hope. It should strengthen marriages, honor single people, and help everyone live faithfully for Christ.
7. Application in Everyday Life
Practical steps:
- Consciously regard your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.
- Examine your thoughts, media habits, and relationships in the light of God.
- If you are married, invest in faithfulness, love, communication, and mutual respect.
- If you are single, live out your devotion to Christ consciously and with dignity.
- Set clear boundaries where temptation is strong.
- Seek spiritual help if you are struggling in the area of sexuality.
- Speak honestly, biblically, and lovingly in the church about marriage, purity, and sexuality.
- Remember that your identity does not depend on your relationship status, but on Christ.
8. Reflection Question
How can I, in my current situation—married or single—live with my body, my relationships, and my sexuality in a way that honors God?
9. Closing Thought
Paul shows that both marriage and singleness stand under the lordship of Christ. Sexuality is a good gift from God, but it belongs within the framework God created for it. Married people are called to faithfulness, love, and mutual responsibility. Single people are called to purity, dignity, and devotion to Christ. What matters most is not relationship status, but a life that honors God. Because our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, we may belong completely to Christ in this area as well.
“For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:20 
