The Hardest Part – A Sonnet

The hardest part is not that you are gone 

but how to breathe when half my shadow stays

where you abide – my grief is more than songs

of absence – it is all the vanished ways

of how I found myself within your light

and how we grew together through the days

where words unspoken in our darkest nights

became what braided two uncertain ways

into one – yes what’s gone cannot return

nor can the self that bloomed beneath your gaze –

yet what is lost remains to be discerned

in what is left of you in me that stays

and moves and grows beyond the searing pain

to bloom anew until we meet again

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2026

The Right Use of Rights

Psalm 15                       1 Corinthians 9:1–18                Matthew 5:43-48

The Right Use of Rights

Last week we examined Paul’s approach to the question of theological precision that had manifested itself in the church of God in Corinth as an attitude of moral superiority that harmed other brothers and sisters in their community. Those who were not quite as assured in their new identity in Jesus were being spiritually wounded by those who considered themselves mature. Paul’s solution to this dilemma was a self-sacrificial love that always seeks to build up others…a love that would even deny certain legitimate rights of believers if exercising that right would harm another believer…in their case eating meat that had been offered to idols.

 Now after the service I was asked a very important question and that is, in the light of Paul’s teaching regarding the giving up of certain rights for the sake of others, how does one maintain theological accuracy when, in our own opinion, those around us are not as correct as we think they ought to be. Well, my answer to this is that we ought to look to Jesus…the one we are meant to imitate…the one we are meant to be like when it comes to how we interact with others.

Now, I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that Jesus is altogether right…he is altogether holy…he is altogether perfect. And yet, when we read the Gospels, we see that somehow, he manages to be quite comfortable in the presence of people the religious community of his day shunned. As we all know, Jesus obeyed every biblical law and yet he was vehemently opposed to the Scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees…and it is not because Jesus was opposed to upholding theological accuracy! In Matthew 23, Jesus said, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

Now, what did he mean by that? Well, basically he was saying that to their credit, the Pharisees were encouraging people to keep the Law, which was a very good thing, because as Paul said, the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. In other words, Jesus commended the teaching and keeping of the law as contained in the Scriptures. 

But what Jesus spoke against was the way they applied the Law. They used the Law (or we could say “theology”) as a weapon and as a barrier. Jesus said that they shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. Whereas Jesus’ gentle approach loved people into the kingdom, the Pharisees’ harsh approach drove them away. 

The approach of the Scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees, and even some of the disciples like James and John, was to judge, call down fire from heaven, confront, interrogate, excommunicate, or stone offenders. Jesus’ response to this type of religiosity was to point out their hypocrisy…let him who is without sin, cast the first stone, he said to the accusers of the woman caught in adultery…and to James and John Jesus said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of, for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.”

How many people have not been driven away from the Church because of something said or done by someone who considered themselves morally superior? I’m right, you’re wrong, so either you conform to my theological position or leave. That is exactly what Paul was addressing in 1 Corinthians 8. The destruction of others caused by self-inflated theological egotists.

And I repeat…there is nothing wrong with theological accuracy…don’t misunderstand what I am saying…as I said, Jesus was altogether right, altogether holy, and altogether perfect in every way and we should seek to be perfect as he was perfect and as our heavenly Father is perfect. And yet Jesus never used theology as a weapon to destroy but as a tool to lovingly and patiently draw people into change. And we ought to be like him.

A good exercise for all of us would be to diligently search the Gospels to see how Jesus behaved towards those dismissed by others. We need to ask ourselves who were the people in the Gospel accounts that Jesus most often confronted and took to task and why? And then we need to ask the Holy Spirit to show us whom we most clearly resemble. 

The Gospel of love is essentially simple…but it is the self-sacrificial, other-person-centred application of that love that we tend to complicate, because it is difficult and it is costly.

Now, back to chapter 9. At first glance, this chapter feels like an interruption. Whereas in the former chapters, Paul is addressing issues in the church of God in Corinth, here he suddenly begins speaking about his own apostleship, financial support for ministers of the Gospel, and his own personal rights.

But chapter 9 is not a digression. It is Paul’s living illustration of the principle he has just established in chapter 8.

The Corinthians claimed the right to eat food offered to idols. Paul responds by describing rights he himself possesses but willingly refuses to exercise. And he begins with a series of rhetorical questions:

“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?”

The answers are all obvious. Yes, Paul is free. Yes, he did see Jesus on the road to Damascus. Yes, Paul is an apostle. In fact, the Corinthian church itself proves his apostolic ministry.

So what is his point in asking these questions? Well, the bottom line is simply this.  Paul truly possesses certain rights and therefore he is not surrendering imaginary privileges. His application is not theoretical nor is it abstract. This is crucial because Christian surrender is meaningful only when genuine rights are voluntarily laid aside.

So, in this light, having established his position as a authentic apostle, Paul then develops the argument that ministers of the gospel have a legitimate right to material support. He first appeals to ordinary life: Soldiers, he says, do not finance their own campaigns. Pretty obvious, right? Next, he points out that farmers eat grapes from their vineyards just as shepherds drink milk from their flocks.

These examples from day-to-day life, reflect a broader pattern of moral reasoning common throughout both Jewish and Greco-Roman thought. Labour rightly deserves a living wage.

But Paul then strengthens the point from Scripture itself by quoting from Deuteronomy 25: “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.”

Now, at first this might seem like an odd prooftext, but Paul is not taking Scripture out of context. The surrounding laws in Deuteronomy 25 consistently emphasize humane and just treatment of labourers, vulnerable persons, and dependents. The principle is one of fair and just treatment for all – consequently one who labours should share in the fruit of that labour.

And Paul therefore applies the principle to gospel ministry. Those who provide spiritual things may rightly receive material support.

He further appeals to the Old Testament priesthood. Now remember, the Priests and Levites lived from the offerings of Israel (principally the tithe, but also other offerings and sacrifices) because they had no tribal inheritance of land. So, their dependence upon the worshipping community was built into Israel’s covenant structure. 

That is why, when Israel ceased to tithe, the spiritual system collapsed because the teachers and upholders of the law were distracted from serving as they had to sustain themselves. Now, I know Paul is often cited as an example of bi-vocational ministry, working as a tentmaker while also serving as an evangelist and pastor, but we also know that when Silas and Timothy brought to Corinth sufficient support from the church in Philippi, Paul was able to devote himself exclusively to preaching because he no longer had to support himself. (Acts 18:5) We must always endeavour to interpret Scripture with Scripture.

So, the foundational principal is established: Just as in the Old Testament, those who provide spiritual things may rightly receive material support.

And then finally Paul appeals to Jesus Himself: “The Lord commanded,” he says, “that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” Now, this is not a direct quote from the Gospels but it almost certainly echoes Jesus’ instructions to the apostles and the seventy-two during their missionary journeys: “The labourer deserves his wages.” (cf. Matthew 10:10; Luke 10:7).

So, in these few verses, Paul establishes beyond doubt that gospel workers possess a genuine right to support. Yet after establishing this right with overwhelming force, Paul delivers the shocking conclusion: “Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right.” And this is the heart of Paul’s argument.

He is not denying the legitimacy of support for ministers. He is demonstrating the supremacy of the gospel over personal entitlement.

You see, Paul feared that financial dependence upon the Corinthians might compromise the integrity of his ministry or reinforce the Corinthian systems of patronage and status. Remember, in Corinth, wealthy patrons often exercised influence through financial support and benefactors expected loyalty, honour, and public recognition in return for their gifts. But Paul refuses to allow the gospel to become entangled in these systems of social obligation.

He would rather labour with his own hands than permit anyone to think the gospel could be purchased, manipulated, or controlled.

And this reveals something essential about Christian leadership. Paul does not lead through self-assertion. He leads through self-sacrifice.

The false spirituality of Corinth says: “I have rights and therefore I will use them.” Whereas Paul’s spirituality says: “I have rights and therefore I am free to surrender them.” And here we encounter a profound paradox.

Only truly free people can willingly relinquish power and control.

People enslaved to status, recognition, comfort, or entitlement cannot surrender these things because they derive their identity from them. On the other hand, Paul’s freedom in Christ liberates him from the need to promote himself.

And this becomes even clearer when Paul describes his ministry as a stewardship. He says: “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” You see, Paul does not view apostleship as a platform for self-expression. He views it as a divine commission.

The language of compulsion here reflects the world of stewardship and servanthood. Paul sees himself as one entrusted with a task committed to him by God and therefore, he has no choice but to fulfil his duty and his obligation. 

But lest we miss the point Paul is trying to make here by focussing on individual issues mentioned in these chapters…meat, and rights, and wages…we must see each one of these issues in the light of the whole thought. 

In these chapters, Paul is making a statement about two very different approaches to the Christian life. One which is self-centred and the other which is other-person-centred. And the important thing to grasp here is that the self-centred person may be perfectly right…allow me to repeat that: the self-centred person may be perfectly right, and consequently they justify their actions even though the upholding of their rights damages or destroys other believers.

But Paul deliberately chooses to live an other-person-centred life by forfeiting his legitimate rights for the sake of others. 

The question that quite naturally flows from this teaching of Paul is simply this: whom are we like?

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2026

Faith and Works

Moments

Moments

Before the dawn had gathered all her gold

the symphony of birdsong had begun

to usher in the rising of the sun

while morning mist lay doubled in the folds

of sleeping fields…and all the world seemed spun

from silver strands of music. Soon enough

the sun would sparkle brightly through the blush

of cotton clouds, dissolving dew till none

lay twinkling on the blades of grass and leaves 

of weeds…revealing shades of grey and green

upon the pastures painted with what seemed

to gently sigh a promise of reprieve

from night that takes all colours to the moon…

for well we know that all in life is lent

for moments that will all too soon be spent

as dusk descends upon our afternoon.

Based on Psalm 90:12

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2026

Spirituality, Stumbling, and Surrender

Psalm 135:15-21                    1 Corinthians 8:1–13                        Matthew 7:1-6

Spirituality, Stumbling, and Surrender

There is a time when spirituality becomes dangerous…in fact, I think that there are few things more dangerous in the Church than spirituality divorced from biblical love. 

Many of the Corinthians considered themselves mature, enlightened, and spiritually elevated. They possessed knowledge, rhetorical skill, social influence, many diverse spiritual gifts, and theological confidence. And yet Paul saw something deeply troubling beneath the surface of their spirituality: they had begun to use their freedom in ways that harmed the fragile believers among them.

The issue at stake in 1 Corinthians 8–9 is not merely whether Christians may eat meat offered to idols and how they should conduct themselves in repose to the freedom that is theirs in Jesus. No, beneath these practical question lies something far more searching: 

What governs the life of the Christian? Is it knowledge? Is it theological precision? Is it rights or freedom or status? Or is it love shaped by the self-giving pattern of Jesus?

Paul’s answer is both profound and unsettling. Christian maturity is not measured by what you know, but by how willing you are to surrender your perceived rights for the good of others.

The city of Corinth, like other cities in the Greco-Roman world, was saturated with temples, sacrificial meals, patronage systems, social climbing, and status competition. Meat sold in the marketplace often originated from pagan sacrifices. Banquets in temple dining halls were part of civic and commercial life. To refuse participation could carry social and economic consequences. You could forfeit the right to buy and sell in the marketplace. You could forfeit your employment. And if you were dependent on the patronage of one of the pagan religious systems, you could forfeit any form of practical aid reserved for devotees. Many believers in Corinth therefore argued that participation in these meals, and by extension the rituals involved, was harmless because idols were nothing.

In one sense, Paul agrees with them. An idol has no true existence. There is only one God. Yet Paul also recognizes that the issue is not merely theological accuracy but pastoral responsibility. Knowledge without love becomes destructive.

In chapters 8 and 9 Paul addresses three main points: 

1. The danger of knowledge without biblical love. (1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

2. The surrender of rights for the sake of others. (1 Corinthians 9:1–18)

3. The disciplined life required for faithful service. (1 Corinthians 9:19–23)

Together these chapters reveal a spirituality shaped not by self-assertion, but by self-sacrificial and cruciform love.

Today, we are to examine the first point: The danger of knowledge without biblical love. Basically Paul speaks about a prideful, self-assertive knowledge that destroys as opposed to a humble self-sacrificial love that nourishes and nurtures. (1 Corinthians 8:1–13)

Paul begins with what seems to have become the slogan for some in Corinth: “We all possess knowledge.” The Corinthians were proud of their theological sophistication. They understood monotheism. They understood that idols were not real gods. They believed this liberated them to participate freely in anything and everything.

But Paul immediately qualifies their claim: “Knowledge,” he says, “puffs up, but love builds up.”

The contrast is striking. The Greek term Paul uses for being “puffed up” carries the image of something inflated with air: swollen, enlarged, impressive in appearance, yet lacking substance. By contrast, love “builds up.” The imagery shifts from inflation to construction. Knowledge alone inflates the ego of one; love strengthens the whole community.

Now, it is important to note that Paul is not attacking knowledge itself. Christianity is not anti-intellectual. Paul himself is one of the greatest theological minds in history. The problem is not knowledge but knowledge severed from love.

There is a kind of knowledge that becomes spiritually dangerous because it breeds a pride devoid of compassion. Instead of leading us to examine our own weaknesses, it fixates on the failures of others. It is the familiar spirit of judgment that Jesus exposed in the image of the splinter and the log…a pattern that remains all too common in the Church.

The Corinthians believed they were strong because they understood the nothingness of idols. Yet Paul insists that true maturity is not demonstrated merely by possessing correct theology, but by using truth in ways that strengthen others in Christ’s Body.

This becomes especially important when we understand the social setting at the time when Paul was writing this letter.

In the ancient world, temples were not merely religious spaces; they were centres of social and economic life. Banquets, guild meetings, celebrations, and business relationships often took place within temple precincts. Participation in these meals communicated social belonging and status.

For some believers, particularly newer converts from pagan backgrounds, these temple associations still carried deep spiritual significance. Their former lives of idolatry remained emotionally and psychologically close to them. They lacked the confidence and stability of those who considered themselves spiritually mature.

Paul therefore introduces a profoundly pastoral category: the weak or fragile or vulnerable believer.

These believers are not weak because they lack intelligence. Indeed, Paul does not despise them nor reprimand them. The language likely refers to those whose sense of self and spiritual stability remained fragile. Their consciences…or perhaps better, their self-awareness…were still shaped by their former participation in idolatry.

Thus when they observed mature believers exercising their so-called rights, in this case by eating in pagan temples, the vulnerable were not strengthened into freedom but drawn back toward their former bondage.

And Paul’s warning is severe: “By your knowledge this weak person is destroyed…the brother for whom Christ died.”

The word “destroyed” is extraordinarily strong. Paul does not mean mere discomfort or offense. He envisions spiritual ruin caused by the arrogant callousness of a fellow believer.

What makes this so tragic is the contrast Paul deliberately creates: Jesus gave his life to save this person. Yet some Corinthians were willing to wound them merely to preserve a social privilege.

This is the central irony of the passage. The Corinthians considered themselves spiritually mature while behaving in profoundly un-Christlike ways…something that actually portrays them as infantile in their faith. As those needing spiritual milk instead of solid spiritual food.

And here Paul introduces one of the most searching principles in all Christian ethics: Freedom is never absolute when love is at stake.

The modern world often defines freedom as the unrestricted exercise of personal rights. Paul defines freedom differently. Christian freedom is the liberty to surrender one’s rights for the good of another.

That is why Paul concludes: “If food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again.” Not because meat was meat, mind you, but because all meat at that time was connected to pagan rituals and temples. 

But I want you to notice the radicality of Paul’s statement. He doesn’t merely say he will be cautious or careful in what he eats or doesn’t eat. No, he says he will gladly relinquish an otherwise legitimate freedom if exercising it harms, hurts, or endangers another believer. In this sense his statement transcends the subject of food, of rights, and of freedom…because this is the spirituality of the cross.

The Christian life is not governed by the question: “What am I permitted to do?” but rather: “What most helps my brother or sister stand firm in Christ?”

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2026

Summer Newsletter: Praise and Prayer

Johann and Louise: Training Disciples to Make Disciples in the Netherlands

As we enter the summer months, we wanted to write with an update regarding our ministry here in the Netherlands and to thank you all for your faithful prayers, encouragement, and support. We are continually reminded that the work of the gospel is never carried by one person alone, but by a fellowship of believers who share in the ministry through prayer, generosity, and friendship. Every one of you is indispensable to us.  We recently said farewell to a dear friend whose faithful encouragement and partnership over many years left a lasting mark on our lives and ministry. We are deeply grateful for the legacy of faith he leaves behind and for the many ways he served the Lord even when health issues made it more and more difficult to do so. He was an amazing man, and we miss him so much.  Life at Christ Church has been busy, though perhaps not always in dramatic ways. Much of pastoral ministry consists of faithfully walking with people through the ordinary joys and sorrows of life. Our Annual General Meeting was both positive and encouraging. There were no major surprises or controversies, for which we are grateful, and we now move forward with a strong and capable church council. Please pray for wisdom, unity, and perseverance as they help guide the congregation in the months ahead. As always, ministry has involved sharing in both celebration and grief. We recently lost a member of our parish, and his widow is carrying the deep burden of bereavement. Please pray that the Lord would surround her and her son with comfort, strength, and the tangible presence of His people. One of our missionaries, serving in the highlands of Lesotho, recently visited us while on furlough. She shared moving accounts of her ministry among shepherd boys living in remote mountain communities. The poverty in these areas is difficult to comprehend, yet the opportunities for gospel witness and practical education are remarkable. Through patient teaching and discipleship, children who might otherwise receive little or no education are being equipped with both literacy and hope. Her visit was a powerful reminder of the global reach of Christ's kingdom. Closer to home, one of our members is facing a particularly difficult season. Having lived for several years with a Parkinson's-type diagnosis, she must now make the painful decision of whether to remain in her home with full-time care or move into a care facility. Several serious falls have highlighted the urgency of the situation. Please pray for wisdom for her, her family, and all those involved in making these decisions. One of the great joys of recent months was our All-Age Service. It was wonderful to see children actively participating in worship and in the life of the congregation. Their enthusiasm and engagement were a blessing to everyone present. Another source of encouragement has been the arrival of a young man who has begun attending services, participating in a home group, and joining our men's Bible study. He is genuinely seeking answers and is reading Scripture with remarkable eagerness. He is now the second young man to come through our doors searching for truth. The first has since become a mature and committed believer. Please pray that God would continue his work in both these young men. We are increasingly aware that many young people throughout the Netherlands are searching for meaning, purpose, and certainty in an increasingly unsettled world. Questions about identity, purpose, and the future seem especially pressing as international tensions continue to rise. Please pray that many would encounter Christ, the One who alone gives lasting hope. In many ways, Christ Church has often served as a conduit. People come, grow in faith, and are equipped before eventually moving on to Dutch-speaking churches where they can continue their discipleship journey. While every congregation naturally hopes to grow numerically, our deepest desire is to see people mature into faithful followers of Jesus. If that means helping prepare believers for fruitful service elsewhere, we rejoice in that calling. On a more personal note, Louise recently travelled to South Africa to spend time with her mother, who is now 100½ years old. The visit was emotionally demanding but deeply precious, providing opportunities to build memories and cherished time together. We are thankful for that gift. There have also been encouraging developments in my writing ministry. My narrative commentary on 1 Corinthians has now been accepted for publication and is scheduled for release in October, Lord willing. In addition, Langham UK and Ireland recently interviewed me on two separate occasions as part of the launch of a book club featuring my first book, Breakfast on the Beach. Later in July, Langham Australia will be conducting an interview focused on my second book, For the Life of the World for their own book club. Please pray that these opportunities would serve the wider church and encourage believers around the world. Finally, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who prayed for our annual Women's Retreat, contributed financially, or donated items for the gift bags (it was so exciting receiving a package in the mail from one of our supporting churches!) Your generosity helped make the day possible. Louise writes: "Once again we enjoyed a truly blessed Women's Retreat. Our theme this year was Restore, Refresh, Rest. Sarah Dawkins was an excellent speaker. Through her warmth, honesty, and personal testimony, she encouraged us to remain connected to Christ, the source of living water. Her challenge was to cultivate the garden of our spiritual lives carefully, to remain rooted in Jesus, and to find true rest through repentance and fellowship with Him. The worship was beautiful and God-honouring. Around seventy women attended, many of whom were not believers. Together they represented many different nations and backgrounds. Several shared remarkable stories of how God had led them to the retreat, and one woman from Christ Church Amsterdam told me that our Women's Day is the highlight of her year. The food was abundant and delicious, the workshops were led by skilled and knowledgeable presenters, and our prayer room provided a quiet place for reflection, prayer, journaling, and personal ministry. Several women made use of this space throughout the day. I would especially like to thank the planning team, the many volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, and all those who donated food, funds, and practical help. We are deeply grateful." As we reflect on the past months, we are conscious of both the challenges and opportunities the Lord continues to place before us. We remain thankful for the many ways God is at work through Christ Church Heiloo and through the wider ministries with which we are involved. Thank you for standing with us. Your prayers, encouragement, and partnership continue to strengthen us and make this work possible. Please continue to pray that we would have wisdom, endurance, and faithfulness for the tasks God has entrusted to us. As ministry opportunities continue to expand, we remain deeply grateful for those who partner with us through prayer, encouragement, and practical support. With gratitude in Jesus, Johann and Louise Support Us Johann and Louise spent two years helping to develop the St. Frumentius Seminary in Gambella, Ethiopia. They then worked in Southern Africa, serving in seven southern African countries, while continuing to work with the Diocese of Egypt, North Africa through engaging in a disciple making movement in order to grow the body of Christ. They are now serving in Heiloo, the Netherlands. We are sent  through the Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders, a missionary sending community, engaging in building relationships with the worldwide church to experience the broken restored, the wounded healed, the hungry fed, and the lost found through the love and power of Jesus Christ.  Support SAMS

Copyright © 2016 Society of Anglican Missionaries and Senders, All rights reserved. www.sams-usa.org      Our mailing address is: PO Box 399 Ambridge PA 15003 Attention to: Johann and Louise van der Bijl Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

Practical Principles for Present Crises

Psalm 84:8-12                               1 Corinthians 7:1–40                        Matthew 6:25-34

Practical Principles for Present Crises

Few chapters in Scripture have generated more confusion, misuse, defensiveness, and anxiety than 1 Corinthians 7. Entire traditions have treated marriage as spiritually inferior sparking enforced celibate priesthoods and strict monastics movements. Others have reduced marriage to little more than a legal arrangement for sexual fulfilment or procreation. Some have twisted Paul’s words into a defence of passivity in the face of injustice, while others have ignored his urgent pastoral concern altogether.

Yet beneath all the debates stands a remarkably practical and deeply compassionate chapter.

Paul is not writing abstract theology detached from real life. He is writing to believers living under pressure. Corinth was in distress. There were food shortages. There was economic instability. There was social stratification…the hierarchical division of society into classes based on socioeconomic status, wealth, or power. And these things were raising their ugly faces within the church of God in Corinth. So as in the case of the poorer believers, marriage carried unbelievable financial burdens. Families were strained. Did you really want to risk another unwanted pregnancy when you were struggling to feed the children you already have? 

And so the believers in Corinth were navigating difficult relationships, financially strained marriages, along with questions of divorce, social status, slavery, singleness, widowhood, and this thing called sexuality.

And into that confusion Paul does not offer simplistic rules. He offers gospel-shaped wisdom.

This chapter is about how Christians are to live faithfully in difficult times. It does not deal with how to escape difficulty or how to gain financial freedom or how to manipulate circumstances, but how to belong wholly to Christ in whatever condition we find ourselves.

And that makes this chapter intensely relevant to our own age.

As humans often do, we too are tempted to define ourselves by our status, our relationships (the more big names we can drop in one conversation the better we feel about ourselves), our sexuality (whatever that means in this age of bizarre and phantasmagorical redefinitions), our achievements, our economic security, or our sense of superiority. 

And like the believers in Corinth and doubtless throughout time, we also constantly think: “If only my circumstances changed, then I could finally serve God faithfully.”

In reply to these types of thoughts and anxieties Paul says something profoundly liberating: your usefulness to God is not suspended until your life becomes ideal. Did you hear that? Your usefulness to God is not suspended until your life becomes ideal. God didn’t choose you to be his child because you are someone special or someone important or influential or whatever…he chose you because he loves you and he loves you because he is love.

So, having this reality as our baseline, let’s unpack what the Holy Spirit has to say through Paul.

Paul begins with marriage and sexuality because the Corinthians themselves raised the issue. Apparently, some believers had concluded that abstinence within marriage was spiritually superior…perhaps because they viewed physical desires as inherently inferior…or perhaps they were concerned because of the current crisis…or perhaps because of ascetic philosophical influences.

Whatever their reasoning may have been Paul responds carefully.

Later in verse 26, he acknowledges the underlying anxiety behind these issues…they were experiencing some “present distress”…but notice that he refuses to treat marital intimacy as something unclean or spiritually lesser. Instead he says: “The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband.”

Now while this may not sound revolutionary to you, that statement was astonishing in the first century.

In Jewish society, while wives possessed certain protections under Mosaic law, divorce largely remained in male hands, and the reasons could be as arbitrary as her serving him tasteless or burnt food…an interpretation based on Deuteronomy 24:1 which states that a husband can divorce his wife if he finds "some unseemly matter" in her. 

In Greco-Roman society women possessed somewhat greater legal flexibility, yet the culture remained deeply patriarchal and sexually exploitative. Men frequently exercised unilateral authority. Sexual double standards were normal.

But Paul does something radical. He speaks of mutual authority within the marriage. Not merely the wife’s obligation to her husband. But the husband’s obligation to his wife. “The wife does not have authority over her own body,” he says, “but the husband does; likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.”

This is not tyranny. This is not coercion. This is not ownership. It is reciprocal selfless giving and receiving.

As you all know, the curse introduced distortion into male-female relationships. Instead of a mutually cooperative relationship, men and women strive to rule over each other…we seek to establish some form of self-centred dominance in the relationship. But in Jesus, the pattern of Eden begins to re-emerge; complementarity, dignity, mutual honour, and covenant faithfulness. A man leaves his parents and cleaves to his wife and the two become one flesh…and only people with severe trauma issues or mental challenges treat their own body disrespectfully or poorly.

Paul’s vision of marriage is profoundly countercultural because it destroys selfishness and self-centredness. In his understanding, marriage is not a relationship between two autonomous people negotiating competing rights or one in which one partner uses or abuses the other. No, marriage is a relationship between two believers who are both learning how to serve the other better.

And notice something else. Paul refuses extreme ideas. While on the one hand he rejects sexual immorality, on the other hand he rejects hyper-spiritual denial within marriage. Abstinence may occur, he says, but only for concentrated prayer and only by mutual consent and only temporarily. 

Why? Because, as we have already seen, Christianity does not treat our embodiment as evil. God made us embodied creatures. And therefore, as marriage is a covenant made between two embodied people, their physical intimacy is good and pure and holy.

One of the reasons why some marriages collapse is not because of sudden conflict, but rather through a slow process of selfishness. One spouse withdraws emotionally…another weaponizes affection…another becomes cold and indifferent…another treats intimacy as leverage.

But Paul calls Christian marriage back to mutual service. He flips the question from “what can I get out of this relationship” to “what can I give to this relationship…how may I love faithfully?” And that transforms everything.

Then secondly, in 7:6–24, Paul tells us that faithfulness matters more than status. As the discussion unfolds, Paul addresses singles, widows, married couples, mixed marriages, slaves, Jews, and Gentiles…almost every social category imaginable. And he speaks about these categories because the Corinthians were obsessed with status.

In first-century society, marriage carried status just as freedom carried status and ethnicity carried status. Obviously, upward economic mobility carried status and respectability carried status.

Corinth was a culture obsessed with climbing the proverbial ladder, but Paul dismantles the entire system.

“Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what matters.”

Again, to us that doesn’t really leave much impact, but in their situation in life, that statement is extraordinary. Remember, circumcision had once marked covenant identity itself. Yet Paul now says external distinctions no longer define spiritual worth because Jesus has fulfilled what circumcision pointed toward. The stripping off of the flesh through the shedding of blood. 

Likewise, slave and free stand equal before Christ. Of course, this does not mean slavery was good as some have argued in the past. In verse 21 Paul explicitly says slaves should gain freedom if possible. But he refuses to allow worldly hierarchies to define Christian identity.

The Church was revolutionary precisely because it created a community where worldly status lost ultimate significance. Imagine the scandal of master and slave sharing the Lord’s Supper together as equals.

The Roman world had never seen anything like it. And Paul keeps repeating the same principle: remain faithful in whatever state God has called you.

Again, this does not mean that Christians must never seek to change or better their circumstances. Paul is not condemning marriage, freedom, or improvement in this chapter. Rather, he is attacking the restless belief that spiritual worth depends upon external advancement.

That temptation still dominates modern culture. “If only I had more money…” “If only I were married…” “If only I were single…” “If only I had another career…” “If only my social standing improved…” Then I would finally matter.

But identity rooted in status always enslaves. While the world constantly urges us to become more, the gospel says that we have everything we need because we already belong to Jesus who is the sovereign king over all things.

And therefore Paul says: “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” That applies far beyond literal slavery. Many people today are enslaved to approval or to image or to ambition or to romantic fantasy or to social comparison.

But Christians belong to another kingdom. Our worth was settled on the cross. God demonstrated his love for you by paying a penalty that was not his to pay, but yours.

Then thirdly, in 7:25–31Paul speaks about the present form of this world that is passing away. Now, this section is often misunderstood.

Some imagine Paul expected the physical end of the universe within months. But the context points more naturally toward a present historical crisis affecting Corinth…a period of severe instability and suffering which Paul believed God would mercifully shorten. Now, after saying that he believed the time of distress has been shortened,  he offers them some startling advice: “Those who have wives should live as though they had none… those who mourn as though they were not mourning… those who buy as though they possessed nothing.”

What on earth does he mean? Well, I don’t believe that Paul is calling believers to emotional detachment or abandonment of responsibility. I think that he is speaking about perspective. He is saying that as every earthly structure is temporary, none of them are ultimate. Marriage, though it matters deeply, it is not ultimate. While sorrow is real, it is not ultimate. While possessions are useful, they are not ultimate. Because the present form of this world is passing away. Everything in creation is moving towards a new creation where the temporary will be discarded for the eternal.

You see, Paul wants believers to live free from total absorption in temporary realities. That is as desperately needed today as it was in the first century. Modern society teaches us to absolutize temporary things.

Politics, romance, career, possessions, personal fulfilment…these things are all presented to us as ultimate…and when temporary things become ultimate things, they crush us.

But followers of Jesus must live differently within the world.

Of course we date, we get engaged, and we marry…we work, we grieve, we rejoice, we buy, we sell…but we hold all these things with open hands, because our citizenship lies elsewhere.

But unfortunately, some believers are spiritually exhausted because they are trying to extract eternal meaning from temporary things.

Finally, in 7:32–40, Paul summarises everything he has said by urging undistracted and undivided devotion to the Lord.

His final concern is not anti-body or anti-marriage. It is undivided devotion.

Of course the unmarried believer possesses certain freedoms for ministry that married life naturally limits because marriage brings legitimate responsibilities, concerns, and obligations.

But Paul is not criticising those responsibilities. He is simply being realistic given their present circumstances. While marriage is glorious, it is demanding.

But notice that he also says that singleness is not deficiency. Now, while our culture does not frown on singleness, Roman society strongly incentivised marriage and often penalised lifelong celibacy socially and economically. Voluntary singleness was unusual unless tied to some philosophy or religion.

Yet Paul says Christianity honours both marriage and singleness, because neither state determines spiritual worth. Marriage is good. Singleness is good. Neither is ultimate because only Jesus is ultimate.

And that means every believer…married or unmarried…must ask this simple question: “How may I serve God most faithfully in my present calling?”

You see, at the heart of 1 Corinthians 7 lies a single, liberating truth: followers of Jesus do not belong to themselves. They belong to God.

And that changes the way we view marriage, singleness, giftedness, suffering, status, and ambition because following Jesus ultimately changes our identity.

In this chapter, Paul is teaching believers how to live faithfully during unstable times without being consumed by instability itself.

The Corinthians feared scarcity, uncertainty, and social pressure. And I think we do too. But Paul keeps redirecting our eyes away from panic or self-preservation, toward faithful devotion. We are to serve faithfully in whatever state or circumstance that God has placed us because we do not belong to ourselves…we have been bought with a price and that defines who we are in the present form of a world that is passing away.

So here is the great comfort of the chapter: Because Christ reigns, believers are free. Free to marry without idolising marriage. Free to remain single without shame. Free to serve faithfully even in hardship. Free from slavery to status. Free from the exhausting need to prove themselves.

You see, the Christian life is not about constructing the perfect earthly existence. It is about wholehearted devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ in whatever circumstances he has appointed. And then one day, when the present form of this world finally passes away completely, those who belong to Christ will discover that none of their faithfulness was wasted.

Shall we pray?

© Johannes W H van der Bijl 2026