Faith in Focus #13
A reflection from Connection Church and other spiritual events from the week
Faith in Focus is a weekly reflection on what God has been teaching me throughout the week regarding my faith. Whether it’s personal interactions, reading, or the Sunday sermon, God speaks through it all, and I hope this helps you focus on His mission.
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Sermon Reflection: Called Where You Are: Paul’s Radical Reframing of Marriage, Singleness, and Faithfulness
Based on the sermon by Jonathan Land, Connection Church Sioux Falls, January 25, 2026.
In a culture that treats relationship status as destiny and personal fulfillment as a moving target, 1 Corinthians 7: 1-24 sounds almost subversive. This portion of the chapter doesn’t promise romantic completion, spiritual shortcuts, or a cleaner life if you just make the right change. Instead, Paul does something far more disruptive. He tells the church to stay put.
This week, Pastor Jonathan walked Connection Church through 1 Corinthians 7:1–24, a passage that refuses to flatter either marriage or singleness, yet dignifies both. Paul addresses sex, marriage, divorce, and calling, not as abstract theology, but as pastoral counsel shaped by real questions from a confused church. And his conclusion is not, “Change your situation so God can use you,” but rather, “Live faithfully where God has already placed you.”
The World Behind the Text
The Corinthian church lived at the crossroads of Roman excess and Greek philosophy. Sexual freedom was celebrated, marriage was transactional, and ascetic spirituality, denying the body altogether, was gaining traction among some believers. It is into this volatile mix that Paul writes, responding directly to questions the church had raised, “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote” (1 Corinthians 7:1, ESV).
Some in Corinth apparently believed holiness meant abstaining from sex entirely, even within marriage. Others continued in patterns of sexual immorality that mirrored the surrounding culture. Paul refuses both extremes. He neither condones indulgence nor spiritualizes repression. Instead, he roots sexual ethics in creation, covenant, and calling.
Walking the Passage
Paul begins with marriage, not because it is ultimate, but because it is practical. While acknowledging that celibacy can be good, he immediately confronts the reality of temptation. Because sexual immorality is persistent and powerful, Paul argues that marriage provides a God-designed context for sexual expression. His concern is not prudishness but protection. Specifically, protection against self-deception and spiritual drift.
Once married, Paul says, something profound changes. Husbands and wives no longer belong only to themselves. Authority over one’s body is mutually surrendered. This is not a power grab but a gift exchange, an embodied echo of Genesis 2:24: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (ESV). Marriage, for Paul, is not about personal autonomy but covenantal unity.
This mutual belonging also sets limits. Paul warns against withholding intimacy except briefly, by agreement, and for prayer. Even spiritual disciplines must not become tools of neglect. The body matters. Desire matters. Faithfulness includes attentiveness.
For the unmarried and widows, Paul offers a different word. Singleness is not a deficiency to be corrected. It is a legitimate calling, one Paul himself embodies. Yet he is honest about human limits. “If they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:9, ESV). Marriage is not a consolation prize; it is a gift for those who need it.
Paul then turns to divorce, addressing both believers married to believers and believers married to unbelievers. His counsel is strikingly consistent. Do not pursue separation lightly. Seek reconciliation. Stay. Work it out. Even when faith is not shared, Paul urges patience and hope, not escape. His rhetorical question in verse 16 lingers with quiet force: “For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” (ESV).
Paul is not promising guaranteed outcomes. He is calling for faithful presence. Be the seed. Stay planted. Let God do the work.
A Fair Counter-Reading
Some readers have argued that Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 7 reflects situational urgency rather than timeless principle. Perhaps shaped by an expectation of Christ’s imminent return. Others worry that emphasizing staying put risks trapping people in harmful or abusive situations.
These concerns deserve serious attention. Scripture never sanctifies abuse, nor does Paul’s counsel override the broader biblical call to justice, safety, and protection of the vulnerable. Interpretation must be distinguished from application. Paul is addressing ordinary marital tension, not systemic harm. His emphasis on reconciliation assumes good-faith participation, not coercion or danger.
At the same time, reducing Paul’s teaching to mere historical contingency misses its theological depth. His vision of calling is rooted not in crisis management but in the sovereignty of God. A God who works not just through change, but through endurance.
The Turn
Beginning in verse 17, Paul widens the lens. Marriage and singleness are not isolated topics; they are examples of a larger truth. Three times he repeats the core principle: live as you were called.
Pastor Jonathan distilled this section into three modern reflections that bring Paul’s point into sharp focus:
Living out God’s calling genuinely enriches those around you. Faithfulness is never private. It spills outward.
Being faithful where you are makes the gospel visible in that place. The message is embodied before it is spoken.
No status or situation can separate you from God. Circumstances are fragile. God is not.
Paul applies this logic to circumcision, slavery, and social status. Real, weighty distinctions in the ancient world. None of them grant spiritual advantage. None of them disqualify. God’s call precedes our conditions.
Song of the week: But the Cross - Ben Fuller
The cross stands as a direct rebuttal to many of the lies, both worldly and internal, that people carry. In his song, Ben Fuller quickly names a common belief that the past cannot be outrun and that innocence, once lost, is gone for good. It is a familiar and tragic narrative, repeated in countless lives, where shame convinces people they are unable, or unworthy, to approach God because of what they have done.
The chorus cuts through that distortion with a simple but powerful truth, “But the cross says they’re wrong.” Christ’s death was not reserved for those with polished histories or minor moral failures. It was and is for everyone, especially the broken, the weary, and those who believe they are beyond redemption. So the next time you feel like you are “too far gone” just remember the lyrics, “Shame tells me I’m broken, but I know I’m forgiven. Fear tells me it’s over, but this is the beginning. But the cross says they’re wrong.”
Carry It Into the Week
This passage dismantles the myth that faithfulness begins “once things change.” Paul does not deny that circumstances matter. He denies that they are decisive. Staying faithful deepens our walk with Christ precisely because it resists the illusion that control equals obedience.
Expect God to be at work. Not only in new seasons, but in the ones you are tempted to escape. Your circumstances cannot hinder God’s purposes. They are often the very soil where those purposes take root.
And remember, God loves you, and so do I.
Week in Reflection
This week provided an opportunity for both travel and reflection as I drove three hours to spend time with a close friend I hadn’t seen in quite some time. The purpose of the visit was a somber one. To be present with him as he continues to grieve the loss of his mother. As one approaches forty, death becomes a more familiar part of life, yet its weight never seems to lessen. For that reason, I am grateful God made it possible for me to be there, if only for a weekend.
The visit included moments of normalcy and joy, video games, a workout, and even a trip to see Zootopia 2. Those shared activities mattered, but the most meaningful part of the weekend came on Sunday. I had the chance to attend the church my friend has been calling home and experience it firsthand.
Walking into a new church after years of worshiping exclusively at Connection felt unfamiliar and, in some ways, uncomfortable. Still, those feelings quickly faded. When the Gospel is faithfully preached, the smaller differences lose their significance. The sermon that morning came from John 2:1–12, and it sparked thoughtful reflection for both of us.
After the service, we shared brunch and talked through what we had heard. The conversation was honest, Gospel-centered, and encouraging. Being able to listen to my friend’s perspective and witness how God is working in his life was a gift in itself.
Looking back, the weekend was a reminder of God’s faithfulness. Not only in moments of grief, but in the opportunities He provides to walk alongside others. I’m thankful for this experience and pray He continues to open doors like this in the future.
