Live as Though You Are Not Married?

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edarlitrix

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I am confused as to how to understand the verses 1 Cor. 7:29-31.

“This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods . . . For the present form of the world is passing away.”

OK, the part about living as though you don’t have a spouse could be twisted to excuse vice. In addition, the rest of the examples imply that we should live detatched, indifferent lives as though suffering from depression. None of this agrees with the claim that we should enjoy what God has given us since given this passage, such enjoyment only lasts as long as the world does… So, any ideas of understanding this passage that resolves the perceived contradiction?
 
When we’re mourning, the grief can overwhelm us. When we’re married, we can give in to lustfulness towards our spouse. When good things have happened to us on Earth, we can do too much celebrating (rejoicing). We can be consumed by our possessions (how many of us are guilty of this in modern times?).

I believe this is referring to the need to focus on the spiritual life of the individual, rather than getting bogged down in the matters of earthly life. It promotes a spiritual detachment from the emotions and materialisms that are distracting us from loving God more fully. Remember where Paul says that a married man is concerned about a wife, whereas the single man is concerned about God, or where Jesus says the rich man should sell all that he has, give the money to the poor, and follow him? This is Paul trying to hammer home that sense of focusing on God rather than the little things in our lives that, in the grand scheme of things, are either inconsequential or are distracting our relationship with the Lord.
 
Thanks tvknight, that answer makes perfect sense! :tiphat:
 
edarlitrix said:
I am confused as to how to understand the verses 1 Cor. 7:29-31.

“This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods . . . For the present form of the world is passing away.”

OK, the part about living as though you don’t have a spouse could be twisted to excuse vice. In addition, the rest of the examples imply that we should live detatched, indifferent lives as though suffering from depression. None of this agrees with the claim that we should enjoy what God has given us since given this passage, such enjoyment only lasts as long as the world does… So, any ideas of understanding this passage that resolves the perceived contradiction?
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You would have understood the passage easily if you didn’t conflate detachment and indifference.
 
Don’t procreate, it is pending that the promise will be beaten out of the world, and your future generations come to naught but suffering.
 
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