Good morning. Remember the last statement: he
who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price
(just as a slave is bought); do not become slaves of men. Of course Christ paid
the ultimate price for us. Some people had no choice as to whether or not to
become slaves of men. Others because of economic necessity became slaves of
men. Each is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called. I
think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good
for a man to remain as he is. (That does not mean that Paul thought it would be
true for all time). Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are
you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you marry, you have not
sinned. Similarly for virgins. He then makes the argument that those that are
married, men or women, are concerned about pleasing their spouse. Those that
are not are concerned about pleasing the Lord. This I say for your own benefit;
not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to
secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. It would also be possible to allow
concern for a child to interfere with one’s devotion to the Lord. Father help
us to always be devoted to You and to constantly seek Your desire in our lives.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
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