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Tuesday, May 17, 2005

1 Corinthians 7:17-24

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. (ESV)

by Nick Kersten

It is important to remember that Paul was dealing with a number of problems in Corinth, one of which was legalism. Paul addressed the issue here, reminding the Corinthians that it is not adherence to a rule book that God desires (shame on us if our Bibles are only a rule book!) but transformed lives. The freedom we gain from the Law through Christ’s redeeming work frees us, however, to offer our lives back to God in a way that honors the Person and the Spirit of God as he is revealed in Scripture.



Copyright Information

Daily Bible Meditations are taken from The Helping Hand,a Sabbath School student quarterly for youth and adults. Copyright © 2008, Seventh Day Baptist Board of Christian Education, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked "ESV" are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service .