Pastor Leon’s SOAP:  Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer
November 10, 2023: SOAP #5090: Job 35, 36; 1Corinthians 7, 8 (a repeat)

SCRIPTURE:  1Corinthians (NIV) 7:17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches…
20 Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him…
24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

OBSERVATION:  In writing to the church in Corinth, Paul was setting down some general rules of behavior.  He starts off by saying that if you are a Jew, do not try to become an un-Jew, and if you are a Gentile, do not try to become a Jewish.  If you are married, do not seek a divorce.  In the light of eternity, our status or position has no bearing.  Everything will change in eternity, so if you are planning on going to heaven, do not worry about such things.  People who do not know God or understand His plan sometimes have the idea that they must make changes to be comfortable and pleasing for them on earth.

Yet Paul is saying our status is very important!  We should be content with the way God made us.  To apply Paul’s teaching to today, if we were made male, we should not try to be female.  If we were made female, we should not try to be male.  People may try to change their outside, but to my knowledge, no one is able to change their DNA.  Our DNA will always be a witness to how God made us.

APPLICATION:  As opportunity presents itself, it is good to improve my standing, however that should never be done because I am discontent with my present circumstances and how God made me.  (Philippians 4:11-12; Hebrews 13:5)

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, life here is so short compared to eternity.  Knowing that you are with me — knowing that you have something for me to do — changes my perspective of everything.  Amen.

Pastor Leon
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