There has to be more to life than
this. Praise Almighty God there is! The key verse reminds us that the time is
short. Heaven and hell lie in the balance for everyone. Eternity with the
creator hangs in the balance. Another truth in the key verses is that this
world is passing away. We sometimes are shielded from the horrors of the world
because we live in the
First, those who have wives should live as if they had none. Now relax, that does not mean ignore your spouse. Paul later explains:
I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs--how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife-- and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. 1Corinthians 7: 32-35
The time is short and this world is passing away. In light of this, Paul is exhorting us as believers to step up our involvement in the Lord's affairs. Too often we can become enamored with the affairs of this world instead of the affairs of the Lord. When Paul says to live as though you did not have a wife, he is speaking about our dedication to pleasing the Lord. It is a matter of where our mind is focused.
Secondly, those who mourn should do so as if they do not while those who are happy as if they were not. Do not listen to your hearts beloved. There is not sufficient time left to do so. What does the Bible actually say about the heart:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Jeremiah 17: 9 (ESV)
The message here from Paul is to not be distracted in these, the end times. Do not allow your mourning or gladness sway you from the very real fact that the time is short and this world is passing away. The enemy will use your emotions against you to cripple you in the things of this world. The less effective you are, the more people who spend eternity apart from God. It is a matter of where our heart is focused.
Lastly, those who buy something should do so as if it is not theirs to keep and to use the things of the world instead of becoming engrossed by them. For while we are in the world, we are not of the world. This speaks to our actions. If we act on behalf of the things of the world, then that is where we will focus. If we act on behalf of the things of God, then we will focus on the things of God. We will do the work for God we have been called to. We will be more effective for Him in His kingdom. Note the difference between using the things of this world and becoming engrossed in them. This is dealing with our actions in this world during these, the end days. God is not saying that we should be acting in a Christian bubble. In order to bring people to the foot of the cross, we must be in the world. Paul is warning us to not become engrossed with the world. The world teaches hatred and division. It reinforces the basest of human behavior. Our actions must represent Christ:
