Stay as You Are

I Cor. 7:6

But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

We are not all the same; in fact God does not desire cookie-cutter disciples. Some are married and some are unmarried or widows. The overriding principle is to stay pure. In your marriage be pure, and in your singleness, be pure. But what else was concerning to new believers was the marriage of someone saved to someone unsaved. What to do now? Paul said to stay together if at all possible because the saved spouse has a great opportunity to show the power of new life to the unsaved spouse and the children. Another problem that new believers felt keenly was circumcision. Some at the point of salvation were uncircumcised or even vice versa. Should they seek to be circumcised now, or should they seek to remove the signs of circumcision (how, I don't know.)? Paul answered simply no on both counts. How you are at the point of salvation is where that person should stay. He even went so far as to say that if you were a slave, don't be concerned about it. His point was in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. These practical issues were and still are a concern to believers, but God deals in the matter of the heart. If the heart is changed and sin ceases to control that person, then that is what salvation is all about. Certainly, repentance is a change of direction, but the direction is for the most part of the heart. If the heart is transformed, then other things will fall in place. But are there situations where there should be an outward change as well? Definitely God will purify the heart and change the life, but God has a purpose and a mission for each new believer in his or her own particular circumstances.

Father,
Help me to serve You with a pure heart in the exact relationships and situations that You have given me.
In Jesus name,
Amen