What age range was 1 Corinthians 7:9 intended for?
- Thread starter JohnB
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Those who are mature enough to understand what it means to be married and committed to one another. This passage isn't talking about anyone and everyone, but to those who have already decided they like each other enough to get engaged. He's not saying find someone to have sex with and get married.
I believe it is more aimed at younger people but who are adults (passed childhood) with raging hormones but it can apply to anyone. If they find they cannot control themselves they have to find some to marriage even through arranged marriage.
Why would you say that? Later in the chapter, there is a specific virgin involved, but not early in the chapter. To prevent fornication '...let every man have his own wife...' does apply to those who haven't found a partner yet. If you don't have any compulsion and want to be celibate for life, why would you want to get yourself in a situation where you and someone of the opposite sex like enough other enough to consider marriage?
Getting married was probably a bit easier back then. Find a father with a single daughter, and maybe you could quickly get into negotiations. Especially with Christians, there were limited options for suitable spouses since it was not good to marry a pagan.
I'll ask you a question. Do you think it's God's will for a man without self-control to look for a woman he has nothing in common with, and doesn't even like, so he can marry her and indulge himself with her?
But you would NEVER hear that from the church or many Christians. They keep pushing the purity movement, when it does harm to many.
At the time is was written, women got married around 15, men by the time they were 18. Paul was not telling them to wait until they were 25 or 30 or until they were ready
I'm not a Calvinistic Baptist, but I think I have heard Voddie Bauchum encouraging marrying young to prevent fornication. I think they might teach that in the 'quiver full' movement, which might include Baptists. I don't know if the Druggars consider themselves to be a part of the 'quiver full' movement or not, but their lifestyle seems to be aligned with it. I think they are part of what used to be called 'Independent Baptists', but I think 'Fundamental' got thrown into the label some time back.
Aha! I KNEW I had seen you somewhere in a chat room before! And I have the chat quote to prove it.
Well, for avoiding fornication 15 to 18 would be prime years when the urges kick in. Do you have any stats collected from first century Greece to back that up.
Statistically, though, marrying young seems to correlate with high divorce rates from what I've read. But regular church attendance correlates with lower divorce rates, and female virginity at marriage (old research) or else only having fornicated with the man she would marry correlate with lower rates of 'marital disruption.' I'd like to see if those who are serious about their faith who marry rather young have relatively low divorce rates.
It's also hard to earn a living at 15 to 18 years old. Now that we are going into a demographic desert with a smaller working generation, it might become easier to do so without a college degree.
Age of consent? I think there are a lot of people out there making the same points he is. I have heard it. I haven't seen him say anything about wanting to marry someone very young. He's implying the young should be allowed to marry.
Is it "God's will." I don't know God's individual will. I know from scripture that it says that it is God's will 'that ye abstain from fornication.'
I Corinthians 7 allows one to know if one is cut out for marriage or celibacy. You can read it and think through whether you can contain or whether you are going to burn. As far as who you should marry, that requires a bit more women. There is also a lot of information on the Psalms, especially for men, about what type of women to avoid-- the adulteress, the quarelsome woman.. and some information at the end about a good woman to marry-- the 'trooper' woman of Psalm 31.
Who said you should marry a woman you have nothing in common with who you don't even like? That seems to be a strawman. If JohnB wanted to marry a woman he didn't like, he probably could have been married by now. That would make it way too easy to get married... but probably difficult to live through afterward. It can be hard to find someone you like, who likes you too, and to find someone you really like after you've gotten to know them.
Maybe not, but I'm quite sure he wasn't suggesting that immature people who can't control themselves marry for one reason: to satisfy their physical urges. They should at least be mature enough to understand what they're getting into. A young man should have a job and/or a trade and not be a loser. "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Timothy 5:8 Young people in the US mature much later than they probably did in Paul's day. 25 or 30 doesn't sound far off. If they come from a good family and are mature enough before then, great.
Well, for avoiding fornication 15 to 18 would be prime years when the urges kick in. Do you have any stats collected from first century Greece to back that up.
Statistically, though, marrying young seems to correlate with high divorce rates from what I've read. But regular church attendance correlates with lower divorce rates, and female virginity at marriage (old research) or else only having fornicated with the man she would marry correlate with lower rates of 'marital disruption.' I'd like to see if those who are serious about their faith who marry rather young have relatively low divorce rates.
It's also hard to earn a living at 15 to 18 years old. Now that we are going into a demographic desert with a smaller working generation, it might become easier to do so without a college degree.
At 18 they were still living with their family working and family business.
1 Corinthians 7:
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
In the context of this verse of scripture, the couple are already betrothed (we would say 'engaged') to be married. Paul is saying that - if they "cannot wait" - then, they should go ahead and marry.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
In the context of this verse of scripture, the couple are already betrothed (we would say 'engaged') to be married. Paul is saying that - if they "cannot wait" - then, they should go ahead and marry.
Paul did not say if they are betrothed. If a person is not betrothed, they still have a sex drive and can fornicate.
I do not have enough time to address this now (work lunch break almost over) - I will have to see about it tonight if possible... (sorry 'bout that)