Introduction
      In chapter 7 of first Corinthians, Paul deals with a question raised in a letter to him. The congregation was concerned with the issue of asceticism. Not only were members deciding to remain single, but married couples were separating to take up the single life. This they were doing out of their commitment to the Kingdom of God, most likely driven by the heresy - a person is holier or purer without sex. In the passage before us he gives a discipleship principle and applies it.

The passage
      v32a. Paul states he wants his readers to possess a state of mind which is "without anxiety." The big question is, what "anxiety" does he want them free of? The context seems to imply it is the anxiety associated with married life. The drive for procreation and the false expectations that often go with marriage can lead to frustration and anxiety. Yet the anxiety plaguing the Corinthians is an asceticism which sees marriage as less than holy, if not sinful. Given this type of heresy, there would be quite a few married couples and fiances a little anxious.
      v32b-34a. Paul points out that the single life is certainly less likely to divide our interests. That is, it gives greater opportunities for service to the Kingdom than the married life, and given that this age is fast passing away ("the time is short", 7:29), the single life is therefore preferable. What he is not saying is that the married life is sinful, less than holy, or unworthy of a believer. The married person must please his wife as well as the Lord, and therefore "his interests are divided."
      v34b. Paul now repeats his point for unmarried women and in particular, virgins. The "virgin" he is speaking about here, is a betrothed women who's marriage is now shelved due to the acceptance of asceticism in the Corinthian congregation. The crucial difference with the men is found in the description of the single woman who pleases the Lord by being "devoted to the Lord (holy) both in body and spirit." Understandably this statement is often used to support the notion that asceticism, and in particular the single life, is not only pleasing to the Lord, but is an outward expression of inward holiness. Yet it can't mean that because this is exactly the view Paul is arguing against. The words probably carry the idea presented in the phrase "his interests are divided", v34a. The unmarried woman's complete attention to the Kingdom covers her daily physical life as well as her inward spiritual life. She is not divided by her need to "please her husband."
      v35. Paul now sums up the digression which began at v29. He wants his readers free of anxiety over whether they should marry or not. Believers are to live in the world with their view to eternity, for the "present form is passing away", v31. They are to live "as if not engrossed in" the world, whether married or single, in secular life or religious life. "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free". Paul himself opts for the single life for that is best for him in his service to the Lord (his "gift", v7). It best allows him to live in the world free from anxiety, free to live out eternal verities - "as if not" of the world. Yet there remain two paths, marriage or singularity, both valid for believers. So then, the purpose of his words is for their own advantage. They are certainly not to burden them. He wants his readers free from an asceticism which hinders their life for the Lord. (Again this verse is often used to argue the opposite case, namely, the religious life is the only way to live "in undivided devotion to the Lord.")

The religious life
      I can remember this passage getting worked over in youth fellowship and being battered with the rather fearful notion that the single life was somehow a superior discipleship path. Sadly most of us chose the married life and so accepted the rank of second-class disciples.
      The trouble is we had totally misunderstood what Paul was driving at. There are many paths in our journey through life - married or single, businessman or clergyman, working mum or home mum, home owner or renter... Some paths may give us greater opportunities in service to the Kingdom, but they are not intrinsically superior, or holier, more worthy in the sight of God.
      A believer is controlled by other quite different principles. We are children of the end time awaiting for the present form of things to pass away. Although we move through this age (live in the world) we are not controlled by it's fading power: its fads, procreative energy, tantalizing materialism, tribal games..... (we are not of the world). Christ has set us free from its power to await the day of his return. We are therefore free from anxiety over whether to marry or not to marry, to have or not to have. Neither is better nor worse in itself.
      The questions a believer must ask of life are quite different:
          Is our intent, action, plan.... "pleasing" to the Lord? Is it aligned to his character, appropriate, a "right way"?
          Does it allow "undivided devotion to the Lord"? Does it maximize our service to the Lord, enable us to work for the perfection and extension of the Kingdom.
          Is it within our natural human capacity, within our "gift", such that we can accept this service "free from concern" (anxiety)? We can only "do what we can".
      The trick is to get through life not "worried and upset about many things" but to daily choose "what is better", Lk.10:41-42.