1 Corinthians 7:36-40
36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married.
37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing.
38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.
39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.
40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
Christians seek to know God’s will when making specific
.
You
have done this yourself.
Some people in the Bible
done this as well.
“Then he prayed, ‘Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a young woman, “Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,” and she says, “Drink, and I’ll water your camels too”—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.’”
“During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” —Acts 16:9-10
Within God’s moral will, you are free to
for yourself.
You must decide within God’s
will.
“The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” —1 John 5:17
You can
what to do with your life.
You can decide whether or not to get
(vv. 36-38).
You can decide whether or not to get
(vv. 39-40).
These examples
to other life decisions, too.
You decide, but not all decisions have equal
(v. 38, 40).
Big Idea: To make decisions within God’s will, apply biblical
.
Don’t make a decision that violates the
will of God.
“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality….” —1 Thessalonians 4:3
Do ask God for his
, not to tell you what to do.
James 1:5-6a: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt….”
God when you decide because he is sovereign over everything.
“In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will” —Ephesians 1:11