What does 1 Corinthians 7:18 mean?
Paul is expanding on the idea that Christians who are married should stay married and Christians who are single should not necessarily seek to get married. He is applying this teaching to many of the areas of a Christian's life.He begins with circumcision: removing the foreskin from the penis, common especially to the Jewish people (Genesis 17:10–11). Circumcision was required for every male who lived under the law of Moses (Leviticus 12:1–3). Those who come to faith in Christ, however, do not live under the requirements of the law (Romans 6:14).
A primary complaint of the Jewish religious leaders against Paul is exactly what's written in these verses. Not only did he say that new converts to Christianity were not required to be circumcised to be included in God's people, he even forbids them from being circumcised.
This led to understandable tension between Jewish and Gentile Christians living amongst one another. Roman culture often included public baths or competing in the nude in sporting events, as was the custom. In such cases, a person could not very well hide whether they were circumcised. Nor could they avoid the judgments of others, including some Christians, that went along with that awareness.
Should a Jewish person who had been circumcised as an infant seek out surgery to hide or cosmetically reverse his circumcision? Should a Gentile get circumcised, as was required of converts to Judaism, just to be as acceptable to God as possible? In both cases, Paul says "no." Rather, that condition is part of where and how a person was called to Christ. They should stay as they are, in those ways. In the following verses, Paul explains this idea.
First Corinthians 7:17–24 expands on Paul's rule of thumb: that Christians should remain in whatever situation they were in when they came to faith in Christ. Later text clarifies that Paul is not denouncing marriage or forbidding it in any sense. Married or not, circumcised or not, slave or free, Christians aren't obligated to radically upend every aspect of their lives and relationships. Slaves, though, are encouraged to gain their freedom if available. A believing slave is, in fact, free in Christ, while a Christian who is free in this life is, in truth, a slave to Christ. We all belong to God. Our eternal position in Christ matters far more than our temporary position in this life.
Paul rejects an idea concerning the Corinthian believers: that married Christians should not have sex. Perhaps some even thought marriages should be dissolved and avoided. On the contrary, Scripture says married Christians should have regular sex in order to avoid temptation. Those who are married ought to remain married. Unmarried believers with the gift of celibacy, however, should consider remaining single in order to avoid the troubles of marriage. That is Paul's personal preference, though that gift is not given to all others. Single believers can devote themselves to serving Christ without distraction. The time is short. All believers should live and serve Christ now as if this world is passing away.
