Covenant, Freedom, and a Spirit-Filled Opinion Text: 1 Corinthians 7:39-40
Introduction: The World's Dictionary vs. God's
We live in an age that has declared war on definitions. The modern project is an attempt to live in a world of pure assertion, where every man defines his own reality, his own morality, and even his own biology. Words like marriage, freedom, and happiness have been ripped from their moorings in God's created order and are now treated like so much silly putty, to be twisted into whatever shape our rebellious hearts desire. Marriage is a temporary contract based on romantic feelings. Freedom is the absolute right to do whatever you want, whenever you want, with whomever you want. And happiness is the fleeting buzz of self-gratification.
Into this definitional chaos, the Word of God speaks with a clear, steady, and unwavering voice. God, as the Creator, is the ultimate lexicographer. He gets to define the terms. The apostle Paul, in concluding his extended discussion on marriage in 1 Corinthians 7, gives us three foundational definitions that set us at odds with the spirit of the age. He defines the nature of the marriage bond, the nature of true Christian freedom, and the nature of Spirit-guided wisdom. These are not just helpful hints for difficult situations; they are load-bearing walls for a Christian worldview. To misunderstand them is to build your life, your family, and your church on sand.
The Corinthian church was a mess, much like our own culture. They were confused about sex, marriage, divorce, and singleness. They were importing pagan assumptions into the life of the church and were in desperate need of apostolic correction. Paul has spent this entire chapter patiently untangling their knots, applying the Lord's commands where they existed and giving his own inspired, apostolic counsel where they did not. These final two verses serve as a crucial capstone to his argument, reminding us that our lives, from the marriage bed to the grave and beyond, are to be lived under the authority of Jesus Christ.
Here we see the permanence of the marriage covenant, the liberty that death brings, the one great restriction on that liberty, and the sober, Spirit-filled wisdom that ought to guide our choices. This is intensely practical theology. For the widow, it is a direct word of guidance. For the married, it is a profound reminder of the covenant they are in. And for all of us, it is a lesson in how to think like a Christian, submitted to the Lord in all things.
The Text
A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband has fallen asleep, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God.
(1 Corinthians 7:39-40 LSB)
The Covenant Bond and the Great Emancipator (v. 39a)
Paul begins with a foundational statement about the nature of marriage.
"A wife is bound as long as her husband lives..." (1 Corinthians 7:39a)
The word here for "bound" is a strong one. It is a legal and covenantal term. Marriage is not a consumer relationship, where you stay as long as you are a satisfied customer. It is a covenant bond, a solemn oath made before God and men. This bond is not metaphysical; you do not become ontologically fused with your spouse. It is covenantal, which means it is unbreakable except on the terms laid out by the one who established the covenant, God Himself. And the primary, normative end of that covenant is death. "Till death do us part" is not a sentimental platitude; it is a biblical absolute.
This truth stands in stark opposition to our culture of disposable relationships. The world sees marriage as a temporary arrangement for mutual benefit. God sees it as a lifelong covenant that images His own faithfulness to His people. This is why God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). It is a violent tearing of what He has joined together. While Scripture does permit divorce for certain covenant-breaking sins like sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9) or abandonment by an unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:15), the fundamental design is permanence. Your marriage is not about you. It is a public drama that tells the world something true or false about Christ and His church.
But then Paul introduces the great emancipator from this bond.
"...but if her husband has fallen asleep, she is free to be married to whom she wishes..." (1 Corinthians 7:39b)
Notice the beautiful euphemism Paul uses for death: "fallen asleep." This is a distinctively Christian way of speaking. For the believer, death has lost its sting. It is not a terrifying annihilation but a peaceful transition into the presence of the Lord. The husband is not gone; he is asleep in Jesus, awaiting the resurrection. This language itself is a form of gospel proclamation.
And his death brings freedom. The covenant bond is dissolved. The vows have been fulfilled. The widow is "free." This is not a reluctant permission, but a genuine liberty. She has no lingering obligation to her deceased husband. She is free to be married again, and she is free to marry "to whom she wishes." This acknowledges her own desire, her own agency, her own choice in the matter. The church has no right to bind her conscience where Scripture has set her free. She is not a second-class citizen. Her freedom is real.
The Royal Restriction (v. 39c)
But this freedom is not absolute. It is not the world's definition of freedom, which is autonomy from God. It is Christian freedom, which is freedom within the lordship of Christ. And so Paul adds the great, non-negotiable condition.
"...only in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 7:39c)
This is the royal restriction. A Christian is free to marry any eligible person they wish, with this one massive qualification: that person must also be "in the Lord." This means the person must be a Christian, a genuine, baptized, professing believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not a suggestion for a happier marriage, though it certainly leads to one. This is a command. To violate it is to sin.
The prohibition against being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14) applies with its greatest force to the marriage covenant. How can two people who are walking in opposite directions walk together? One is walking toward Christ, the other toward judgment. One serves King Jesus, the other serves self. One has the Spirit of God, the other the spirit of the world. To join them in the most intimate of human covenants is to build a life on a geological fault line. It is to invite conflict, compromise, and misery into the very heart of the home.
To marry "in the Lord" means more than just marrying someone who checks the "Christian" box on a survey. It means marrying someone who shares your fundamental allegiance to the triune God, who submits to the authority of Scripture, who loves the church, and who is seeking to live a life of repentance and faith. Your spouse is your primary partner in discipleship. How can you be partners when you are on opposing teams?
This is a hard word in a sentimental age. But it is a word of profound wisdom and protection. God gives us this command not to restrict our happiness, but to secure it. He knows that true unity, the one-flesh union, is only possible when it is grounded in a shared union with Christ.
Apostolic Counsel and Spirit-Backed Authority (v. 40)
Having laid down the law, Paul now offers his pastoral, apostolic counsel.
"But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I also have the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 7:40)
Paul distinguishes here, as he does elsewhere in this chapter, between a direct command from the Lord and his own inspired judgment. When he says, "in my opinion," he is not saying, "this is just my two cents, feel free to ignore it." This is the humble language of a man who knows the weight of his apostolic authority and does not want to lay a "command" on someone where the Lord has not. He is giving Spirit-guided wisdom, not binding legislation.
His counsel is that the widow would be "happier" if she remains single. Given the "present distress" he mentioned earlier (v. 26), the coming persecutions and troubles, being single offered a freedom from worldly anxieties that a married person simply does not have. A single person can devote themselves to the Lord with fewer distractions (vv. 32-35). Paul's concern here is pragmatic and pastoral. He wants to spare them unnecessary trouble. He is not denigrating marriage, which he elsewhere calls a glorious mystery (Ephesians 5:32). He is elevating the strategic value of singleness for the cause of the kingdom in a time of crisis.
But then he adds a final, weighty clause: "And I think that I also have the Spirit of God." This is a masterful piece of apostolic understatement. It is a gentle but firm assertion of his authority. In a church full of people boasting about their spiritual gifts and revelations, Paul says, with a touch of irony, "I think I have the Spirit too." The word "think" here does not imply doubt, but rather a settled conviction. He is saying, "My opinion on this matter is not just the rambling of an old bachelor. This counsel is shaped by the same Holy Spirit who dwells in you."
This reminds us that all our decisions, especially major life decisions like marriage, are to be made with Spirit-led wisdom. We have the written Word of God, which gives us our commands and boundaries, like "only in the Lord." And within those boundaries, we have the wisdom given by the Spirit, sought through prayer, counsel, and a sober assessment of our circumstances, our giftings, and the needs of the kingdom. Paul is modeling for us how to think as a mature Christian. We don't just ask, "What am I allowed to do?" We ask, "What is the wisest thing to do for the glory of God?"
Conclusion: Freedom Under the King
So what do we take from these two short verses? We take a robust, God-centered view of life's most important relationships. Marriage is a covenant, sealed by God and broken only by death. This gives marriage its weight, its seriousness, and its glory. It is not a flimsy human invention.
For the widow, there is true freedom. Death severs the bond, and she is at liberty to remarry. But this freedom is not a license to follow her own autonomous desires into foolishness. It is a freedom that must be exercised "in the Lord." Her choice of a new husband must be a choice that honors her primary husband, the Lord Jesus Christ. She must marry a man who is also a servant of her King.
And for all of us, single or married, widowed or not, we are called to live by Spirit-given wisdom. We have the clear commands of Scripture, and we must obey them without equivocation. But in the many areas of life where God gives us freedom, we are not to be guided by fleeting emotions or worldly pragmatism. We are to be guided by a settled desire to please God, to advance His kingdom, and to live peaceably and effectively in a fallen world. Like the apostle Paul, we should seek to have opinions and make choices that are so saturated with Scripture and prayer that we too can say with humble confidence, "I think that I also have the Spirit of God."