Facts:

ch 7 what theme have we noticed so far? At least three verses that repeat this theme in ch. 7 What are they? 7:17, 20, 24

What two aspects of the Christian life are in each verse?

Conditions/situation	Calling

What happens to our situation as a result of our calling? Give me Paul? He gives an excellent example here. turn our conditions upside down w/out even changing them.

Why is he the Lord's freedman? "He doesn't have to obey his former master anymore on issues of conscience, and he can trust that His new master is big enough to protect him (Dan). Why can he trust that, let Paul come out. What assurance does He have that His new master is trustworthy. "Bought at a price." And what was that price? the life of His son!

Why is a free man the Lord's slave? He has been bought. This is a beautiful picture of redemption, being bought back, now my Master is the most powerful One, and I would not rather be doing anything but what He wants me to do.

Praise the Lord, I am never again a slave of my circumstances. No matter what anyone does to me, I can choose to react as Jesus would!

Who can put these together then, for us, giving the proper emphasis on each? Stay in the situation in which God called you. Do not seek a change in circumstances, instead be a changed person, no longer disobedient.

Interpretation:

Context:

what are the different types of conditions Paul points out which we should remain in?

relationships--particularly marriages--unless the unbeliever can't handle it, then let them go. (this not being able to handle it can come in several ways, so don't get all flipped out. If a man is abusive and cannot control himself, he has left the marriage relationship even if he's still in the same house and doesn't want a divorce.)

physical attributes--don't make them first place, how many adventists would like to make health the issue! The question is are you obeying God's will, if that means taking better care of your body, so be it, but not to the exclusion of love

position in life--don't make it first place, though if it can be bettered, do it, and don't purposely put yourself in danger or under the absolute control of another

or type of work/job--remain in your job. Don't think that because you're a Xian you must become a minister now

marital status

A Xian should not be in bondage to any circumstance, we have been bought by the most powerful master of all. The best Master of all, there is no circumstance now that can master us, Nevertheless if our new Master has called us to work in the same field of cotton our old master had us working in, we do not try to escape our new master, we work for him, knowing we are doing the best thing for us and for the others there by serving Him faithfully in the place He has assigned us. Don't expect a great change of situation when you become a Christian. God may see fit to leave you where you are, for He has a purpose for You there, content yourself with the fact that You are free from your old master, and could not ask for any better way to spend your time than how the new master has asked for you to spend it, for He paid the greatest price possible for You, and You can trust He is not wasting a cent of it, but has assigned you to just the work He wants you to accomplish for Him.

Therefore the problem is not with getting married, but marrying in an effort to change your situation as if you could improve it of your own free will. You may not improve your situation by getting married, you may bring more pain.

Application:

To whom does Paul attribute the situation a person finds themselves in when they are called?

What does it mean to remain with God in the place at which I was called? Does it mean not to seek growth or betterment? No, for he says get out of slavery if you can, and never get into slavery, yet he does not want that to become the all-consuming passion--what of Joseph? We are dealing with a problem of judgment here, then, not some hard and fast rule like it is always better not to get married. There must be a principle behind it that makes some sense of it. What two elements have we seen, that Paul attributes to God--situation/portion, and calling. Which one varies, and which one is always the same? Which one then takes precedence over the other? Which one is God more concerned about? He calls people in every sit. but always calls them to the same things. To what are we called? Not to bondage, but to live in peace, In other words to freedom in Christ, and servanthood in Christ.

We have been purchased! We are thus free from our old master, and servants of the new! At what cost to God? Jesus' death and life! We are free from condemnation and free to live holy, Christlike lives!

Therefore you must be satisfied with what God does, knowing that whatever happens to you He has a mission for you in it. Whatever you do, you should let your standing in Christ be your foundation, for the present form of this world is passing away. The question you need to ask is this: Am I by my unwillingness to serve in the situation I am in telling God that I have no appreciation for the price at which He bought me? What does it imply about the price with which I was bought if I will not work where I am assigned? It wasn't high enough, or My Master is not good enough. I know better than He does.

seeking versus getting married

not content. What is that situation? What are we called to? slaves and free

Slave and free. What a thing not to be content with. If I am content then I live devoted, but if not, I am saying, "It's not good enough God."