In 1 Corinthians 7:8–16 Paul has instructed the married not to divorce, and the unmarried not to seek marriage (unless they cannot exercise sexual self-control). He now summarizes his counsel with a simple rule,
one that he teaches in all the churches.
Put in different words, Paul’s rule
is that a person should not yearn for a change in situation when he or she becomes a believer. Whatever the believer’s situation in life may be, he can serve God in that situation. After all, it is the Lord
who has assigned
to the believer his situation in life. It is God who has called
him to this situation.
In 1 Corinthians 7:18–23 Paul illustrates this rule by way of two examples: circumcision, and slavery.
17 Seulement, que chacun marche selon la part que le Seigneur lui a faite, selon l'appel qu'il a reçu de Dieu. C'est ainsi que je l'ordonne dans toutes les Eglises.