32-33 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord - but the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. 34 And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit - but the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

39-40 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. Yet, in my judgement, she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God. 1 Corinthians 7:32-40

This chapter has mostly been about marriage - whether a Christian who is married to an unsaved person should stay in the marriage, or even whether Christians should marry at all. The Old Testament book, Ecclesiastes, says: “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) Those are all things which could be true of marriage. But what does Paul say in vs 32-35 is another factor that an unmarried Christian should consider?

Marriage brings important responsibilities which will take up much time, and it also brings extra worries into our life. Even more so if there are children. So a person living in Paul's time who wanted to serve the Lord through visiting the sick, caring for the needy, and even taking the gospel to others, could find that being married might limit the time and energy they had to do those things. This is part of the reason why many unmarried missionaries (especially women) have been able to do so much in the world. They've had more time to focus fully on serving the Lord.

What's the 'practical issue' involved in vs 36-38?

It was customary in those days (and still is in some parts of the world) for marriages to be arranged. If a couple who'd been pledged to one another were postponing the marriage to have more time to serve the Lord, but were finding it difficult to control their desires – Paul says it would be better to marry. There was no shame in that. Being spiritual doesn't mean Christians must not be practical as well.

The final issue regarding marriage that Paul deals with here is when someone is widowed. And while he focuses on a woman who loses her husband, his advice would be equally true for a man who loses his wife. What is the key ingredient he gives that would give a second marriage every chance of succeeding? (vs 39-40)

I'd say it's those words 'only in the Lord'! People in those days were familiar with the sight of two animals sharing a yoke to pull a cart. Imagine the stress for a young mule if it was yoked with a strong ox. So in 2 Corinthians 6:14 Paul says: “Don't be unequally yoked with unbelievers, for what fellowship has light with darkness - what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?” That common sense applies very much to marriage - and it's not just for widows and widowers, it’s for any Christians who may be thinking of getting married. Make sure the person you have in mind is someone who loves the Lord Jesus Christ.