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Aug 20, 2025 06:00am

Before You Say “I Do,” Read This Warning from Scripture

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Stunned.

Speechless.

In shock.

As she stood there, holding these three tiny things in her hand, she knew it was all they had left. And she was furious. No, she was heartbroken. She couldn’t sort her emotions; she just knew this wasn’t the answer.

We all know the story of Jack and the beanstalk. She was a widow with a young son, and they were in hard times. With little to eat and no way to earn money, the mother sent her son Jack to town to sell their only cow.

It was all they had left.

Times were tough. They were struggling to survive. She was prepared to do whatever was necessary to keep them alive as long as she possibly could.

But along the way, the boy met a man who traded him three beans for his cow. The man told him they weren’t just any beans—they were magic.

The hopeful boy rushed home to his mother and gave her the beans, knowing she would be so proud.

But the mother knew better. Her son just didn’t understand.

He didn’t realize what a desperate situation they were in and how the money from selling the cow was supposed to help them in the days ahead.

Three beans.

Magic or not, to her, it wasn’t worth it. There was something bigger at stake.

And as they would find out, those magic beans weren’t going to solve all their problems. They would only add to them.

1 Corinthians 7:25–40

“Now regarding your question about the young women who are not yet married. I do not have a command from the Lord for them. But the Lord in his mercy has given me wisdom that can be trusted, and I will share it with you. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think it is best to remain as you are. 27 If you have a wife, do not seek to end the marriage. If you do not have a wife, do not seek to get married. 28 But if you do get married, it is not a sin. And if a young woman gets married, it is not a sin. However, those who get married at this time will have troubles, and I am trying to spare you those problems.
29 But let me say this, dear brothers and sisters: The time that remains is very short. So from now on, those with wives should not focus only on their marriage. 30 Those who weep or who rejoice or who buy things should not be absorbed by their weeping or their joy or their possessions. 31 Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away.
32 I want you to be free from the concerns of this life. An unmarried man can spend his time doing the Lord’s work and thinking how to please him. 33 But a married man has to think about his earthly responsibilities and how to please his wife. 34 His interests are divided. In the same way, a woman who is no longer married or has never been married can be devoted to the Lord and holy in body and in spirit. But a married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.
36 But if a man thinks that he’s treating his fiancée improperly and will inevitably give in to his passion, let him marry her as he wishes. It is not a sin. 37 But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry. 38 So the person who marries his fiancée does well, and the person who doesn’t marry does even better.
39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. If her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but only if he loves the Lord. 40 But in my opinion it would be better for her to stay single, and I think I am giving you counsel from God’s Spirit when I say this.”

As we study through 1 Corinthians, we come to a section of Scripture that speaks about whether it’s better to get married or stay single.

But I want us to stop right there.

Stop and think about who is writing this, to whom it is being written, and what’s happening during this time.

Remember, Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Corinth for two reasons: to address reports he had heard of their disputes within the church and to answer questions they had sent to him. The first six chapters addressed the former, and chapter seven begins his time answering their questions.

He said it was better for a person to stay single and not marry.

Can you take that out of context? Certainly! As many people have. But that’s not helpful. That’s not what Paul intended. Look at his reasoning in verse 25 for making that statement:

“Because of the present crisis.”

What crisis?

Similar to the young boy Jack in our story, these young believers did not fully understand what lay ahead.

But Paul, like the mother, did.

Major persecution against Christians was here, and even more was to come from the Roman government soon. Paul was saying that time was short. They could lose their lives because of their faith. It would be better not to start a family. A man could be killed and his new bride left alone to fend for herself—or even a new baby that came. Why do that unless necessary?

Instead, knowing what was ahead, it would be better for them to remain single. That way, they could keep their main priority in place—sharing the gospel.

Paul was NOT saying marriage was wrong or sinful. He was not saying that God prefers for a man or woman to remain single.

You can still be on mission for Christ and be married.

Paul was saying, “At this present time, because of the crisis we are in.”

What can we take away from this?

Don’t take Scripture out of context.
Marriage won’t solve all your problems.
Think before you jump into such a commitment.
Keep Christ’s mission to share the gospel and make disciples as your top priority. Having a helpmate to do so can be beneficial.
Don’t sell your only cow for three magic beans.

If you really want to know how to follow Christ with your life, go to follow.lifeword.org or follow.lifeword.org/spanish. Jesus has a mission for all of us—single or married. Learn more at FOLLOW.