On 10 January 1979, the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, James Callaghan, landed at London's Heathrow Airport after attending a summit on the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, where he'd been filmed sunbathing and swimming in the clear tropical waters. By contrast, the Britain he'd returned to was snowbound, facing economic chaos, and experiencing strikes.

When asked how he was going to solve the problems, the Prime Minister gave a short-tempered reply which resulted in the newspaper headline, ″Crisis? What crisis?″⁷ Jim Callaghan looked to be ignoring the crisis and, in a few months, he was removed from power.

Paul wants the Corinthians to face their ″present crisis″ (1 Corinthians 7:26) and not ignore it. We don't really know what this crisis was. Was it a famine? Historians have unearthed evidence of famines, but 1 Corinthians doesn't mention them. Or was it the belief that Christ's return was imminent? The Greek word for ″crisis″ can be translated as ″constraint″, which suggests that Paul might be referring not to a specific moment of crisis, but to the whole period between Jesus' ascension and His return.

On balance, I think this is most likely. It fits with Paul's reminder that ″the time is short″ (v. 29) and his emphasis that ″from now on″, those who have a wife ″should live as if they do not″ (v. 29)-implying that whatever they have or experience now is not going to last. And it fits with his reminder that ″this world in its present form is passing away″ (v. 31).

So, Paul gives some pastoral advice to ″virgins″, or singles who have never married (v. 25): stay as you are. He makes clear that he is not issuing a direct command from the Lord, but indicating his preference as he lives in the light of Jesus' return (vv. 26-31).

If these singles do marry, however, they ″have not sinned″ (v. 28). Marriage is a great blessing, but it is hugely demanding and brings extra troubles and concerns (vv. 28, 32-35). The single person, by contrast, doesn't have to be worried about a partner or children; he or she can give undivided attention to God and the gospel (vv. 34-35).

Dear Lord, whether I am single, married, divorced, or widowed, help me to see that ″this world in its present form is passing away″. Help me to honour You in my relationships, while not turning my marriage or singleness into an idol.