1 Corinthians 7James 1-5

• To understand what Paul is saying about marriage, we must try to put ourselves in the position of the Corinthian Saints, and we must have the prior knowledge which they had.

1. They knew about the law of eternal marriage and understood full well its relationship to eternal life.

2. They asked him to comment on several specific and difficult problems involving members of their congregation. Unfortunately we don’t know what those problems were.

3. He assumes that the readers also have this knowledge.

• It would be like a modern apostle, without saying anything about the general laws of marriage, writing answers to such questions as:

Is it better to remain single, or to for go marriage entirely, or to marry out of the church?

If a husband or wife will not receive the gospel, should divorce follow?

Should missionaries marry while on their mission?

• Keep in mind many individual problems which may properly be solved one way for a couple and another for someone else. The solution would depend on local circumstances and personal temperaments.

• 1 Corinthians 7:1

Yes it is good for a man (a missionary) not to touch a woman!

1 Corinthians 7:7

“All men were even as myself”

It is possible that Paul, who had once been married, was a widower at this time. His heart is set on missionary work, and thus he might have chosen not to re-marry.

He is not talking about celibacy, but is urging the normal and controlled sex living in marriage, and total abstinence outside of marriage (Pres. Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, 64).

Perhaps he was saying that all had self-mastery over their appetites, and that all obeyed the laws of God in those respects.

• 1 Corinthians 7:8-9

“It is good for them if they abide even as I.”

It’s hard to know what he was responding to here. Possibly he is giving his opinion that in some cases, unmarried persons and widows should not marry.

Thank goodness we have D&C 131-132!

“Three case studies given by the Lord (D&C 132:15-19).

• 1 Corinthians 7:14

“Unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife”(D&C 74:1-7).

In this context “unbelieving” refers to Jewish parents who wanted to continue circumcising their children.

The principle of spiritual damage to children from such marriages holds true in all generations. When a man or a woman who are faithful members of the church marry those without a strong testimony of the gospel, not only is the marriage itself endangered but the spiritual training of the children will be severely limited. A child needs the spiritual testimony and training of both parents without conflict or schism.

• 1 Corinthians 7:25-40

Special questions to those involved in missionary or other priesthood service requiring absence from home for prolonged periods.

Book of James

• Joseph Smith gave the King Follett Discourse on April 15th, 1844.

Joseph taught, I am going to show you an error in the scriptures. I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Latin, Hebrew, German, and Greek languages. I have been reading the German, and find it to be the most (nearly) correct translation, and to correspond nearest to the revelations which God has given me for the last fourteen years.

It tells about Jacobus, the son of Zebedee. It means Jacob. In the English New Testament it is translated James. Now, if Jacob had the keys, you might talk about James through all eternity and never get the keys. In the 21st verse of the fourth chapter of Matthew, my old German edition gives the word Jacob instead of James.

• The doctors (I mean doctors of law, not physic) say, “If you preach anything not according to the Bible, we will cry treason.” How can we escape the damnation of hell, except God be with us and reveal to us?

Men bind us with chains. The Latin says Jacob and the German says Jacob; here we have the testimony of four against one. I thank God that we have got this old book; but I thank him more for the gift of the Holy Ghost.

So, how did we get the English name of James?

• The book of James is the start of the General Epistles.

• These are letters for members of the Church.

• James is a series of mini-sermons.

• Written in A.D. 50-52.

• James was the Bishop of Jerusalem and perhaps the half-brother of Jesus Christ. Josephus says that James was martyred by being stoned to death in A.D. 62. This is not the James in the first presidency of the church, he was killed by the sword in A.D. 42.

• James 1:1-5

“Who is James writing to?”

Two Gatherings:1. Moses (has already happened)2. Joseph Smith (right now)

It appears to be personal scripture to Joseph Smith!

James 1:5 is the “Crowning act of James ministry.”

• “This single verse of scripture has had a greater impact and a more far reaching effect upon mankind than any other single sentence ever recorded by any prophet in any age.”

It might well be said that the crowning act of the ministry of James was not his martyrdom for the testimony of Jesus, but his recitation, as guided by the Holy Ghost, of these simple words which led to the opening of the heavens in modern times…

“And it might well be added that every investigator of revealed truth stands, at some time in the course of his search, in the place where Joseph Smith stood. He must turn to the Almighty and gain wisdom from God by revelation if he is to gain a place on that strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life (McConkie, DNTC, 3:246-47).

James 1:8“Double Minded”

• You and I are double minded when who we really are, our thoughts, our speech, and our behavior, vary according to where we are and with whom we are associating.

• For example:

A double heart is when a young woman wears shorter skirts to Church on Sunday than she does to school during the week because she is less concerned about being confronted and getting caught at Church.

• A divided heart is when a young man removes his earring and puts it in his pocket before entering a class and then puts it on again as quickly as he can once he leaves the classroom.

• Double minded is signing the honor code and then trying to find an off-campus apartment complex where you believe the curfew will not be strictly observed, where a student thinks he or she can break a commitment and not get caught.

• Double tongued is partaking of the sacrament on Sunday and publicly proclaiming in a testimony meeting a desire to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, then routinely watching “R” rated movies and rationalizing that such movies are okay because they contain just one bad part, and I can handle it.

• In essence, then, double mindedness is hypocrisy.

• And the Savior and His Apostles had some very sharp and stern things to say about hypocrisy and hypocrites (Elder Bednar, Ricks College Devotional, September 1, 1998).

Double heart

1 Chronicles 12:33, Psalms 12:2

Divided heart

Hosea 10:2

Double tongued

JST 1 Timothy 3:8

• James 1:27 “Pure religion”

Schoolmasters to direct us in the way of eternal light and truth (Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 121).

• James 2

`“Thank goodness for James” v. 14-24

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone!

• James 3:5-18 “Control the Tongue”

Bridle you tongue, bridle your body. Make your words soft and sweet for you never know when you may have to eat them.

Though we rightly speak of “faith and works,” faith by itself….is constant work! It is a work to be done and a process best pursued while being not only “anxiously engaged” but also engaged with “fear and trembling.” Otherwise we may lose our concentration on Christ (Neal A. Maxwell, Lord, Increase Our Faith, 111-12).

Be a master of your words before you speak them, for after you speak them, they are the masters of you.

• James 4:17 Could it be any plainer?

• James 5:16 Prayer – availeth much!

• James 5:20

“Hide a multitude of sins” (D&C 62:3)