Paul continues by challenging us to consider who we were before Christ entered our lives and who we have been since then; to what kind of life were we called?
“Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called” (1 Cor 7:17-20).
Chapter 7 up to this point has involved the context of principles for marriage. And the rule set by Paul is that no physical condition matters. Only keeping the commandments of God matters. This is where the Cycle of Perfect Unity begins, whether in marriage or in any other walk of life: obey the commands of God.
Why? Because temptation is sure to follow, sponsored by Satan himself. And at the moment of temptation, we arrive at the fork in the road to perfect unity: the bad fork of disobedience, disunity from God, and a dead end; or the good fork of warnings and repentance that leads to perfect unity with God.
“Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God” (1 Cor 7:21-24).
So we are equipped with the commandments of God and were bought with the highest possible price imaginable – the blood of God’s own Son Jesus. Nothing else matters.
Remain there in that holy place – remain with God no matter what!