The general principle is given. Retain the place in life the Lord assigned me. Retain the place God has called me. As God distributes when called, I am to walk it as a believer in Christ Jesus. This implies two things. First, God was in control of my life before he called me, when he called me, and forevermore. Second, I am to be content with where God placed me this moment, every moment, till there are no moments left for me. That is the general principle.
Proverbs 19:23 states, “The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.”
Paul gives a silly religious example. A circumcised man should not seek to be uncircumcised. Physically, in Paul’s day, that would have been impossible. An uncircumcised man should not seek to be circumcised. A direction given by all the apostles at the council in Jerusalem early in the church. Every believer knew this (Acts 15).
Though there are practices to the religious example to be followed, Apostle Paul gives this silly religious example to illustrate the general principle, “Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him.” (20) Each Christian is to live contentedly for the Lord in whatever economic, social and religious situation in life God has placed them. If a Jew, live as a Messianic Jew contentedly. If a Roman or Greek Christian, live as such contentedly.
