21) Devotion 21 – Paul’s Teaching on Singlehood
Paul’s teaching about marriage and singleness are consistent with the teaching of Jesus in the gospels. He too affirms that it is good for the unmarried to remain single. The single life, Paul says, is as much a gift and calling of God as is the married life.
1 Corinthians 7:7-8 – “For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am…”
Single life can be beautiful. Don’t believe in the lie that single are incomplete and out of the will of God. Being single does not mean that you are second class citizen in the kingdom of God and inferior to the married. Celibacy is a divinely approved status, and there is nothing wrong with it at all. In fact, Paul thinks so highly of it that he recommends it to everyone.
1 Corinthians 7:25-27 – “Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. 26 I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress - which it is good for a man to remain as he is: are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.”
Paul advices do not seek either to be free from marriage or to be married. He then goes on to talk about the advantages of singleness. Single people are spared the “troubles” of marriage. There are many great blessings in marriage, but there are difficulties too. Life is more complicated, there is more than one person to consider in making decision and more than one person to worry about. Children bring great pleasure but plenty of anxiety as well…”
1 Corinthians 7:32-35 – “But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. 35 And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction.”
Single people can devote themselves more fully to God’s work. A vital part of the Christian responsibility of married persons is to care for their spouse and children. That would require us to take time and give time, time that cannot therefore be spent in full devotion and ministry in the Lord.
Without the immediate concerns of providing for a wife and children, one could devote his or her energies to the church with single-minded attention. Singleness, even for those who long to be married and aren’t, is not a trial to be endured; it is a positive good. It is a gift to be cherished and maximized. We ought not to waste our singleness by viewing it as a trial to be endured.
Instead of focusing on the difficulties of being single, as some do, we should all make the most of the advantages of God’s gift of singleness while we have it.
Appreciate each Seasons of your life
Learn to view singleness as God ordained season of our lives. Celibacy is never necessarily permanent. Thank God for the gift of singleness. Whatever your experience of singleness, recognize it as a gift from God and make the most of it for as long as you have it.
Eccl.3:1-8 – “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to throw away; A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. God will work out all things beautiful in His time”
Don’t let Singleness becomes a waiting room for marriage, rather than an opportunity to serve Christ with undivided attention. Take this opportunity to devote yourself fully to God.
No Christian is single forever. Human marriage reflects the marriage God wants to enjoy with his people forever. The Bible speaks of Jesus as the bridegroom who will one day return to take his bride, the church, to be with him in the perfect new creation. On that day all pain will disappear, including the pain of a difficult marriage or singleness.
Rev.19:7-8 – “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
We all share the same hope. Human relationships do matter, but none is nearly as important as our eternal relationship with Jesus. Keep your eyes fixed on heaven. It is our eternal relationship with Christ that ultimately matters.