The 18 year old myth...

"Well, just look at some of the people of the Bible that were used by God."
"Mary Magdalene and Susanna didn't stay home until marriage. They were single and traveled with Jesus with some other women. They took care of Jesus and the disciples."
---No information is given to us concerning Mary Magdalene's age or marital status.
---No information is given to us concerning Susanna's age or marital status.

Lydia, of Thyratia had a career and business outside the home and was obviously the head of her home, which probably meant she was not married. She was saved and was baptized and her "household", which might have meant servants or possibly relatives she was responsible for.
---This does not mean that she was not married. It just doesn't say that she was. Neither does it give her age--which is important in all of this. Consider the title of this thread.

"John the Baptist didn't stay home at all!!"
---John the Baptist had a special calling from God, from his mother's womb, in fulfillment to Scripture. How many of us can say the same?

"Neither did Samuel. These two guys left home pretty early. [[Razz]]"
---Samuel was given back to minister to the temple after he was weaned according to the vow that Hannah had made. She had made a vow to the Lord. These were unusual circumstances in the Old Testament.

"The Apostle Paul didn't stay at home with his parents."
---Do you know that for sure?

Rahab, the harlot had a fancy "uptown" house on her own. She was one of those, *GASP*, "big-city women".
---Yes, and she was a prostitute. Are you using that as an example for young people to follow.

"God still saved her and used her and she became King David's great-great grandmother."
---That was of God's grace. How many in this generation will become King David's great grandmother??

"Oh, and by the way, King David didn't stay at home until he married either. He was brought to the palace to play his harp and to soothe King Saul's frazzled nerves. [[Eek!]]"
---This was after Samuel had already anointed him King over Israel. This was God's doing. How many people today have God anointed to be King, and how many of them are willing to wait and sacrifice as David did in order to get there?

"And what about Lottie Moon and Corrie Ten Boom and Dr. David Livingstone? These people weren't married and they travel the literal globe spread the gospel of Jesus Christ."
--- In 1844 David Livingstone was united in marriage to Mary Moffat, oldest daughter of Robert and Mary Moffat. To them six children were born, one dying in infancy. He was 31 when he married. If God calls you to be a David Livingstone, great! Just make sure that it is God that calls you, and that you will fully obey that call.

"If you want me to find a verse that says, "Thou shalt feel free to leave thy Mom and Pop whenvever thoust gets ready to without regard to them or to ME...". Well, no, the Bible doesn't say that."
---True enough

"But you, by asking someone to find it, are implying that you have a verse that says we are NOT to leave the home until marriage."
---Better not to leave home until marriage, or at least a definite call of God to do so, lest you fall into temptation, and be devoured by that wicked one who walks around seeking whom he may devour.

"Jesus said to a potential disciple that for someone to follow Him, he must hate his father and mother.
Did He really mean that? Yes. Jesus meant that to follow Him, one must break any bonds with anyone that could take precedence over the relationship with Him. To abandon human relationships as our relationships of first priority.
Jesus is our first priority. Not man. Not even moms or dads. They are still important. Just not given top billing anymore."
---A first priority for what? For discipleship. For hardship. For sacrifice--of which most westerners know nothing about. When Jesus was referring to those verses he was referring to discipleship.

Luke 9:23-26
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.

Study these verses. Find out what they mean. Are you willing to follow their teaching, even as David Livingstone did, and Adoniram Judson, and William Carey, and so many others who "lost their lives for Christ sake, that they would save them."

"And that's the meaning of Genesis 2:24."
Gen.2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
---Sorry, you got that one wrong. Those verses are entirely unrelated. This verse is talking of the marriage institution, which God ordained; not discipleship.
DHK

[ July 24, 2002, 04:58 PM: Message edited by: DHK ]