Martin,
This scripture implies that a man has a wife ... as if a woman is born to be a man's wife ... and a man is born to be a woman's husband.
I don't know that I think it is a mandate for ALL, but it has got to be close ...
Is Singleness A Sin?
Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Martin, Oct 2, 2005.
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1Co 7:6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
1Co 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
1Co 7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
1Co 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
All of chapter seven discusses whether it is right or not to marry. Paul basically is saying that if you can live single without having sex- that's fine. -
Kubel,
Paul says if you have the 'gift of God' (singleness) then remain as you are called (single).
Why is this generation SO focused on telling people NOT TO MARRY? -
Paul told Tim that marriage was good and not to be rejected. He had also told Tim that there would come those that would tell people not to get married, and those 'hypocrites' were liars ...
1 Tim 4: 1-5
1 Tim 4: 6
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Why is this generation SO focused on telling people NOT TO MARRY?
==I am not saying, nor is any other christian group/teacher/preacher, saying that people should not get married. Far from it. As I have said several times marriage is for the majority of people. It is the norm. The point here is that there is nothing wrong with people remaining single for a while or for life if they can (1Cor 7:6-7) however there is nothing wrong with marrying either (1Cor 7:28). What I said here last night, and it has recieved little reply, is that God has placed very few commands on whether or no a individual should be married/single. God seems to leave it up to the individual. Every person has to prayerfully make the decision themselves (1Cor 7:35-36). Nobody here is saying not to marry or that marriage is bad. That is not the issue.
Martin. -
Martin,
Godly marriage is not the norm. That is why we have divorce.
Divorce is the reason given why so many Christians choose to live together rather than glorify God in marriage.
We have a problem. -
Divorce is certainly a major problem and you are right that Godly marriage is not the norm.
Martin. -
Rather, scripture tells us that it is neither wrong to marry, nor is it wrong to remain single. -
I was feeling somewhat jocular in my previous post, but to be more serious there is nothing intrinsically sinful in being single. I think that if it were, Scripture would make that clear. Speaking personally, I feel no leading from the Lord to seek a wife at this time, and I don't have any sense that I am sinning in this attitude. I don't know if that's the "gift" of singleness, but I assume that if God wanted me to be married He would bring someone into my life. To me, purity is more important than marriage, and I am content to wait for the right (i.e., godly) woman to come along.
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