Mohler says to think about marriage at 17

I'm quite humbled and honored

You mean, I've actually won a debate on the BB? I figured I always lost

Again, I'm quite humbled, and yur comments honor me. By engaging in healthy, honest, and respectful discusion and debate, I think all of us end up learning from each other and increasing our spiritual walk.

Yes, I did agree with you, absolutely. The point I was attempting (and, perhaps, failing) to make is that, while marrying young is not in and of itself bad in any way, a person's youth and inexperience with life's challenges can, and often do, end up adding detrimental factors in a marriage. Just like a license does not automatically qualify one to be ready to be a good driver, a license does not automatically qualify one to be a good spouse.

While we should be teaching our kids that marriage is good and Godly, we should not be implying that marriage is something that should be done "as soon as possible". That puts the act of marrying ahead of the covanental relationship, and, as you know, nothing is more important in the marriage than the covenant.

I have a 16yo daughter who isn't remotely ready for marriage. She may think she is at times, but, from my adult perspective, she's not. She can't even balance a checkbook yet.

 

I think Mohler's point is more along the lines of encouraging people to find meaningful relationships instead of wasting time.

I would not believe that he's advocating early marriage for the sake of early marriage, but if a man is capable of fulfilling marital requirements (i.e. supporting a family,etc.), he should be looking to marriage if the right woman comes along. Mohler even said that he's telling men to find the woman God has for them, not the first one that comes along.

I think he's just trying to change attitudes. He wants people to align themselves with God's will. You can't have a culture that produces mature adults if the culture doesn't expect maturity. We're too busy telling young people, "You've got the rest of your life to worry about that." Instead, we should be molding young people into the mature, God-honoring adults that our Lord would have them to be.

 

I am guessing that most of you who have trashed Mohler and what he was saying didn't even listen to the sermon on this topic.

You really should hear what he is saying, not just an article ABOUT his sermon. Listen to his sermon...then comment.

 

Is it a commandment to get married? Is it a commandment to not wait? Perhaps we should look to that dusty old book on the shelf, "Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows, I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. but if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry then to be aflame with passion" (1st Corinthians 7:7-9). It would appear it depends more on the self control of the individual and not on the age.

 

Mohler isn't talking about age....listen to his sermon

 

I think that's the issue. Singlehood should not be viewed as a "waste of time". It is not. No one should get married "as quickly as possible". They should get married when they are called by God into such a covenant. Singles should be valued. One would get the impression that Mohler sees singles as second class citizens.

God's will doesn't degrade single persons due to their marital status. Neither should we.

 

He is not degrading people for being single, but he accurately observes that the vast majority of people will not be called to lifetime celibacy.

Mohler is not talking about the people who are single and serving God on the mission field as a journeyman. He is not talking about the people who are having a difficult time finding a Christian mate. Mohler is talking about the people who deliberately are excluding marriage as an option for self-serving reasons. Mohler's point is that we should be open to God's purposes in our lives. Our hearts should be for God, and if that means being single, then so be it, but if it means getting married at an early age, then so be it. Mohler is saying that we shouldn't take the attitude of, "I'm sorry, God, but I have to make at least $40,000 a year before I'll consider that." That's what Mohler is talking about, not marrying off everyone at 18.

 

If people would just listen to the sermon...there wouldn't be this big of a fuss.

 

I did. He says delaying marriage as a lifestyle option is a sin. His own words. That's not scripturally supportable. He says that men as early as 17 should start the process of looking for a wife. He most definitely holds the view that singlehood is a sin.

 

Singlehood is not a sin...he does not say that.

Are you sure you listened to the sermon???

 

Johnv - No, I don't mean you've won a debate! I'm referring to your filibustering! So much information that I can't be bothered to put up a fight!