A Biblical Vision for God Glorifying Singleness:
How singleness serves the Kingdom of God Pt. 2
This is part of the series God, Singleness, and Marriage: How the Bible Gives Purpose and Direction to Singles.
Reasons
to Remain Single (1 Cor. 7:25-38)
Now we come to the most central passage about the
purpose of singleness in the New Testament. Here Paul deals with the specific
issue of those who currently are engaged or who are considering seeking a
spouse.[1]
His advice is that they hold off on getting married. It is not a binding
command as he makes clear when he says “But if you do marry, you have not
sinned” (v. 28a, cf. v. 36). But he does give three reasons for advocating
singleness.
Less
Worldly Troubles (vv. 26-28)
Paul’s first reason comes in the context of the
present crisis that the Corinthians were facing.
I think that in view of the present distress it is good
for a person to remain as he is. 27 Are
you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not
seek a wife. 28 But if you do marry,
you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly
troubles, and I would spare you that (1 Cor. 7:26-28 emphasis added).
Although we don’t know what this distress was, it
was severe enough to make them wonder if they should go through with marriage.
If it was persecution, marriage provides a spouse you will fear losing to
prison, torture or death. If it was food shortages, marriage, and the children
it was likely to produce, would add to the difficulty. In any case, “those who
marry will have worldly troubles” (v. 28b). So, Paul’s first point is practical.
How does this apply to us in our modern, Western
culture? The basic principle means that
“We need wisdom to discern the times and understand our circumstances so as to
know the best way to glorify God and avoid putting ourselves or others under
unnecessary duress.” [2]
I do not think we are
currently experiencing distress of the same intensity as the Corinthians. There
are economic and political woes, but none of these seem to be a good reason for
us to put off marriage at the present time.
We must be careful not to allow the selfish desire
of an easy life to be substituted for Paul’s point here. A desire to achieve
one’s own goals or to knock a few items off of a “bucket list” before marriage
is self-focus, not biblical wisdom. A preference for living alone in order to
avoid conflict or to avoid serving another person is not what Paul has in mind
by “less worldly troubles.” The Christian life is all about dying to self in
order to love God and others.
More
Heavenly Minded (vv. 29-31)
The second reason for the encouragement to remain
single is the fact that the time of this present Earth is relatively short.
This is what I
mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those
who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and
those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as
though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,
31 and those who deal with the world as though
they had no dealings with it. For the
present form of this world is passing away (1 Cor. 7:29-31 emphasis added).
Every believer since the time of Christ, has been
living in the “last days.” This is what Paul means when he says, “For the
present form of this world is passing away” (v. 31). Since the end is coming,
their perspective should be different than those who are oblivious to this
fact. Paul tells them to live as though this world is not all there is -- because
it is not. Their marital status, earthly sadness and joys, and material
possessions are not the determining factors in how they live. Eternity is.[3]
So, what does this mean for us? We should not assume
our joys, struggles, and marital status in this world are ultimate. Instead, we
are to live like those who really believe Christ’s kingdom is coming and that
it is imminent. We must live with our hope and joy set on heaven and not the
temporary things of this Earth. We are to live in this world, but we must have
“a sober assessment of life’s up and downs in the light of something of greater
significance.”[4]
So, when it comes to our marital status, remaining unmarried is a good way to
live in light of the coming Kingdom. Marriage isn’t bad or wrong, but it should
not be your ultimate goal in life.
Undivided
Devotion to the Lord (vv. 32-35)
The third reason it is good to remain single is the
freedom singleness brings for undivided devotion to the Lord. Unlike the
previous two points, I believe this reason
actually gives the goal and vision for singleness as a Christian. If you have the gift of singleness, this must
be the reason and goal of your singleness. And, if you are single but desire
marriage, this should be your perspective while you remain single lest you
waste the trial God has given you. So
what does Paul say?
I want
you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of
the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is
anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and
his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious
about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the
married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I
say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to
promote good order and to secure your
undivided devotion to the Lord (1 Cor. 7:32b-35 emphasis added).
Paul’s goal for singleness is “to secure your
undivided devotion to the Lord” (v. 35b). Marriage necessitates time and energy
being directed into one particular relationship. Singleness, on the other hand,
provides immense freedom when it comes to time, energy, and opportunities.[5] As
Dr. John MacArthur writes,
Marriage does not
prevent great devotion to the Lord, and singleness does not guarantee it. But
singleness has fewer hindrances and more advantages. It is easier for a single
person to be singleminded in the things of the Lord. The married Christian has no
choice. His interests must be divided. He cannot be faithful to the Lord if he
is unfaithful to his family.[6]
So what does this mean for you? It means that you
have a stewardship of extra time, energy, and resources to invest in broad
service to the Kingdom of God. You have broader ministry potential. If you are
single, you have more freedom with regard to time. There is not a spouse waiting on you or in need of your
service. So use your time to serve the saints in your church. You have more
freedom when it comes to how you will invest your energy. You may have more discretionary money because there are not additional mouths to feed and houses
with more bedrooms to be purchased. So use your extra income to send
missionaries and to give to your church. Perhaps you should even consider becoming a missionary.[7]
How
Do You See Your Singleness?
The purpose of your singleness is to have undivided
devotion towards God. Is that your perspective? The goal of singleness is not
to allow more time to enjoy hunting or traveling or whatever hobby you enjoy. Singleness
is not designed to make life all about you,
rather it is intended to free you
up to make life all about Christ.
That
is the biblical vision for singleness.
This is true whether you are in an undesired season
of singleness or if you are exercising the spiritual gift of singleness. Either
way you have a choice to make. Will you see your singleness as the God-glorifying
opportunity it is meant to be or will you waste it? Will you turn your singleness
into bondage by seeking your own personal ambitions or will you enjoy the
freedom of undivided devotion to the Lord? If you desire marriage, will you spend inordinate
amounts of the time and energy looking for a spouse or will you live as you were
called while you trust God with your unmet desires? Your vision of singleness
will determine if you waste it or if you are blessed in it. How do you see your
singleness?
Copyright Ben Khazraee. You may share this article with others, but please direct them to this blog rather than posting the text to your own website, blog, etc. You may share printed copies with friends as long as you do not charge more than the cost of producing the copies.
[1]
The word translate “betrothed” in the ESV text is actually the Greek word for “virgins.”
Given the context (especially verse 36) the ESV translates it as “betrothed.”
Ciampa and Rosner think that Paul has in mind those who are betrothed and those
wondering if they should seek a young woman to marry (Ibid., pg. 333).
[2]
Ciampa and Rosner, pg. 338.
[3] He
does not say that they are “not married” or that they do not have joy and
sorrow or that they do not participate in business transactions. He assumes all
those things are true. The point, therefore, is not to live disconnected from
reality but to live in light of ultimate reality such that it transforms your
perspective on what matters most.
[4]
Ciampa and Rosner, pg. 347.
[5] I
realize that this is not the case for those who are single parents. Your
situation is a bit unique because you do have relationships which require
marriage-like time and energy.
[6]
MacArthur, John, 1 Corinthians, pg.
184.
[7]
Though not every person who is single is called to be a missionary.
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