Singleness

Intro

Both Singleness and Marriage are gifts from God.

1 Corinthians 7:7 ESV

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.

1. Both are glorious and significant (Augustine)

Singleness is the state that in which we will all be in heaven. Matt. 22:30

Matthew 22:30 ESV

For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

For the Body: Recovering a Theology of Gender, Sexuality, and the Human Body 5. The Beauty of Singleness and Friendship

Understood in light of the future age, a call to singleness and celibacy is a temporal anticipation of a future resurrected life.

Marriage is a picture of Christ and the church.

2. Singleness has its advantages.

1 Corinthians 7:32–34 ESV

I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 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.

You can focus more fully on serving the Lord and advancing his Kingdom.

You have more hours in the day.

You can live on less money.

You can travel more freely.

You are able to take bigger risks.

This is what allowed for Paul to do the missions work that he did.

“Prepare four rooms for me.”

“Hey family, were gonna sleep outside tonight.”

“Hey babe, just a heads up, were gonna go on a little trip. There’s a high likelyhood we will be shipwrecked and beaten. I’m almost certainly going to be thrown in jail for a while. But we might get to eat occasionally.”

Personal Stories:

Girls who got to live in Napal.

Josh and I traveled through China.

Shannon lived in China

For the Body: Recovering a Theology of Gender, Sexuality, and the Human Body 5. The Beauty of Singleness and Friendship

Biblical singleness more closely aligns to the concept of “single-minded focus” or “exclusivity of intent” or the “undivided life.”

How to Maximize your Singleness

1. Receive it with contentment

Enjoy the journey, not just the destination

Christ completes you. Marriage will not complete you.

Marriage is not perfect bliss.

2. Grow personally in your faith

Foundation

Character

Skills

God’s Word

Seek out someone to Disciple you.

Read good books by men and women who think biblically.

3. Help teach others how to follow Jesus.

Spend a ton of time with the guys you are investing in.

4. Build deep same-sex friendships

Tips for Taming Sexual Temptation

Flee things that raise temptation (1 Cor. 6:18).

Get regular exercise.

Have an accountability group.

Pursue marriage (1 Cor. 7:9).

Resources:

Timothy Tennent, “For the Body”

Augustine, “Of Holy Virginity”