Whether to marry is a question to which few give serious, biblical thought. But the Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says singleness is a gift that has great advantages for the service of the Lord. How do you know if you have this gift, and if you don't, how do you know when, how, and especially who you should marry? You may be surprised to find that the Apostle has some wise counsel to offer.
Christians often view singleness as an inferior status to marriage. Those who haven't married by a certain age are pitied or looked on with suspicion. But Scripture holds singleness in high regard. Neither marriage or singleness is superior; each has its blessings and burdens. So before those who are single say "I do," the Apostle Paul offers some Holy Spirit-inspired counsel for why it is good for some to remain as they are.
Our natural bent is to be content, and so often our pride causes us to compare ourselves with others and even convince ourselves that, if only we could change our circumstances, we would be more spiritual and in a better position to serve the Lord. But the fact is that God is sovereign over every circumstance we face, and His will is not necessarily that we change those circumstances, but that we grow in Christ in and through them.
2 Corinthians 6:14 says that Christians are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Certainly this command applies to marriage, which is the closest of all human relationships. But what if someone becomes a Christian after they're already married and their spouse is still unconverted? Should they pursue divorce? The answer may surprise you.
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." Yet, there is much that doesn't change in our lives as a result of regeneration. One of these is our marital status! God does not call us to change our circumstances, but to stay put and grow in Christ right where we are.
With all the warnings about sexual immorality in Scripture, some have been prone to view sex itself as somehow dirty or unspiritual. But the fact is, God created it for the benefit and enjoyment of a man and a woman who have covenanted themselves together in marriage. Indeed, regular intimacy in marriage is not a suggestion, but a command! When husbands and wives understand God's divine design for marital intimacy, and see it in the context of sacrificial love toward one another, it will be seen not as unspiritual, nor merely as a duty, but as a mutual, sanctified delight.
The world's view of masculinity is found along a spectrum of wrong ideas. Cutting through the fog of confusion, God's Word gives clear directives for what a true man of God ought to be and do, and those who embrace them become living examples to others.
How should we pray? Thankfully Jesus answers that question for us, but before he does, he lays out a set of preliminary instructions and assumptions concerning prayer that are crucial for us to understand if we are going to be heard by God.
The world calls the Bible's directives concerning the role of young women outdated and even oppressive, but God defines them as "good." Young women find their greatest fulfillment when they focus their affection on their husbands and children.
What is Marriage Really? There no shortage of controversy as well as ignorance when it comes to marriage. What is it, what is for, and what should marriage mean to me? The Scriptures give us authoritative insight and instruction from God himself that informs us, equips us, and encourages us to safeguard this most precious of human institutions—especially in our own homes, where we need it most.
