Singleness

1 Corinthians 7:1-9 “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. 4 For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5 Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

6 Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. 7 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.

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”

 Singleness is a gift.

“...But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.” - 1 Corinthians 7:7b

“Remember this: Had any other condition been better for you than the one in which you are, divine love would have put you there.”  - Charles Spurgeon

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 - ”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.”

“I am not single because I am too spiritually unstable to possibly deserve a husband, nor because I am too spiritually mature to possibly need one. I am single because God is so abundantly good to me, because this is his best for me. It is a cosmic impossibility that anything could be better for me right now than being single… because no good thing will God withhold from me.” - Paige Brown, “Singled Out for Good”

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” - Psalm 23:1

 Singleness is a trial.

1 Corinthians 7:2 - “But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.” 

1 Corinthians 7:8-9 - “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.”

 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” - Psalm 37:4

“Theology can conquer biology.” - John Piper

“The key to contentment as a single person isn’t being content in singleness; it’s being content in Christ, as a single person.” - Sam Allberry

“The most beautiful thing, in fact, is when single Christians acknowledge their longing for a spouse—and yet testify to the sufficiency of Jesus in the midst of the struggle. The world has a category for a single who acts like marriage isn’t a big deal. But what it doesn’t have a category for—what the world can neither understand nor explain—is a single who longs for marriage while declaring, “His grace is sufficient for me” (2 Cor. 12:9).” - Matt Smethurst