Wednesday 3 September 2008

single and free

two of my friends at york have just gotten married (to each other). i also found out that one of my childhood friends has just gotten attached, and i am genuinely happy for all of them in the Lord.

marriage is not about sex or security. marriage is definitely not about having three or more if you can afford it. (of course, there is nothing wrong with having three or more if you can afford it.) marriage 'is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church' (Ephesians 5:32, NIV).

in his first letter to the corinthians, paul writes that 'it is good for a man not to marry' (1 Corinthians 7:1, NIV), 'but if you do marry, you have not sinned' (1 Corinthians 7:28, NIV). paul affirms that 'each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that' (1 Corinthians 7:7, NIV). this builds on Jesus' teaching that 'some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven' (Matthew 19:12, NIV).

God gives some of us the grace to be married and some of us the grace to be single. those of us who have the grace to be married should work out our salvation in accordance with being married, while those of us who have the grace to be single should work out our salvation in accordance with being single.

being married is about understanding the profound mystery of Christ and the church through being married, and being single is about understanding the profound mystery of Christ and the church through being single. after all, Christ Himself is still waiting for His bride - the church.

it is good to be married, and it is good to be single. at the end of the day, 'keeping God's commands is what counts' (1 Corinthians 7:19, NIV).

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