about believers never marrying is often misunderstood. Paul tells us
in 1 Corinthians 7:7-8: "I wish that all men were as I am. But each
man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.
Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay
unmarried, as I am." Notice that he says some have the gift of
singleness and some the gift of marriage. Although it seems that
nearly everyone marries, it is not necessarily God's will for
everyone. Paul, for example, did not have to worry about the extra
problems and stresses that come with marriage and/or family. He
devoted his entire life to spreading the Word of God. He would not
have been such a useful messenger if he had been married.
On the other hand, some people do better as a team, serving God as a
couple and a family. Both kinds of people are equally important. It is
not a sin to remain single, even for your entire life. The most
important thing in life is not finding a mate and having children, but
serving God. We should educate ourselves on the Word of God by reading
our Bibles and praying. If we ask God to reveal Himself to us, He will
respond (Matthew 7:7), and if we ask Him to use us to fulfill His good
works, He will do that as well. "Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his
good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2).
Singleness should not be viewed as a curse or an indication that there
is "something wrong" with the single man or woman. While most people
marry, and while the Bible seems to indicate that it is God's will for
most people to marry, a single Christian is in no sense a "second
class" Christian. As 1 Corinthians 7 indicates, singleness is, if
anything, a higher calling. As with everything else in life, we should
ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) concerning marriage. Following God's
plan, whether that be marriage or singleness, will result in the
productivity and joy that God desires for us.
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