Thoughts On Marriage...Please refrain from stoning till after the post. Thank You.

So I've recently started an endeavor to read through all the books Paul had written and so far it has been amazing. I love the way he writes and his thoughts on life and just his honesty about certain situations without worry about how it will upset people. He wrote truth as it came from God to him and he let that be enough which is something to envy.

But one passage in particular seized my attention. It was First Corinthians 7 where Paul takes an entire chapter to talk to the church of Corinth about :pause for emphasis: marriage. :) Now I had heard bits and pieces of this passage but never really ever read the chapter in its entirety and in context with the chapter before it in which he touches on avoiding sexual immorality. It's also very interesting that Paul basically says that if you cannot control your desires then please for the love of God get married because it's better than sinning.

I have to say that this is one of my favorite chapters because Paul really lays out his ideas on marriage which I found to be very comforting because basically he's saying it's okay to be single. And it is equally okay to be married just be prepared because it's tough. You not only have to give yourself to the Lord but you also have to give yourself to your spouse.

Paul also talks about divorce which makes complete sense to me. I don't know why there is a big fuss over the divorce topic when it is laid out right here. The next time anyone brings up the question of the Big D I will simply write down '1 Cor. 7: 10-16', hand it to said person, and walk away. There really needn't be an argument because it's in the Bible. Done.

And Paul also lays out my personal favorite: that if you are single, do not worry about being married. The Lord has you single for a reason and that is to do His work and if the thoughts of marriage are keeping you from doing the Lord's work then you need to surrender it to God. And he says that if you don't have a desire to get married that it's okay. Marriage is a gift and it is not given to everyone. Paul himself wasn't married and there was nothing wrong with it. I have a personal attachment to this statement because I myself do not have the desire to marry. There are many people who hear that and immediately judge which is especially sad in the Church. Paul clearly states in 1 Cor. 7:37 "But if he has decided firmly not to marry and there is no urgency and he can control his passion, he does well not to marry."
I think I fit the bill just fine. :)

Now, before you send me angry comments about God and marriage and hurling stones at me, please know that 1. I am not a Bible scholar nor a seminary student, nor a pastor, nor do I have the desire to be any of the three. I may be missing some things here or there but that is for the Lord to reveal to me in His timing. And 2. I believe marriage is a beautiful thing. My parents have been married for 20 years and I have watched their marriage flourish. I also have the privilege to know couples that have such a wonderful marriage and, if the Lord should change my heart, would love to have just a shadow of that sort of bond. I also know the value of it and I know that the Lord values it highly. His entire redemption plan is basically a marriage ceremony for crying out loud! I would be severely daft to ignore that.

So all in all, it's okay to be single. Just know that the Lord holds you accountable for the freedom you have and desires you to use your freedom to serve Him. And it is okay to marry because the Lord cherishes the union between a man and a woman. :)


Till Next Time...