How long have you been single?

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That's a peculiar perspective.

If marriage were merely a product of man's capacity for abstraction, why would Jesus have felt it necessary to define the sanctity and permanence of marriage? (Matthew 19:6, Mark 10:9)
Because the Pharisees had ruined it with their clever strategy of "serial monogamy", i.e. frequent divorcing and remarrying, so they could enjoy many women without the charge of adultery.
And how could something which only existed conceptually, be so comprehensive in scope, that only death or adultery could disrupt it? (1 Corinthians 7:39, Romans 7:2-3)
It could, when you're only debating on marriage itself, without any partner you know in your personal life to substantiate your arguments.

And btw, "one body union" is not referring to marriage, but sexual intercourse, as shown in 1 Cor. 6:16 - "Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “the two,” He says, “shall become one flesh.” You're not married to a harlot, but by screwing her you'll become one body with her, as consequence of fornication.
In unbelief, I kinda shared your perspective, because I had drew the inference that marriage was antiquated and of no lasting importance, having saw too many instances of men and women engaging in extramarital affairs. I said in my heart that it was better not to marry, because it appeared that hardly anybody wanted to remain married. Such occurrences were the only frame of reference I had, by which I adjudged the propriety of marriage according to their disloyal hearts.

But knowing what I now do, I see how my perception had been distorted by the immoral and contrary factors of those who liked to jump in and out of each others beds. I had not known that marriage was a covenant. Characteristic of the love of the Father and Son for the Church; illustrated at the hand of the husband and the wife. And neither was I apprised of the workings of Satan and his objective to unethically unfasten sex from marriage.

I don't know how a believer could dismiss marriage so readily. Marital union is sacred and should be respected by all (Hebrews 13:4) Regardless of whether they are single, married, or widowed.
Because both Lord Jesus and apostle Paul has ruled marriage as a worldly distraction, neither was married. Honoring marriage is one thing, worshipping marriage as the prize and proof of your salvation is quite another.

"A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’"

"I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife. There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world—how she may please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the Lord without distraction."
 
I am curious about one thing, and you obviously don't need to answer. I am wondering how old you are. If not an exact age, then perhaps some sort of age range. The reason I am asking is because I am trying to understand if you were bossed around in the manner that you described recently or in the past. In other words, I am trying to comprehend how long you have been dealing with whatever it is that you are dealing with.
Thank you for your kind consideration, all I can say is about half way over the hill. I don't remember any deep hurt, if there were any, God has healed them all. What I've been through is nothing, compared to some poor wretched souls who'd experienced sexual assault, breakup, death of family, or worse, at least according to lots of podcasts and memoirs. I can't begin to imagine how they even survived and recooperated, let alone enjoying life again. Who am I to complain about being bossed around to do my job?
 
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So we now have @Lovette preaching that married people are the Beast of the Apocalypse if not the actual antichrist themselves....

And literally everyone else telling this troll he is wrong....
A bit of over exaggeration. I don't appreciate your temerity.
 
Whoah. Imagine that. Who knew that such things were possible? Hahaha! This is how I think about such things as well.
Or imagine the wide range covered by the term "cooking", from heating pre-made packages in the microwave to growing your own ingredients in your own garden.
 
compared to some poor wretched souls who'd experienced sexual assault, breakup, death of family, or worse, at least according
to lots of podcasts and memoirs. I can't begin to imagine how they even survived and recooperated, let alone enjoying life again.
The 70s all over again...
 
Time heals all wounds. If not, confess to the Lord, He's taken away all our guilt and pain, wiped away our every tear.
You sure do like to contradict yourself.

Hebrews13-14rs.png

Hebrews 13 v 14~ This world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain
:)
 
Much of your response actually concedes the central point. If you agree that longing for marriage is not the same as needing it for completeness, that grief over singleness is not idolatry, that marriage is a good gift, and that contentment in Christ can coexist with unfulfilled desires, then there is far less disagreement here than you suggest.

The issue was never whether marriage is good. Scripture clearly affirms that it is. The issue is whether Christians should view marriage as necessary for a fully meaningful and faithful life. Paul's treatment of singleness in 1 Corinthians 7 makes it difficult to sustain such a view.

Your objection to "trusting God with the outcome" misunderstands what trust means. Christians trust God with countless desires He has never promised to fulfill. Trust is confidence in God's wisdom and goodness, not confidence that a particular outcome will be granted.

Likewise, actively pursuing marriage and entrusting the result to God are not competing ideas. The biblical alternative to passivity is faithful stewardship, not entitlement.

Finally, dismissing concerns about idolizing marriage because marriage itself is good misses the point. Idolatry, biblically speaking, is not treating bad things as ultimate, but treating good things as ultimate. The question is not whether one deeply desires marriage, but whether one believes life cannot be truly full or faithful without it. That distinction remains both meaningful and necessary.

"Give me children or let me die," using a maidservant as a surrogate, bitter sexual rivalry, loss of appetite (1 Sam. 1:7) don't sound like OK to me.

Well, I'm glad you can see that marriage can be a good thing. Hahaha! I was never trying to make the point that people "need" marriage to be complete, merely that the desire for it is normal and good. And the pursuit of it is acceptable.

And I never pushed the idea that "Christians should view marriage as necessary for a fully meaningful and faithful life. " And I can only speak for myself, but I don't view romance or marriage as "ultimate." And I doubt that most Christians who desire romance/marriage/sex view it that way, either. They often get accused of that, though, even if it's by well-meaning people. Well-meaning people who can read their minds, apparently, haha.

And 1 Samuel 1:7 is not the only we have of people mourning their childlessness. What I mean is that these women are never condemned for their original desire for children. That desire is good and normal.
 
Well, I'm glad you can see that marriage can be a good thing. Hahaha! I was never trying to make the point that people "need" marriage to be complete, merely that the desire for it is normal and good. And the pursuit of it is acceptable.

And I never pushed the idea that "Christians should view marriage as necessary for a fully meaningful and faithful life. " And I can only speak for myself, but I don't view romance or marriage as "ultimate." And I doubt that most Christians who desire romance/marriage/sex view it that way, either. They often get accused of that, though, even if it's by well-meaning people. Well-meaning people who can read their minds, apparently, haha.
Well, all happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. On a national level, marriage produces more people, stabalizes society and grows economy, but it's not available, suitable or beneficial for everyone. If you're entangled with a Delilah or Jezebel or Tamar or any harlot, then it's definitely not gonna be a good thing.
And 1 Samuel 1:7 is not the only we have of people mourning their childlessness. What I mean is that these women are never condemned for their original desire for children. That desire is good and normal.
Desire is, idolatry is not. When Jacob fled from Laban, Rachel literally carried away some household idols, suggested by scholars as fertility idols.
 
Thank you for your kind consideration, all I can say is about half way over the hill. I don't remember any deep hurt, if there were any, God has healed them all. What I've been through is nothing, compared to some poor wretched souls who'd experienced sexual assault, breakup, death of family, or worse, at least according to lots of podcasts and memoirs. I can't begin to imagine how they even survived and recooperated, let alone enjoying life again. Who am I to complain about being bossed around to do my job?
I will take you at your word. My offer remains open for as long as I am on this forum, in case you ever need to chat.
 
"The issue is whether Christians should view marriage as necessary for a fully meaningful and faithful life."

I don't view it that way. I don't think anyone else here does, either. Doesn't change the fact that many people want it very badly and take action to pursue it.

That's fine. Nowhere does the Bible condemn that.

And those childlessness examples were meant to highlight the legitimacy of a good desire. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I've never told God to give me a wife or let me die, haha. I doubt many single Christians do, either.

I guess only "mild" desires for marriage are OK? And "intense" desires for marriage are bad?
 
I will take you at your word. My offer remains open for as long as I am on this forum, in case you ever need to chat.
Thanks. I remember you mentioned you're sometimes depressed, the cure for that is not more talks, but more movement, sweat it out in the gym and you'll feel energic again.
 
"The issue is whether Christians should view marriage as necessary for a fully meaningful and faithful life."

I don't view it that way. I don't think anyone else here does, either. Doesn't change the fact that many people want it very badly and take action to pursue it.

That's fine. Nowhere does the Bible condemn that.
Talking in circles, aren't we.
And those childlessness examples were meant to highlight the legitimacy of a good desire. I can only speak for myself, of course, but I've never told God to give me a wife or let me die, haha. I doubt many single Christians do, either.

I guess only "mild" desires for marriage are OK? And "intense" desires for marriage are bad?
I guess I don;t have the sagacity to comprehend the nuance, then. All I know is that regardless of intensity, desire for marriage with your existing partner upon a matured relationship is OK, desire for marriage with a stranger, an imaginary figure or nobody in mind at all, that's not OK.
 
Thanks. I remember you mentioned you're sometimes depressed, the cure for that is not more talks, but more movement, sweat it out in the gym and you'll feel energic again.
I don't recall ever saying that I get depressed. I do recall saying that I feel as if things have crept in and negatively influenced my own communion and walk with God. I have been praying all morning, and I definitely got some sort of breakthrough. My main issue is that of time. Specifically, how much time is wasted at my current job, which I am actively seeking to replace with a new one. That's about it. I don't think that I ever get depressed. Concerned? Definitely.
 
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