Doomed to be single?

Your opinion is incorrect. Paul clearly stated that it is better to not marry. He also says that not all have this gift of the capacity of singleness. But singleness is preferable, it is just that many will not be able to hack it due to weakness a lack of will or fleshly desire, all three of which are undesirable.

You are in the minority, no problem with that, then the Bible declares it is best for YOU to stay single. Some are eunuchs and some don't burn a lot, that is the point. Your direction on what to do comes from your ability to have sexual continency. That is not better or worse than the majority of people who can not tolerate or handle that (Matthew 19). I can not even fathom not needing a wife, but that isn't better or worse.

I don't have a problem with single pastors I don't even know of any.

Do you realize many scholars assume Paul had been married at one time? Possibly widowed when the Lord saved him and that is when our gifts are given. One of his, out of the necessity for which the Lord saved him for, was to be single. Of course Paul wanted people to consider if they could stay single, and if not, then it was better for them to marry. He is simply talking about what is good and what is better depending on the make up of the person.

Paul was the biggest supporter of marriage the world had probably seen in his time, he was revolutionary. The man was an incredible person, probably the one I admire most, but he had a gift that enabled him to be single for the rest of his life. The question for everyone else is do they have the same kind of gift?

Definitely! I'm happy for her. But why wait, just hand over the money bags now.

I loved being single. Loved it. And I was happy happy happy every single day.
I am happy now as well, and it is great to have wonderful lovely woman in my home.

But despite all of this Pauls warnings about "trouble in the flesh" are absolutely correct and true.
It's just that we have so little of trouble in the flesh, it's easy to deal with but it is definitely there.

Oh there is no doubt at all that Paul is right. He is absolutely right about singleness as being better and absolutely right about marriage being a problem.

Paul is answering questions that were addressed to him. I am glad he did because we are still asking the same questions. Would my ministry be more effective if I stayed single? Paul gives me the answer. The audience is for spiritual people who were full of the Holy Spirit and ministering in the gifts of the spirit. This conversation cannot be applied to just anyone who is single. Of course Paul is not saying all people in the whole world should stop marrying and having babies. However Paul is not concerned about the population of the earth but of the Church, in a spiritual multiplication of saving souls not having babies. Let the dead bury the dead, there are plenty of people who will take care of the continuation of the human species, the matter at hand for us is to preach the Gospel and devote our every minute to the spreading of the Gospel and the harvest of souls. Let your life burn as a flame of evangelistic fervency for the accomplishing of that goal and leave the population of the masses to the masses. You have a higher calling and not much time to accomplish it. This is the way Paul was that he wanted others to be like. But.. not every man has this gift.

(Of course, you took this out of context...)

How do you know that the people getting married where Jesus turned the water into wine were not followers of God? Since Jesus was at the wedding you would assume they were Jewish people who had been lead by God...

Yes I am very well aware of the possibility that Paul was a widower.
Keep this in mind: When Paul encountered Christ, he lost interest in anything but Christ.

Marriage is for the best for most of us. It does not mean one has lesser devotion, we are all called to devotion to God. For me and most others, marriage is the best way to do that. People seem to think Paul was down on marriage. He says those that are married care for the things of the world how they can please their husband or wife (as they should). They are not exempted from serving and being devoted to God. Why is it some singles think that only singles can be devoted to God? I've known a lot who aren't devoted and married people who are.

If you have the gift of singleness good for you! Married people have done what is best for them, they got married. Singles are being misled believeing that they are to stay single leading to intense guilt and frustration.

One need not be single to intesely seek God. How do you think pastors do it? They might like to be single but they know that's not best for them or the body of Christ, so they got married.

Hhhmmmm. Do you recall in one of my earlier posts, how I summarily dismissed the golddiggers?
By the sounds of your constant bleating about and obsession with money, I can say with the utmost confidence I made the correct decision!

What is suggested here is NOT what this passage of scripture is talking about.

(BAD translation)

Maybe you didn't mean for it to sound like you were bragging about having money and someone to leave it to but it did come across a little that way...

I wrote my post too quickly and was a bit harsh and unfair. My apologies for that as I really haven't conversed enough with you to have a good take on your character. But I also have no more interest in a debate that I'm not even sure what people are really debating anymore. So by all means live a godly life whatever situation you find yourself in and the rest of us can do our best to do the same.

That was Christ's decision. He made Paul the way he was. He gifted him for singleness. Being married would have been a disaster. Married people are interested in Christ. We have to love our wives as Christ loved his bride the church. Jesus was looking for a wife, that's essentially why he came into the world and marriage is a dramatization of the gospel. Marriage is a good and normal thing. It is a godly thing to do.

Lynx! The great defender of singles and virgins. May you receive your reward for your dutiful service.

That is completely unknown. And what may have failed to command your attention, is the fact that the marriage was more or less incidental to the real focus of the incident, Who is Christ and His glorification. Everything and everyone else fades to relative insignificance. The focus of that portion of Scripture certainly is not a marriage or marriage in general.

No. He did not say singleness was better for all, and he acknowledges the troubles of the flesh in marriage. Saying singleness is better for all people has no biblical basis at all. You are oveselling singleness and undervaluing marriage. God needs people to marry, that's his plan for creating godly heritage. People staying single is not going to accomplish that.

That is EXACTLY the way I see it. It's kind of spooky but it's as if you're reading my mind and writing my thoughts! Quite frankly I am thrilled to know that someone else agrees with me about the priority and reality of this present age.

I was replying to the no marriage in the NT....when clearly there was a marriage...in the NT....otherwise why have a wedding?

The context was left out for brevity. But here it is so that you can see that it is the SAME context and subject.

9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. (this is not a command to marry, but a solution offered)
If they can contain, stay single is better. They asked him for his opinion and he told them. if they cannot contain then let them marry problem solved, what is not an option is sexual sin. Contain or Marry. Contain is better.

Then in 35 he is still talking about the very same thing...

35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction.

36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

.. Let them marry in the above context does not mean he is commanding them to marry but again offering the solution to "behaveth himself uncomely" Pauls answer is still "behave yourself in a comely manner and attend upon the Lord without distraction, or .. marry, but if you do marry you have not sinned. Do not think you let the Lord down and are less of a Christian because you did not have the gift to stay single and behave yourself.

I do not see anything in the text of 1 Cor 7 that says that Paul said that MOST Spirit Filled Christians will have a problem containing themselves. I think that is our own ideas about our own realities or our perceptions based on our friends or life experiences.

I am fully persuaded that MOST Christians can experience complete control over these natural desires and that they can become irrelevant to their current mission and calling. Now some will not.. and so let them marry. They do not sin if they marry. They have not failed their calling.