If Paul had desired a wife, would God have provided him a way to get one?
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When we think of gifts we think of things that bring us pleasure, but the gift of singleness is not that kind of gift. Paul means that it is a gift because it allows us to focus all our love and energy toward God. A spouse would require a lot of our love and a lot of our time. It is not like a christmas gift. Its more of a spiritual advantage than a gift.
In your case, I think you just need to stop being afraid of girls.
In your case, I think you just need to stop being afraid of girls.
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27Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
28But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
29But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
30And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
31And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
32But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
1corinthians chapter 7, but I don't think that was it
28But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh: but I spare you.
29But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;
30And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
31And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.
32But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
1corinthians chapter 7, but I don't think that was it
34There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.
35And 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.
36But 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.
37Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. 38So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
35And 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.
36But 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.
37Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well. 38So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.
I was taught in parochial school that Paul was originally part of a religious sect (I think Paul was a originally a Pharisee? Feel free to correct me) and that part of the membership in this group was that all the members were married.
Historically, Paul (according to what I was taught--anyone with sources to prove otherwise is welcome to post them... I'd be interested in reading about it myself) apparently, at one time, was married. We don't know if his wife left him or if she passed away.
In either case, Paul apparently decided not to marry again or was never given the opportunity. I've always suspected that he would not have been able to fulfill his purpose (writing over half the New Testament, along with countless hours of travel, preaching, battling the authorities for his beliefs...) if he had had a wife, kids, and "normal" domestic life.
We all have our callings... and some of them may not be what we think we'd like them to be. I always find it interesting that although Paul apparently had no children of his own, God did give him a son... in Timothy. I do wonder if remarriage was ever on Paul's mind (maybe he didn't want to display it publicly in his writing), but it seems that this was not God's plan for him. And, hard as it is, that may not be His plan for some of us, either.
Historically, Paul (according to what I was taught--anyone with sources to prove otherwise is welcome to post them... I'd be interested in reading about it myself) apparently, at one time, was married. We don't know if his wife left him or if she passed away.
In either case, Paul apparently decided not to marry again or was never given the opportunity. I've always suspected that he would not have been able to fulfill his purpose (writing over half the New Testament, along with countless hours of travel, preaching, battling the authorities for his beliefs...) if he had had a wife, kids, and "normal" domestic life.
We all have our callings... and some of them may not be what we think we'd like them to be. I always find it interesting that although Paul apparently had no children of his own, God did give him a son... in Timothy. I do wonder if remarriage was ever on Paul's mind (maybe he didn't want to display it publicly in his writing), but it seems that this was not God's plan for him. And, hard as it is, that may not be His plan for some of us, either.
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To start off, I'll say that one thing that breaks my heart is Christians who think God wants them to be miserable. People think about the will of God for their lives, and follow a bad train of though.
For example, one man at my church thought that, since the very last thing he ever wanted to do with his life is go to El Salvador, God must be calling him to be a missionary in El Salvador. Now, the fact that he has been trying to raise funds for a year and still isn't even close says that, hey, maybe God DOESN'T want him there. Why should God send him to El Salvador when there is someone out there who would LOVE to be a missionary in El Salvador?
And similarly, I love to play music. So if someone were to say it's not God's will for me to serve on the worship team, I'd say they're crazy. I get a ton of joy from that, and it's serving God.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
So, now regarding the subject of celibacy. There are men and women out there who take great joy in being single and serving the Lord. They may not have the desire to marry, or their desire for a lover may be far less than their joy in serving God while single. Just like all gifts, only a few people have it. For the rest of us, God's will is for us to be married.
If you strongly desire to get married, then you don't have the gift of celibacy. You should get married. Paul says that it is better to marry than to burn with passion. While being single will allow you to devote more time to God, if you desire to marry you will waste even more time burning with that desire.
So, while there is no guarantee you'll actually find that special person, if you're looking for him/her, you can be confident that that is God's will for you, and that He doesn't want you to just suck it up and be miserable. God loves, and He wants to give His children nice things.
For example, one man at my church thought that, since the very last thing he ever wanted to do with his life is go to El Salvador, God must be calling him to be a missionary in El Salvador. Now, the fact that he has been trying to raise funds for a year and still isn't even close says that, hey, maybe God DOESN'T want him there. Why should God send him to El Salvador when there is someone out there who would LOVE to be a missionary in El Salvador?
And similarly, I love to play music. So if someone were to say it's not God's will for me to serve on the worship team, I'd say they're crazy. I get a ton of joy from that, and it's serving God.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
So, now regarding the subject of celibacy. There are men and women out there who take great joy in being single and serving the Lord. They may not have the desire to marry, or their desire for a lover may be far less than their joy in serving God while single. Just like all gifts, only a few people have it. For the rest of us, God's will is for us to be married.
If you strongly desire to get married, then you don't have the gift of celibacy. You should get married. Paul says that it is better to marry than to burn with passion. While being single will allow you to devote more time to God, if you desire to marry you will waste even more time burning with that desire.
So, while there is no guarantee you'll actually find that special person, if you're looking for him/her, you can be confident that that is God's will for you, and that He doesn't want you to just suck it up and be miserable. God loves, and He wants to give His children nice things.
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God tells Jeremiah that he is not to get married and have children. That's not what God made him for, specifically.
May have been the same situation for Paul. When God gives you some seriously hard work to do in your life, it may not include settling down with a wife and having kids. Jesus was a bit busy for hooking up, as well, if you remember lol
Marriage isn't for everyone, especially if you're called to something so much bigger.
May have been the same situation for Paul. When God gives you some seriously hard work to do in your life, it may not include settling down with a wife and having kids. Jesus was a bit busy for hooking up, as well, if you remember lol
Marriage isn't for everyone, especially if you're called to something so much bigger.