Is Singleness A Sin?

Martin,

My hat off to you!

If you have self control, then you should consider not burdening a woman with your lack of drive ... There are a few men that are gifted. You must be one.

 

Age makes a big difference. It's a lot easier to be single and not fall into sin at age 55 than it is at age 25.

 

Why would it be a sin?

 

I think the point about "not being married causes the sin" was pretty clear. Paul say to avoid fornication (sin) let each man have his wife. That means that being single can cause the sin of fornication. SExual sin may indicate a person is not saved. It may indicate they should get married.

 

I think Paul is so abundently clear in 1 Corinthians 7 that I simply do not understand where Dr. Mohler is coming from.

 

BTW, I married at 21, five and a half years ago, two children under my belt . . . lest someone believe I am emotionally involved with my exergesis here.

 

Christ said if you commit adultery in your heart, you're guilty of sin.
I assume that same logic applies to such things as fornication.

Those who toy with passion, and then justify having done so by saying they are waiting for the right one, often end up as unwed parents.

I don't think "delaying marriage" is wrong, if you behave like a Christian during that time period. But engaging in tempting, teasing, taunting behavior, whether you are male or female, and then refusing to commit to one individual because you have "chosen celibacy" isn't fooling men or God.

 

Splitting heirs would result in jail sentences which would certainly preclude marriage in most cases. Splitting hairs however is a different issue. And Mohler, to me, is not saying that Christian men not seeking marriage are in sin. He said that Christian men who do not intend to remain celibate are, and that many Christian many are not getting married for the wrong reasons.

I don't think defining the gift of celibacy is really at stake. THe point here is that men are, in many cases, not stepping up to the plate in terms of commitment. They want to "play the field," get "sex on the side" without ordering the main dish. That seems to be what Mohler was talking about. </font>[/QUOTE]Yes, I agree. I would also note that as I read the article, it seemed to hint (maybe too strong a word) at the idea of returning to teenage marriage and/or arrainged marriage. This may simply be me and I do not say that he believes that, only that it seems to be the path he is hanging around.

 

Arraigned marriage??? Is that where you get hauled into court for having your teenage daughter get married?

BTW, I am of the opinion that the majority of teens are not ready to even consider marriage. As I heard Jamey Ragle say, "You want to make your own decisions? Try making your bed first!"

 

Good one!

 

Sex outside of marriage is sin, period.

Paul clearly argues for singleness if you can contain your passions. This ability to "contain" without committing sexual sin may be what indicates the gift of celibacy. Or maybe we should take a spiritual gifts survey?

I tell people, it is better to be single wishing you were married than to be married wishing you were single!

Also, love may be blind, but marriage is a real eye-opener.

from Ragle -- "Make your bed" -- I liked that...

 

In fact Paul states that he sees singleness as preferable to marriage, not a popular viewpoint nowadays.

 

There is one category of people who are COMMANDED BY THE LORD to be unmarried - divorced persons. See Paul's blunt words in I Corinthians chapter 7.

Mark Osgatharp

 

Except for those words about "If you do marry, you have not sinned."

 

I can't believe that I would even remotely agree with anything a prominent Baptist would say, but I'm surprised that I may agree with Dr. Mohler.

Until fairly recently in human history (the last 300 to 400 years or so), it was common for men and women to marry upon reaching puberty or soon thereafter - - - around 13 to 16 years old. They immediately began having children, and with the average life expectancy somewhere in the mid- to late-30's, were together for only 20 or so years before one or the other or both died.

Compare that to today. We reach puberty around 12 years, but the norm is to remain single until we finish school. And with more and more people attending college, that means until somewhere around 21. Then there is further presssure to establish a career before marrying, so push the marriage age out a couple of more years. In effect we'ere saying to people that they are to postpone sexual activity for 1o to 15 years after reaching puberty. That's a LOT to ask, even of Christians.

I'm not sure what the answer is. I'm NOT advocating teen-age marriages, but I also wonder how reasonable it is to think that the majority of people will be able to refrain from sexual activity for 10 or more years after reaching sexual maturity.

Alexander

 

Welcome to BB Alexamder,
You don't have to agree with Baptists. Don't see why you should, since you are an Episcopalian. That being the case we ask you to refrain from posting in Baptist Only forums.
There are forums for All Denominations where you may post. Please confine your posts to those areas. Thank you.
DHK

 

Absolutely not. Paul was single, and he said very clearly and plainly that it is good to be single. He also said that if one desires to be with another intimately, then it's good to be married.

Neither is condemned in scripture.

 

That appears to conflict with Paul's instruction that it is better for a person to marry than to burn with sexual desire. No where in scripture is there any indication that divorced persons will be set free from sexual desire. Hence, if a person is divorced, and they burn with sexual desire, it is equally better for them to marry. If marrying their ex is impossible here, then that leaves only one option, and that is to marry another.