18 Is Singleness a Gift or a Curse? (1 Corinthians 7:7-11)

Krisan Marotta: Thank you for joining me today for the Wednesday in the Word podcast. I'm Krisan Marotta, and this is Serious Bible Study Applied to Real Life. This is the podcast where we explain not only what scripture means, but how we figure it out. I have another listener advisory today. We are still in Paul's discussion of issues within marriage, and this particular talk may not be appropriate for young listeners. So if you're listening with little ones nearby, you may want to hit the pause button and save this podcast for later. Today we're gonna be studying 1 Corinthians chapter 7, verses 7 through 11. This is the 18th talk in our series on the book of 1 Corinthians. As always, you can find the lecture notes for today's talk on the link below the podcast, or you can go to the website wednesdayintheword.com slash 1 Corinthians 1 8. And while you're on the website, take a moment to check it out. There is no charge, no spam, no advertisements, only Bible study. Well, we are in the middle of Paul's response to a question the Corinthians asked him about the place of sexuality within marriage. And if I have made the right interpretive decisions, my understanding is different than some of the popular views. I do not think that Paul believes that marriage is a spiritually inferior option that you should only do if you lack personal self-control. I think that is really far from what he meant to say. The principal mistake I think people make when approaching this chapter is failing to fully appreciate the context. It is really easy to look at, say, seven nine or seven ten and try to build a theology out of it. What we want to do is remember that this is the middle of an argument. Our first objective is to understand what Paul was saying in the context of the discussion, and then we can apply that understanding to other situations and pull out theological principles. So with chapter seven, Paul began answering questions which the Corinthians asked him in a letter we don't have. The church wrote a communal letter to Paul asking him to weigh in on some issues in their church, and some of the questions they asked him seemed to come from the perspective of genuinely wanting to know what Paul thinks. And this question I think is one of those. The problem for us modern Bible students is we only have Paul's side of the conversation. So it's like we're listening in on a telephone call, but we can only hear Paul's response, we can't hear the questions the Corinthians are asking. And it matters a great deal what question you think they're asking. If you think Paul is answering a different question than the one I've concluded, then you're gonna land in a very different interpretive place from where I've landed. And yet it's a choice we have to make, because we are listening to only Paul's side of the conversation, so we have to take our best guess as to what question he's answering based on the information we have in this letter and from history. Paul says in seven one, now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. I think this is a statement the Corinthians made and they're asking for Paul's opinion on the matter. So I would put quotes around that phrase it's not good for a man to touch woman. I think Paul is quoting back to them what they wrote to him, so he's essentially saying now concerning your conclusion that it is not good for a man to touch a woman. Some in the Corinthian church have gotten the idea that abstaining from sexuality, even though they're married, is more spiritual and something they ought to be doing. And this probably comes from the teachings of Plato, which heavily influenced the Greek culture of Paul's day. Plato taught that all things physical were corrupt and evil, and all things spiritual are enlightened and pure, and that cultural idea led some in Corinth to conclude that now that they are spiritually enlightened as believers, they should avoid sexuality altogether, regardless of the fact that they're married. So in 1 Corinthians chapter 7, verses 1 through 6, Paul addressed the situation where one spouse in the marriage has decided that he or she is above sexuality, which forces the other spouse to live a celibate life. And we looked at that section in the last podcast. And Paul's answer is basically no, that's not what marriage should be about. It's important to understand that everything Paul says in chapter 7 of 1 Corinthians is speaking to this question that the Corinthians have raised. It's not good for a man to touch a woman, right, Paul? So this whole section, I think, is addressing the notion that there is something inherently more spiritual about chastity and celibacy, no matter what stage of life you're in. So some have gotten the idea that they need to be celibate in order to be better Christians. If they want to please God, they have to avoid sexuality altogether. So they're wondering, what do we do in these various situations? And they say, okay, we have the idea that sexuality is a second rate option and only the spiritually weak who lack self-control should engage in it. So what should we do in these different situations that we find ourselves in? Should we get divorced so that we can be spiritual? Should we stay married but abstain? What if we're married to an unbeliever? That would be doubly bad, right? And Paul's going to look at each of these cases, but he's looking at them with a view to answering this question, it's not good for a man to touch a woman, right? Paul is countering their premise that abstaining from sexuality is inherently more spiritual. So his advice to the married in 7, 1 through 6 was stop depriving each other. If you find some spiritual value in abstinence, okay, but only if you both agree and it's for a short period of time. Otherwise, stop depriving each other. God created marriage and God created sexuality for marriage. Married sexuality is a good and wonderful gift, and there is no reason to avoid it in order to try to please God. That was basically his answer, but again I encourage you to listen to the last podcast. Then we get to verse 7, and the New American Standard starts that verse with yet, connecting it to the previous section, as if Paul is saying, It's okay to get married, I'll concede that point, yet I really wish you wouldn't. Well, there is no yet in the Greek. The interpreters have added it to make it clear how they're understanding the section, and that's a valid interpretive decision. But if I were translating it, I would go with the English Standard Version and leave the yet out. I think the paragraph break should be between verses six and seven, and that seven seven is the transition to move on to his next point and not a comment about his previous point. So let's read first Corinthians chapter seven verses seven through nine. I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. As I understand it, one of the most popular understandings of this passage is that Paul is saying something like this It is my deepest wish that everyone should be single and unmarried even as I am, because, as I will explain in a few verses, single people are not distracted in their devotion to God. Unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to achieve this superior spiritual state like I do, so I say to you single folks that it would be much better to remain unmarried. But if you simply can't control yourselves and regrettably you are so burning with passion that you have no self-control, then okay, go ahead and get married. Marriage, although it's an inferior way of life, is much better than burning with passion. Now I'm exaggerating a bit, but I have heard this passage taught in basically that way. And I can understand that view, it makes a certain kind of sense, but I don't think it fully appreciates the context of the whole chapter. Have you ever done one of those puzzles where every piece of the puzzle fits every other piece of the puzzle? So any two pieces can be locked together, and the only way to tell if you're on the right track or the wrong track is to stand back and look at the picture that's emerging. I would say interpretive this passage is similar to that kind of puzzle. There are many ways to put the pieces together, and the way we have to judge what interpretation is right or wrong is to look back at the picture that's emerging and judge how well does that picture fit the immediate context, the rest of what Paul says about marriage, and the rest of what scripture says about marriage. And in my view, putting the pieces together in a way that suggests that marriage is an inferior life choice just doesn't fit with the rest of Paul's thought or the rest of Scripture. Paul also wrote Ephesians, and I think Ephesians 5 presents a very high view of marriage, and that that high view of marriage is consistent with the teachings of Jesus and the rest of Scripture, especially given the fact that God created marriage before the fall. So let's talk about these puzzle pieces. In 7.7, Paul says, I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. One of our interpretive problems is that we modern American Bible students see the word gift in Scripture, and we immediately jump to the idea of spiritual gifts. We know that the Bible talks about spiritual gifts and that God has uniquely given each person opportunities and abilities to serve him in a particular way. And we tend to read that idea into every verse with the word gift in it, including this one. Immediately then we assume that Paul means that some people have a supernatural ability to be single and some don't. Not everyone has the ability to be single, but if you happen to have it, you have this rather unusual or supernatural disinterest in sexuality and the intimacy of marriage. And so we think what you're supposed to do is reflect on who you are and decide whether or not you're disinterested in sexuality. And if you are disinterested, then you have the gift of singleness, but if you find that you're interested, then you don't have the gift. Well, I don't think that's what Paul is getting at. Every time the word gift is used, even in the phrase gift from God, it doesn't necessarily refer to spiritual gifts. I can talk about my children as gifts from God. I can talk about the opportunity to be used in someone's life as a gift from God. I can talk about financial stability or health as a gift from God. I can talk about a successful ministry as a gift from God. None of those are spiritual gifts in the sense of supernatural abilities given to me upon conversion, rather they are simply positive things that God has put into my life for his own purposes. So assume for a minute that Paul is not talking about gifts as spiritual gifts, but just as a positive term. So gift refers to something good that has been given to me. And we know Paul is talking about being married or being single, and one has a gift of one sort and one another sort. And he could simply be saying that to be single is a good gift from God, and to be married is a good gift from God. The state itself is the gift, just like having children is a gift, or health is a gift, and so forth. So are you single? Well, there's something good in being single, and it's a good gift from God. Are you married? There's something good in being married, and it too is a good gift from God. I think that plain, straightforward idea makes much more sense in the context of his argument. And that is a crucially important interpretive decision in putting this passage together. The other popular option requires a kind of hierarchy of gifts, something Paul's going to dispute in later chapters of this book. That view says that singleness is the most desirable gift, and that marriage is kind of a lack of gift or a second best alternative. That understanding implies that some of us don't get the gift of self-control, so we have to get married or else we're going to fall into sin. And that God gave marriage as an option for those of us who are spiritually inferior and weak willed. Now granted, no one teaches it in language that is that strong, but it is the logical implication of reaching that interpretive conclusion. That way of putting the puzzle together just doesn't fit with what we know of God, the gifts he gives, and how marriage is discussed elsewhere in Scripture. It seems much more straightforward to me to understand Paul as saying singleness is a good gift and marriage is a good gift. And if he means both singleness and marriage are good gifts from God, that changes our perspective on the opening verse. So in seven seven, when he says, I wish that all were as I myself am, I believe he's talking about being unmarried and living a celibate life, but he's not expressing a command, nor is he stating a belief that the world would be better off if no one was married. Rather, I think he's genuinely expressing his own personal preference. I think he's saying I myself prefer singleness, but the fact of the matter is there are two good gifts. God has given two good gifts. It is not God's intention to fill the world with single people. He's given both marriage and singleness, and both are good gifts. I, Paul, happen to like the gift I've been given, and he's gonna tell us later in the chapter why he prefers the single lifestyle, and we'll get to that. But here he's saying I'm content with the single lifestyle. I'm happy to serve God in this way. Given my choice I would stay single, but I recognize that God has given two good gifts, both marriage and singleness, and that some people prefer one and some people prefer the other. So I agree, I, Paul, that there is something good about celibacy, but you Corinthians have taken it too far. It's not God's intention to elevate singleness as the good gift and marriage as the unfortunate compromise. They are both good gifts from God. I wish everyone were as I am and was content with whatever good gift God has given them. So I find the place where I'm at to be good, but God has given different gifts to different people. I think his wish that all men are as he is is similar to what he says in Romans 9, where he says he wishes he could trade his salvation for the salvation of his fellow Jews. In Romans 9 3, he says, For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. That's not a command, that's not an apostolic decree. Paul is not saying that's what will happen, or that's what he expects to happen, or that he wants to pursue it somehow to make it happen, but that's just how he feels about it. His heartfelt desire is that his countrymen be saved. And so he's saying, look, when I Paul considered their salvation, I feel so strongly about it that I wish I could somehow sacrifice myself to save them. Now any of you who have prodigal children know exactly what he means. There's a sense in which you would do anything, even cursing yourself if you could bring your prodigal child back into the kingdom. Could I actually do that? No. Would I actually be able to go through with it? Were I given a chance? Probably not, but there is a real sense in saying that's how I feel. And I think that's the same kind of sense of wish here in 7-7. I wish I could give you what I have. I wish I could make you as happy and content and fulfilled in your calling as I am satisfied and content with mine. But remember, God knows what he's doing and he gives different gifts to different sorts of people. I am confident that God is using whatever gift he has given you for good in your life. I think getting verse seven right makes everything else fall into place. If we step away from the idea that Paul is knocking marriage and saying that marriage is what you do when you lack the power to do the really good thing of staying single, then the rest of the puzzle pieces start falling into the right place and forming a better picture. Consider the rest of the chapter as colored by the fact that Paul believes both marriage and singleness are good gifts from God, that celibacy is not to be exalted as the super spiritual lifestyle and that you have misunderstood if you think that there is something inherently bad about sexuality. Verse 7 then is the lead into verse eight. I wish everyone could be as content with singleness as I am, but seven eight, but I say to the unmarried and to the widows that it is good for them to remain even as I. So there I wish that everyone could be as I am. So to the unmarried and the widows, it's good for them to remain in the state they're in. Now we have to ask, who are the unmarried and the widows? Widows are unmarried, so why single them out? Is he saying to all unmarried people and to widows? Well that seems kind of redundant, because of course widows are unmarried people. In this context, I would understand the word unmarried to be widowers. Now the widowers and the widows, meaning the set of men and women who have been married before but are now single. This word he uses that's translated unmarried was used to refer to widowers, and I think that's the nuance here. Further down, he's going to talk to the situation where people are engaged or thinking about being engaged, and I don't think that's who he's got in mind here. In those verses, I think he means those who have never been married, as opposed to this group who have been married but are no longer married. So in 7, 1 through 6, he addressed people who are married now and reminded them that sexuality is a good gift intended for marriage. Now he turns to the group that has been married but are no longer married, and he says it's good for them to remain in their single state, and we have to ask good in what way? I don't think he's saying that it's morally good as in a spiritually superior option. I so I don't think he's saying singleness is God's best and marriage is God's compromise because we're so weak willed. I think he's saying something more plain vanilla. There is a good to being single, as I just pointed out in verse seven. What would I say to people who've been married but are not married now? Well, you do well to say stay single. There's good in that. You don't have to be married to serve God's kingdom, but notice he has a qualification. Let's read seven, eight, and nine. But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I, but if they do not have self control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. All right, what's he saying here? I think it's something to the effect of I do agree with you, Corinthians, to this extent. It's good for the widows and widowers to remain unmarried, to be single just as I am. I find advantages to being single in my own life, and I think it's worthwhile for widows and widowers to share in those advantages, but I'm not saying they should never get married. Now remember, he's talking to a group of people who think that there is something immoral about sexuality in all times and all places, and they think that marriage Is an inferior lesser state because it involves this physical relationship. So he says there is some good in being single, but 7-9, if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry, for it's better to marry than to burn with passion. Now, from my perspective, I think we Bible students make two main mistakes in understanding 7-9. The first mistake is concluding that you should get married if you have no willpower. I don't think Paul is saying the only godly reason to get married is that you lack self-control. So if you're such a slave to your passions that you can't keep from sinning, then you have to take this inferior road of getting married. Paul's not saying that. The second misunderstanding is concluding that Paul is giving the advice that if you have no self-control and cannot keep yourself from sinning, the solution is marriage. If you're struggling with sexual temptations in your life, marriage is not going to solve them. If you have sexual struggles before marriage, you're going to have them after marriage. Ask anyone who's married to someone who struggles with pornography addiction. The struggle does not end just because you get married. Marriage is not a cure. Just like any other struggle, marriage does not make you more righteous. You bring yourself into the marriage. It's not a magic wand that makes all your sin go away. People get the idea from this verse that marriage is some divinely sanctioned way to provide physical relief such that you will no longer struggle with sexual temptation, and that's just not true. Look at all the other discussions of sexuality in the Bible, and nowhere else is this idea taught, and I don't believe it's taught here either. Like all sins we struggle with, we are freed from them by the grace of God, through the blood of Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit over time in our lives. So what does he mean by self-control here? I think he means to be disciplined, to exercise control over what I do and what I don't do. He's going to use this same word later in Corinthians, speaking about an athlete training for a race. And he says the athlete preparing for the games exercises self-control in all things. That's 1 Corinthians 9.25. And there Paul is not talking about the athlete's power. He's talking about the athlete's choices. The athlete chooses to be disciplined. He chooses to discipline himself to live a certain way because he has this goal of winning a race. So he chooses to live a certain way because of a goal he's seeking. So he chooses not to do certain things and he chooses to do other things because he is training for a specific goal. And that's what he means by self-control. Now in 1 Corinthians 9, Paul's making the point that we ought to choose certain things because we have the goal of salvation in mind. In chapter 9, he's not talking about sexuality at all, and we see the word has to do with the choice to limit my actions or to follow a disciplined course of action because I have a goal. Let's talk about what he means by burn with passion, and then we'll put these two ideas together. Remember, the context is this idea it's not good for a man to touch a woman. And Paul is saying don't fall for this line that the physical relationship is always bad. If you want to get married, do it. There is no virtue in lusting after marriage, but abstaining from it because you think physical things ought to be beneath you. Don't be taken in by that teaching. If you're burning with passion, that is, if you're trying to remain single just because you think Plato was right and you ought not engage in anything physical, but really you want to get married, then get married. If you're burning with the desire to be married, do it. There's no reason to pretend or fake being uninterested in marriage. So with those two ideas in mind, what's Paul saying? I think he's saying I agree that remaining single as I am can be a good thing, but if you do not choose to abstain, if you don't choose to discipline yourself in this way, then get married. What I don't want you to do is decide that sexuality is not for spiritual people, and so choose not to get married even though you want to, because you think you have to avoid marriage to be truly spiritual. Especially if you're a person who is not disciplined with your sexuality, this is not a good choice. In that case, you have put yourself in the worst spot. You're not married, but you haven't made the commitment to be single. You haven't chosen or disciplined yourself to remain single, but in your heart of hearts, you really want to get married, then you should get married. It's better to marry than to burn. It's better to be a married person than to remain single so that you can consider yourself a spiritual person when in reality you really have this desire for the intimacy of marriage. So I think he's saying there's no virtue in that. There's no spiritual superiority in remaining single when in fact you really want to be married. And there's definitely nothing spiritual about staying single and then going down to visit the temple prostitutes. The options are either choose to live a celibate life for the good reasons that go with that, or choose to be married for the good reasons that go with that. Both are good gifts of God. But it's not good to place yourself in a sexually vulnerable position because you think there's something inferior about marriage. So I think he's saying what I don't want you to do is to be an unmarried, non-celibate person. So in my view, Paul is not saying the only reason you ought to marry is you can't control yourself. He's just confronting them with these two either or choices. You can choose to be single and celibate and then discipline yourself for that lifestyle, or you can choose to be married, but there's no third option. So Paul's advice so far then is married, folks, it's not a good idea to decide that you are above sexuality. You've made a commitment to share your life with your spouse, and you are not free to break it. If you're no longer married, there's nothing wrong with choosing to marry again, but neither is there anything wrong with choosing to remain single, but those are the only two options you have if you want to follow God. Now he moves on to a new group. Let's look at ten and eleven. But to the married I give instructions, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband, but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband, and that the husband should not divorce his wife. Okay, the first question we want to ask is who is this group? So in seven one through six, the first group we looked at, that was married people in which one of the two spouses had decided that he or she is above sexuality. In seven seven through nine he was speaking to widows and widowers, and so who are the married in seven ten? Here I think he's talking about two married people who've decided that they are so above sexuality that it would be best just to go ahead and get a divorce. So they would argue something like this. Okay, Paul, I know that in order to be a really spiritual person, I should avoid sexuality. And you're right, it's unfair of me to force celibacy on my spouse, so I should just leave him. Since it's unfair to force abstinence on my spouse, I'll divorce him instead, and that way I can stay holy. Now remember, we're still in the context of 7-1, now concerning the things about what you wrote, now concerning your conclusion that it's not good for a man to touch a woman, and your conclusion that sexuality is immoral at all times, and you must be abstinent to be truly spiritual and pleasing to God. Paul is giving instructions in response to a specific question he's been asked, and we can learn from his instructions, but first we need to make sure we know what his advice is in the situation he's addressing, and then we can apply it to other situations. This statement is in the context of a discussion with people who believe that sexuality is something spiritually inferior. And Paul is addressing people who are trying to figure out what the right action is in these various situations, given the fact that they believe all sexuality is wrong. And Paul is answering them saying, divorce is not the right thing if you want to please God. If you want to do the right thing, then my instructions are that the wife should not leave her husband, and if she does leave, she should remain unmarried. Likewise, the husband should not leave his wife. If you want to do what's right, divorcing so that you can be celibate is not it. That is not going to make you more holy. Let's talk about this phrase, not I but the Lord. Paul is speaking to the Corinthians who believe that the right thing to do is to get a divorce, and he's saying, You already have teaching on this issue from Jesus himself that would tell you that divorce is not a right option. Jesus taught that in marriage God makes two people one and you were not free to break what God has joined. Jesus taught that serial monogamy and serial divorce doesn't change the fact that you're committing a type of adultery. So the Pharisees had this idea that because Moses gave them rules about divorce, that if they wanted to sleep with another woman, they could just get a divorce first and then marry the new woman and it's all good. And they could see themselves as right and righteous before God because they followed all the rules and procedures first. And in that situation, Jesus addresses them and he says, getting a divorce certificate first does not whitewash the sin. If I intentionally divorce my husband with the express purpose of being able to marry and sleep with another man, that is a kind of adultery. Now legally, divorce and adultery are not the same thing, but the same sin that causes the one causes the other. The same sin that causes adultery causes these serial divorces and serial marriages. Now Paul's not speaking to that same situation, but he is applying Jesus' words here. The issue in Corinth is we Corinthians think that marriage is an inferior state, and now we wish we hadn't gotten married because we want to be truly spiritual, and so we're going to get a divorce. And Paul says we can't stay married and refuse to have a sexual relationship with an interested spouse, so really divorce is the best option. Paul says Jesus has already spoken to that question. You've been united by God and dissolving your marriage is not a righteous option. What God has joined, let no man separate. Jesus made that clear. And if a wife does leave for this so-called lofty spiritual purpose of avoiding sexuality, then she certainly better not marry someone else. I mean, how ironic is that? If she's leaving because singleness is a superior option, then she's certainly better not remarried. If she left to pursue spirituality and now she's changed her mind, then she should reconcile with her husband, not marry someone else. Now let me be clear here. I am not saying that if you have ever been divorced, you are somehow disqualified from the kingdom of heaven. All sin, including divorce, is covered by the blood of Christ. Paul is speaking to the question of is divorce a superior option for those who want to be spiritual? And his answer is no. Remember, the Corinthians have made the claim that it's not good for a man to touch a woman, and if we want to be really spiritual and really good Christians and please God, then we need to avoid sexuality. So we Corinthians have concluded that if we're married we should abstain, if we're widowed, we should stay unmarried, and if we're married but our spouse disagrees, then we should just get a divorce. And in all these situations, the driving underlying assumption is that sexuality is somehow inferior. And Paul is correcting that attitude in each of these situations. He's saying if you're married, you should not abstain. If you're widowed, you can get married again if you want to, and you can stay single if you want to. And if you're married, you should not get a divorce. The context is you Corinthians have this idea that all sexuality is wrong and you're applying it to these situations, but your premise is wrong. There is nothing wrong with marriage, and nothing wrong with married sexuality. Marriage is not an inferior state. And so Paul is giving situational instructions. He's correcting a specific premise they have made. Now, this isn't going to be a full-blown discussion of those topics, but they did come up, and I just want to make a few observations. First, spiritual gifts. Eventually we're going to get to Paul's discussion on spiritual gifts, but for now let me make a few comments. We have this idea that our job is to go out and find our gifts and then make sure we use them. And we sometimes conclude that we have the gift of something even if we lack the opportunity to do that very thing. So you run into this attitude in the church of, well, obviously a great travesty has occurred because I have the gift of A, but I'm doing B. And this happens with a lot of gifts, not just singleness. We get this idea that the gift of singleness involves a supernatural self-control and lack of interest in intimacy. And if I don't see that supernatural self-control in myself, then I don't have the gift of singleness, even if I'm single. I have the gift of marriage, but right now I'm single, and I've concluded that I have the gift of marriage because I don't see this self-control in myself, but clearly the universe has been mismanaged and I am still single. So I have the right to be angry and unhappy with God. Because I conclude that God has given me the gift of marriage, but I'm still single. I think that I have some kind of sanctioned discontent and reason to be angry. And I think that's wrong. And we can do that with any gift. So I could conclude that God has given me the gift of teaching, but I'm not teaching anywhere. Or I've concluded that God has given me the gift of hospitality, but I have no place to be hospitable. So I'm angry with God and I lack contentment in my situation. Now, there's nothing wrong with desiring a gift. There's nothing wrong with desiring to be married or desiring to be a hospitable person or desiring to be a teacher. There's nothing wrong with trying to figure out your gifts, especially in the sense of asking the question, what does God want me to be doing right now? The problem is this attitude that would say, I have the right to be discontent and mad at God because He is mismanaging my gifts. There is this great tragedy in my life. God didn't give me the gift of singleness and I'm still single, so I have the right to be angry with him. I think that's an inappropriate application of this passage. Rather, I think we should see that while I am single, that is my gift, and there is something good about it, and something to be valued in that gift while I have it. While I am married, that is my gift, and there is something to be valued in that, there is something good in that gift while I have it. Similarly, we could go on and on. While I'm raising children, that is my gift, and I should seek to value it and be content in it. While I have no children, that's my gift, and I should value it and be content. We don't have the right to be angry with God and discontent because we've concluded that He's making us live outside our gift. Rather, I think we should accept that whatever stage we're in, that's the gift we've got right now, and we should seek to value it and find the good in it while we have it. Second, let's talk about divorce. I want to comment on this topic of divorce, but it's really too big to go into in this podcast. I would argue that in this passage, Paul is not addressing the overall subject of divorce ever under any circumstances. Rather, Paul is addressing the situation of divorcing for the purpose of achieving a so-called higher spiritual celibate life. And he's saying that's not an option. That's just wrong. So we want to be careful and thoughtful about how we apply this to other situations. For example, I would argue that Paul is not addressing the situation where one spouse is being abused by the other. And if he were to address that situation, my suspicion is that he would give a different kind of advice. He's not addressing a situation where one spouse has left and married someone else. He's not addressing a situation where one spouse has abandoned the marriage but remains single. And he's not addressing a situation where one spouse is a slave to substance abuse. So I would not attempt to argue from this passage that Paul is saying divorce is not ever an option under any circumstances. I don't think he's saying, for instance, that if the marriage has come to a place where the marriage is dead and is no longer what it ought to be, that divorce is not an option. He's not even addressing that question, and we ought to be careful how we apply these verses. For instance, in the situation of spousal abuse, I would not hesitate to say, get out of there. You can and should leave. But in a situation where a wife says, Well, I know that God wants me to be happy and spiritually fulfilled, and I'm not happy and spiritually fulfilled with my husband, but I could be happy and spiritually fulfilled with her husband, I would say, no, that's not an option. In fact, that's probably closer to the situation we see in Corinth. So just as the Pharisees could not say, oh, it's okay because I got a divorce certificate first, you can't say I'm being spiritual by divorcing my spouse in order to stay away from this base sexuality stuff. In both cases, you're not living the way God intended. In both cases, the heart is adulterous, even though in one case the activity of adultery did not occur in a legal sense. The reason for divorce is not to provide us with a righteous way to marry someone else. The reason for divorce is because we're sinful people with hard hearts. God made marriage to last, but we're sinful, so it's not always going to last. Jesus told the Pharisees, don't think you're righteous because you got a divorce first before sleeping with someone else. And Paul is telling the Corinthians, don't think you're righteous because you got a divorce so that you can stay celibate. Finally, let's talk about singleness. From my perspective, there is an unusually high rate of singleness today, and it has become normal to delay marriage for decades. I understand the gift of singleness here as just the state and stage of life that I'm in, and more people are in that state today than in previous generations, but I suspect many are in that state for the wrong reasons. Talking with the friends of my adult children, I see a lot of fear and misplaced value in their generation. And this is just my good for nothing opinion. But today's American culture has a very low view of marriage and a very high view of self-fulfillment. And it seems to me that there's a propensity to be self-absorbed and to want to work on me for way too long. There's a tendency to value money, career, education, prestige, and resume stars way more than marriage. There's a tendency to value youthful freedom and avoid adult responsibility. And there's a lack of trust that God can and will sustain you through the difficulties of marriage. And finally, and probably obviously, there is a real tendency to seek sexual fulfillment outside of marriage. I once had a campus minister tell me that college Christians acted no different sexually than non-believers. They just felt guilty about it. Well, from my perspective, none of those are worthwhile reasons to remain single. My grandmother once told me that in her day society considered marriage the adventure of life, that jobs and careers were what you did to sustain the marriage, but marriage was the adventure. And today I think we see the opposite. Career is the adventure, and marriage, we think gets in the way. And I think this is another one of those places where the wisdom of the world is going to be shown to be foolish. We ought to get back to a high view of marriage and trusting that God will sustain us through the difficulties and the ups and downs of marriage, and that married sexuality is a wonderful thing. You've been listening to the Wimscan the Word Podcast. My mission is to explain not only what a passage means, but how I reached those conclusions. If you've been blessed by this podcast, I'd love to hear from you. You can contact me through the website, and I have three favorites to add. Please subscribe to the podcast, leave a positive rating and review on your favorite podcast platform, and tell a friend. And if you can only do one thing, telling a friend.org. I invite you to check out His Cut Music and TV. Thank you for joining me today. I'm Kristana Morata, and I'll see you next week at Wednesday in the Word.