For fifteen centuries, the Church has taught that celibacy is the ideal life, based on a proper and clear understanding of Scripture. Yet, with the Protestant Reformation, this doctrine was reversed, and instead, marriage became the ideal. The idea that celibacy was ideal was scorned, and demonised, and marriage became elevated over celibacy. This idea has continued well into contemporary times where many Christians think that marriage is the ideal.
Marriage has now become the most serious concern of many if not most Christians, irrespective of 'denomination' precisely because of how the idea that celibacy is not ideal, even wrong or unnatural, while marriage is ideal has been propagated down the centuries. This minor issue has become a major issue, while major issues, such as the doctrines of the Trinity, theosis and Christian militancy have been shunned. Many professing Christians are not concerned with fighting evil, but only concerned about marriage and the earthly affairs that come with it, such as housing debt and careers. Many Christians, particularly evangelicals, rush to marry by the tender age of twenty, when they are not even mature enough emotionally or stable enough financially to fulfill marital responsibilities.
This shows the sad state of affairs in the Church today. Moreover, it is really an indictment of the professing Church and its concern with the earthly as opposed to the spiritual. That is the bottomline. For those who are truly zealous about serving God would not be desperate for marriage and rush into it. They would pursue the Will of God first, and let marriage come along if it is the Will of God for them personally. In contrast, those who rush into marriage strive for marriage first, and then pursue a career for the money, yet daring to falsely call it a 'calling' which is to denigrate and pervert the meaning of that honourable term. Most professing Christians fall into the latter category which is truly tragic.
Not only do they rush into marriage, but they twist Scripture, of course, to justify their lust, which is the driving force behind why they rush into marriage in most cases. Instead, of respecting Scripture as it is when it says that celibacy is ideal, and better than marriage, they pervert it to say that Scripture allows people to marry just to have sex and that that is just as righteous as celibacy.
The Scriptures testify that:
Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.
But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.
But 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.
But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry. Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
(1 Corinthians 7:25-38 )
Those who push the marriage and family agenda, making it some kind of rule that people must necessarily marry and have a family to be truly holy and righteous, cut off this part of Scripture - all while claiming to be faithful to it!
St Paul taught that celibacy is ideal and that people should only think about marrying if they cannot control themselves, that is, that they would otherwise be likely to fall into the sin of fornication if they do not marry. However, that is not the ideal situation. One should not be in the situation where one has to resort to marriage to avoid or prevent fornication. Instead, one should ideally have self-control. That is the true meaning of 1 Corinthians 7:9 which is often pervertedly twisted to mean that God endorses marrying just to have sex, as if marrying all of a sudden makes lust legitimate.
What makes sexual sin wrong is lust, that is, inordinate desire. This inordinate desire for bodily pleasure can be present both in and outside of marriage. What this perverted doctrine of the evangelicals that marrying for sex is justified imply, is that no sexual desire within marriage can be inordinate, but is necessarily always rightly ordered. It also assumes that marriage simply renders what is an inordinate desire to be rightly ordered, simply by virtue of making a vow. The mindset of such professing Christians who advance and propagate this doctrine is so corrupt that they cannot see how corrupt their own mindset is, explaining why they cannot understand 1 Corinthians 7:9 or the entire passage rightly from a pure mind. They have no understanding, they are wicked and are rebellious.
It is no wondering that such libertine people have all kinds of perverted understanding of Scripture on all kinds of issues. For such people do not even understand the different between understanding and interpreting Scripture. Understanding Scripture is about seeking truth from the Scriptures, whereas interpreting is about imposing one's own will upon it.
For out of lust does heresy abound. People pervert Scripture precisely because such perversions reflect their hearts full of lust, rebellion, pride and arrogance, leading to the darkening of their minds. This darkening of the mind which Romans 1:28-30 does not only refer to that of the brazenly evil secular people who support "sodomite marriage" or the muslims who some Christians love to target, but all people who are in rebellion against God because of their own lust. That includes many professing Christians who refuse submit to a pure and right understanding of Scripture, and who love to create "ambiguity" or "contention" about the meaning of certain passages of Scripture they find hard to accept - while of course purporting the unambiguity of their own interpretation when creating their own rules and imposing them on others to oppress them.
Many still continue to deliberate whether celibacy is better than marriage, but Scripture is clear: it is unequivocally better than marriage, not equal to it, but better. It is not simply better because it "teaches singles to not be selfish", in that legalistic way that religious married people love to speak of 'singleness' or celibacy, as if they themselves were all so self-sacrificial, holy and righteous.
No, celibacy is better because it is more virtuous in demonstrating self-control and a zeal to focus on God (1 Corinthians 7:38). It is also better because it enables one to focus on serving God (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). On a more realistic front, it is better because it liberates one from earthly concerns with married life (1 Corinthians 7:28, 32), such as paying a housing mortgage which is virtually impossible to avoid nowadays, finding a career just for survival even if one does not really have the talent, and fulfilling the often earthly desires of a spouse, which may be sexual, financial or emotional, as well as supporting children in their earthly pursuits. This is what marriage and family brings!
Of course, one is to respect the institutions of marriage and family. Woe to those who put marriage asunder (Matthew 19:6)! Respecting them does not mean idolising them, using them to indulge in lust, by having endless sex and endless credit (read: debt which is bondage). One can't help but note the irony of those who claim to respect marriage and family, but pursue these honourable vocations to satisfy their own lusts. Such hypocrisy!
Celibacy is that which is ideal precisely because it is self-sacrificial devotion to God, and not just that which is conducive to a self-sacrificial life. Marriage is designed to be self-sacrificial, but it inherently requires people to be divided in their attention towards both God and one's family. While marriage is honourable, it is one that necessarily requires one to be self-centred to some extent in caring for one's family in the context of a fallen world. It necessarily hinders self-sacrificial living to some extent in a fallen world. Furthermore, owing to the fallen human nature, marriage provides all kinds of temptations to be self-centred, in that one only cares for one's family members, neglecting the needy who are outside one's family.
Sexual relations within marriage are only but a mere shadow of the intimacy between Jesus and His Bride. True intimacy between Jesus and His Bride is far more superior between any earthly intimacy. Marital intimacy is not the ultimate intimacy. It is that between Jesus and His Church that is the ultimate love, love in its purest form.
Earthly marriage is only temporal (1 Corinthians 7:29-31) and ends upon death. Marriage between Christ and His Bride, the Church is eternal and forever.
Earthly marriage is full of distress as a result of being in a fallen world. Marriage between Christ and His Bride is free of all tears, sorrow, death or pain (Revelation 21:4).
Marriage has now become the most serious concern of many if not most Christians, irrespective of 'denomination' precisely because of how the idea that celibacy is not ideal, even wrong or unnatural, while marriage is ideal has been propagated down the centuries. This minor issue has become a major issue, while major issues, such as the doctrines of the Trinity, theosis and Christian militancy have been shunned. Many professing Christians are not concerned with fighting evil, but only concerned about marriage and the earthly affairs that come with it, such as housing debt and careers. Many Christians, particularly evangelicals, rush to marry by the tender age of twenty, when they are not even mature enough emotionally or stable enough financially to fulfill marital responsibilities.
This shows the sad state of affairs in the Church today. Moreover, it is really an indictment of the professing Church and its concern with the earthly as opposed to the spiritual. That is the bottomline. For those who are truly zealous about serving God would not be desperate for marriage and rush into it. They would pursue the Will of God first, and let marriage come along if it is the Will of God for them personally. In contrast, those who rush into marriage strive for marriage first, and then pursue a career for the money, yet daring to falsely call it a 'calling' which is to denigrate and pervert the meaning of that honourable term. Most professing Christians fall into the latter category which is truly tragic.
Not only do they rush into marriage, but they twist Scripture, of course, to justify their lust, which is the driving force behind why they rush into marriage in most cases. Instead, of respecting Scripture as it is when it says that celibacy is ideal, and better than marriage, they pervert it to say that Scripture allows people to marry just to have sex and that that is just as righteous as celibacy.
The Scriptures testify that:
Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord; yet I give judgment as one whom the Lord in His mercy has made trustworthy. I suppose therefore that this is good because of the present distress—that it is good for a man to remain as he is: Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you.
But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none, those who weep as though they did not weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this world is passing away.
But 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.
But if any man thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of youth, and thus it must be, let him do what he wishes. He does not sin; let them marry. Nevertheless he who stands steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but has power over his own will, and has so determined in his heart that he will keep his virgin, does well. So then he who gives her in marriage does well, but he who does not give her in marriage does better.
(1 Corinthians 7:25-38 )
Those who push the marriage and family agenda, making it some kind of rule that people must necessarily marry and have a family to be truly holy and righteous, cut off this part of Scripture - all while claiming to be faithful to it!
St Paul taught that celibacy is ideal and that people should only think about marrying if they cannot control themselves, that is, that they would otherwise be likely to fall into the sin of fornication if they do not marry. However, that is not the ideal situation. One should not be in the situation where one has to resort to marriage to avoid or prevent fornication. Instead, one should ideally have self-control. That is the true meaning of 1 Corinthians 7:9 which is often pervertedly twisted to mean that God endorses marrying just to have sex, as if marrying all of a sudden makes lust legitimate.
What makes sexual sin wrong is lust, that is, inordinate desire. This inordinate desire for bodily pleasure can be present both in and outside of marriage. What this perverted doctrine of the evangelicals that marrying for sex is justified imply, is that no sexual desire within marriage can be inordinate, but is necessarily always rightly ordered. It also assumes that marriage simply renders what is an inordinate desire to be rightly ordered, simply by virtue of making a vow. The mindset of such professing Christians who advance and propagate this doctrine is so corrupt that they cannot see how corrupt their own mindset is, explaining why they cannot understand 1 Corinthians 7:9 or the entire passage rightly from a pure mind. They have no understanding, they are wicked and are rebellious.
It is no wondering that such libertine people have all kinds of perverted understanding of Scripture on all kinds of issues. For such people do not even understand the different between understanding and interpreting Scripture. Understanding Scripture is about seeking truth from the Scriptures, whereas interpreting is about imposing one's own will upon it.
For out of lust does heresy abound. People pervert Scripture precisely because such perversions reflect their hearts full of lust, rebellion, pride and arrogance, leading to the darkening of their minds. This darkening of the mind which Romans 1:28-30 does not only refer to that of the brazenly evil secular people who support "sodomite marriage" or the muslims who some Christians love to target, but all people who are in rebellion against God because of their own lust. That includes many professing Christians who refuse submit to a pure and right understanding of Scripture, and who love to create "ambiguity" or "contention" about the meaning of certain passages of Scripture they find hard to accept - while of course purporting the unambiguity of their own interpretation when creating their own rules and imposing them on others to oppress them.
Many still continue to deliberate whether celibacy is better than marriage, but Scripture is clear: it is unequivocally better than marriage, not equal to it, but better. It is not simply better because it "teaches singles to not be selfish", in that legalistic way that religious married people love to speak of 'singleness' or celibacy, as if they themselves were all so self-sacrificial, holy and righteous.
No, celibacy is better because it is more virtuous in demonstrating self-control and a zeal to focus on God (1 Corinthians 7:38). It is also better because it enables one to focus on serving God (1 Corinthians 7:32-35). On a more realistic front, it is better because it liberates one from earthly concerns with married life (1 Corinthians 7:28, 32), such as paying a housing mortgage which is virtually impossible to avoid nowadays, finding a career just for survival even if one does not really have the talent, and fulfilling the often earthly desires of a spouse, which may be sexual, financial or emotional, as well as supporting children in their earthly pursuits. This is what marriage and family brings!
Of course, one is to respect the institutions of marriage and family. Woe to those who put marriage asunder (Matthew 19:6)! Respecting them does not mean idolising them, using them to indulge in lust, by having endless sex and endless credit (read: debt which is bondage). One can't help but note the irony of those who claim to respect marriage and family, but pursue these honourable vocations to satisfy their own lusts. Such hypocrisy!
Celibacy is that which is ideal precisely because it is self-sacrificial devotion to God, and not just that which is conducive to a self-sacrificial life. Marriage is designed to be self-sacrificial, but it inherently requires people to be divided in their attention towards both God and one's family. While marriage is honourable, it is one that necessarily requires one to be self-centred to some extent in caring for one's family in the context of a fallen world. It necessarily hinders self-sacrificial living to some extent in a fallen world. Furthermore, owing to the fallen human nature, marriage provides all kinds of temptations to be self-centred, in that one only cares for one's family members, neglecting the needy who are outside one's family.
Sexual relations within marriage are only but a mere shadow of the intimacy between Jesus and His Bride. True intimacy between Jesus and His Bride is far more superior between any earthly intimacy. Marital intimacy is not the ultimate intimacy. It is that between Jesus and His Church that is the ultimate love, love in its purest form.
Earthly marriage is only temporal (1 Corinthians 7:29-31) and ends upon death. Marriage between Christ and His Bride, the Church is eternal and forever.
Earthly marriage is full of distress as a result of being in a fallen world. Marriage between Christ and His Bride is free of all tears, sorrow, death or pain (Revelation 21:4).
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