The Bible has something to say about celibacy. If you want to know what these things are, you should research the scriptures, because the Bible gives some important teachings about being single and being married.
Celibacy According to the Old Testament
According to Genesis 2, marriage was ordained by God when he presented the first woman to the first man. This does not mean that marriage is compulsory for all people. nor does it mean that marriage is God’s will for all.
God’s own son remained celibate, as did Jeremiah, Paul, and many other servants of God.
The Old Testament gives us countless examples of divine adult bachelors. For those who constantly complain about being single, this should be a wake-up call. God does not take sides with the married, and there is no evidence today that he prefers married people to singles.
Old Testament Singles
While there are many Old Testament celibates, Jeremiah stands out because God specifically commanded him not to marry. It was God’s plan that Jeremiah be a prophet among his people. This includes the fact that Jeremiah remained celibate, although most of the other prophets were married.
God commanded Jeremiah: ‘You shall not take a wife, you shall have neither sons nor daughters in this place” (Jeremiah 16:2). To complicate matters further, Jeremiah was also told to refrain from attending social events such as weddings and funerals.—Jeremiah 16:5-9. His life was wasted fulfilling his prophetic role without distractions.
Jeremiah had no wife or family. He was not allowed to attend social events. Moreover, he was called to an ungrateful and despised profession. Still, Jeremiah shows ways to persevere. Maybe these ways will help you too.
- Jeremiah knew that he had been called by God for a specific purpose, and he took his calling seriously.
- He wanted to please God at the expense of Jeremiah.
- The prophet believed that God knew what was best for him.
- The weeping prophet saw things from God’s point of view, not his own.
- Jeremiah focused on the eternal rather than the temporal.
- The great prophet kept a line of communication with God open.
- Jeremiah concluded that nothing is difficult for God (Jeremiah 32:17).
Celibacy According to the New Testament
The New Testament provides additional insight into God’s views on celibacy. Jesus taught that celibacy is a gift from God. Matthew 19:11-12 states that the person who marries will leave his parents and remain married, but the person who remains unmarried does not bear the responsibility of marriage.
Jesus is our model and the perfect example of how we should live our lives. Jesus was not married. However, this does not mean that people should not marry if it is God’s will. Jesus remained single because it was God’s will that he be single.
Paul has remained single and offers sound advice to those dealing with their own celibacy. A beautiful view of Paul’s beliefs about celibacy and marriage is found in First Corinthians Chapter 7.
Staying Single According to First Corinthians 7
Paul has a lot to say about celibacy in First Corinthians 7.
- Singleness is a gift from God (Verse 7).
- The married person is concerned with serving God and pleasing a spouse (verses 26-35).
- Singleness brings unhindered freedom to serve God (verses 32-35).
- Unmarried people can develop a deep relationship with God because they have fewer distractions (Verse 35).
Paul sums up the topics about marriage, celibacy, and self-control: ‘I wish all people were like me. But each has his own gift from God, one has this gift, the other has it. Now I tell unmarried and widowed people that it’s good for them to stay single like me. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion’ (1 Corinthians 7:7).
New Testament Singles
Mary and Martha remained celibate along with their brother Lazarus. They served God faithfully and were also close and faithful friends of the celibate Jesus.
Mary Magdalene was also a close friend of Jesus, who never married.
To marry or not to marry?
Since marriage and celibacy are gifts from God, should people marry or remain single?
The Bible is very clear on marriage and celibacy. The Bible says that in order to fulfill one’s purpose, it is best for some not to marry. If you keep wanting to get married even though God has planned for you to stay single, you will never find true peace as long as you try to get married. If you get married you will never be happy. Deep inner disappointments will always be there.
People should ask God what His will is for their lives. If it does not involve marriage, they must accept God’s will. Before you say ‘I will’ at the altar, make sure that this is what God wants for you.
Reasons Not to Get Married
There are many good reasons not to get married. First of all, God doesn’t want everyone to get married. If you are one of those people, you should not fight against God’s decision. God knows that some unmarried people will have more time and work better in God’s Kingdom.
Some singles take Paul’s advice, who doesn’t criticize marriage but says he wishes more people would stay unmarried like him. That way, they could devote themselves entirely to ministry without the worries of spouse and family.
Some singles are comfortable in their lives and choose to remain single because they can serve God better.
Reasons to Get Married
God is calling some people to marry and others to remain single. Marriage is not automatically better than being single. For this reason, the marriage of married people should not burden single people. Celibacy and marriage are gifts from God that people can use for God’s glory.
It is important that you accept the situation given to you to marry or not to marry. But there are reasons to get married.
- God said, ‘It is not good for man to be alone’ (Genesis 2:18). Ideal marriages include close friendship and mutual support. God has commanded marriage, and it is for the glory of God.
- Those who marry find the grace of the Lord. “Whoever finds a woman finds something good and gains the favor of the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22).
- According to Malachi 2:15, God gave most people the gift of sexual intimacy and wanting children. This is how God wants to expand his kingdom.
- If a person does not have the gift of celibacy, then he should marry ‘for it is better to marry than to burn with passion’ (1 Corinthians 7:8).
- God compares his relationship with the church to marriage (Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 31:32; Hosea 2:16; Ephesians 5:22-3;).
- Married people can escape the sins of adultery and sexual immorality (Galatians 5:18-21)
- Susan Sarandon has someone to witness the lives of married people in the movie. Dance, does .
