Single for Jesus

1 Corinthians 7:32-35   But 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:  But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.  There 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.  And 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.

Paul in the above verses is really only pointing out the obvious.  When you are a single person, the amount of worldly responsibilities that you have are far fewer than when you are a married person, and especially married with a family.  The single person has far more free time to devote to whatever one chooses.


A Christian single, one would hope and expect, would be doing as Paul states, being about the things of the Lord.  They have both the time and ability to do so.  But, sometimes the single does not have the accountability, the pressing need to be doing those things.  As we saw last time with our discussion about eunuchs, being single is not for everyone, and not everyone is called to it.  Most people are just single by circumstance and spend a great deal of time trying not to be single.   It takes a special calling to be able to be content in singleness (and in the abstinence that goes with it).



Earlier in I Corinthians 7, Paul writes; ⁷ For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. ⁸ I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I. ⁹ But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

This just confirms the point that singleness for the Lord is a gifting that not everyone has.  That being said, and even if you are not called to be a eunuch for God, while you are single, you should use that time to serve God fully.  You are at total freedom then to dive into ministerial activities and volunteer yourself to works that you would not have the opportunity to do otherwise.  You have the time to study and pray relatively uninterrupted; use it.  The opportunities in learning and serving the Lord while single will greatly diminish if/when you meet someone and get married.  And for those select few who are called to be eunuchs for Jesus, you will know who you are.