see i dont think you guys are putting those marriage verses in the OT in their proper context. Eg if you knew the rapture was 3 days away would you plan a wedding? Obviously no. What about if you knew it was 3 months away, would you plan on starting a family? Obviously know. Ok so (hypothetically), what about if you KNEW you were living in the last days, and the final prophecies concering earth were coming into play, (eg mark of the beast, rise of antichrist, attack on jerusalem, tribulation), is that the best time to get married and start a family? You gotta weigh it up - christianity is about bringing in a harvest of as many souls in as possible prior to judgement day. Its not about getting married and starting a family and trying to raise kids as best you can. Getting married is not a sin but it IS a distraction from the work of God!! (in most cases, the exeption being where God's will is for you to get married so that you can fulfill God's plan for your life). I can name many examples of people i know, christians whose marriages have broken down, who have had their hearts ripped apart by failed marriages, and who will state very clearly that their married life and the raising of a family prevented them for many years from being free to go out and fufill the great commision. It was just too hard to make time for outreach after working then pleasing the wife when you get home and lookin after the kids. There are OBVIOUS negatives to marriage. YOu guys need to wake up and acknolwecge them. As paul says, those who are married care about the things of the WORLD - how they may please their wife. Does God want this for your life? I doubt it. Hence the reason i said its not Gods WILL for most people to get married, however,, he gives us free will and so he says getting married is not a sin. If that doesnt hit the nail on the head that I give up strivin with u guys
Phil
There is no other context to put the verses about marriage being good in. They are simply saying that marriage is a good gift from God and desirable. However, there is clearly a context to the one verse you are using to form your doctrine, and it's clear that Paul is not speaking it to every circumstance. You cannot interpret Scripture like you are doing. You cannot interpret the bulk of Scripture by a small part that seemingly doesn't fit with the bulk. The small part must be interpreted by the bulk. Again, if you don't do this, it is how cults and destructive heresies are formed.
Every person from the time that Jesus first came until He comes again is in the end times. We should live as though we are in the end times, but not give up the basics of our lives in response. In fact, Paul criticizes Christians for quitting their jobs, and basically quitting life because they assumed the end times are very soon. We should live as though Christ could come back now with an urgency to proclaim the Gospel, but not give up on the good gifts that God wants us to enjoy. Some people may be called away from marriage for a time or for good to do missions or because of persecution, but not very many people will.
Your doctrine sounds a lot like Stoic Asceticism, which denies that pleasure is good, and is not Biblical. God designed marriage to be pleasurable and called it good. We should not be ascetics and run from pleasure. God wants us to enjoy our lives, and has given us many things, including marriage, to do so. You are half right about the purpose of Christianity, but you are missing a big chunk of it, which is why you believe as you do. You said, "christianity is about bringing in a harvest of as many souls in as possible prior to judgement day". While it is true that one purpose of Christians is to be used as a tool to bring more people to Christ, that is not the entire purpose of God saving us. In fact, it is a result of the primary purpose. That primary purpose is for people to love, worship, and enjoy God. Telling other people about God should not be a duty of your faith, but a joyful response to loving your greatest love. And God gave us good things like marriage, good food, good drinks, family, etc... to magnify His goodness as the provider. Asceticism is a very dangerous philosophy that has caused many problems in the church since time began. We are made to be God-enjoyers, not God-pleasers.
Every person from the time that Jesus first came until He comes again is in the end times. We should live as though we are in the end times, but not give up the basics of our lives in response. In fact, Paul criticizes Christians for quitting their jobs, and basically quitting life because they assumed the end times are very soon. We should live as though Christ could come back now with an urgency to proclaim the Gospel, but not give up on the good gifts that God wants us to enjoy. Some people may be called away from marriage for a time or for good to do missions or because of persecution, but not very many people will.
I stated it before, but I'll say it again. God created marriage to be an image of Christ and the church, which is a very good thing. To tell everyone not to marry is to tell them not to have the chance to glorify God by being an example of who Jesus is.
Also, your determination that people are bad=marriage is bad, is a logical fallacy. Bad people making bad marriages does not automatically mean marriage is bad. People and the institute of marriage are separate entities, and their inherant value must be decided separately. God decided marriage is good. Failed marriages are the result of insubmission to the guidance of Jesus.
Submit yourself to the Word of God. It's ok for you to not marry, but don't be telling other people that they can't either. It's not what God's Word says, and you're sinning when you do so. Look past what you want to believe and see what the Bible really says.