Lifetime Singleness

fishstix said:

God won't force anyone to get married against their own will. He doesn't even force us to choose a relationship with Himself if we don't want to - so He isn't going to force a marriage relationship on someone who doesn't want one. If we ask God to, He will help us to adjust our will to match His - whether that means in the area of marriage or celibacy or in some other area of life entirely. But He isn't going to force it.

In my opinion, forcing someone to get married against their will is forcing them to be repeatedly raped. I don't believe for a moment that God would do that to someone.


Personally, I would modify your last statement to specify that the husband is submitted to God as well - otherwise the woman may indeed have an issue.

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Jon_ said:

This statement does appaling violence against God's character and God's will. Why in the world are we called to submit to God's will if He doesn't change our will? Why in the world should we rely on Him if He is not going to do anything to "violate" our desires? That's a tragic, humanistic view of God's boundless sovereignty. God has called us unto submission because He knows better than us. We might feel like we don't want to marry, but 1 John 3:20 tells us that even if our heart deceives us, God is greater than our hearts and knows all things.

Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. If God's plan for your life is truly that you remain single, then He will keep you single. It doesn't matter if you know that you're going to get married, or that God has a special someone for you. It's not your decision! It's God's! You are not your own; you were bought at a price (1 Cor. 6:19-20). The object of your prayer should always be that God's will be done. God requires that we love. Love and submission go hand-in-hand. To refuse to submit to God's will for your life is sinful.

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fishstix said:

Clearly we have different views on the topic of free will. I'd say that the idea that God would force someone to marry against their will does much more violence to God's character than the idea that He would let a person choose whether to marry someone or not.

I'm not saying that God can't change our will to match His - I'm saying that He isn't going to do so without our permission. I'm not saying that His will isn't better for us than ours - just that He isn't going to force it upon us against our will.

I am saying that God lets us choose whether to go along with His will or not. He lets us choose whether we want our will to be the same as His or different. Yes, it is wrong and sinful to choose not submit our will to Gods and to choose not to go along with God's will - but God allows us to make that choice.

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Jon_ said:

Yes, it's clear that we express opposing theologies. It's tragic. I think that view deprives God of so much glory, and men of so much joy. I'm thankful that I serve a God who willing and righteous changes my will to suit His needs. That's my prayer every night: not my will Lord, but Yours. God doesn't need permission to do anything. He is competely righteous. He loves us (that is, His elect) too much to allow us to destroy ourselves, completely willing His indifference. Praise God that His will is sovereign and good. Praise God that His will prevaileth over the will of man, always. My God is a righteous God who has no equivocation with using His servants as He sees fit; and may He be further glorified because of that.

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