Married vs Virgin

[DaishinKan]

Good-day everyone,

Today I have a question on God's apparent favor to unmarried Christians. Now there are many places where the Bible compliments and encourages marriage and reproduction. On the other spectrum we have the following verses which I have compiled together which suggest that there is still some form of impurity in sexual relations....

1 Corinthians 7: 8-9
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Of-course the unmarried here could refer to husbands who have lost their wives and not necessarily people who have never been married. However it places preference on staying single, and suggests a weakness in those who cannot stay single.

1 Corinthians 7: 1-2
Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

The line in bold suggests that it is better to abstain from sex .. period.. which I think i might be misinterpreting or taking out of context. .. But why?

2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that i may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Chaste - Untouched; undefiled ( Bible Study Tools )
- abstaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse. ( Google )

1 Corinthians 7: 32 - 35
32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

Again, I think there might be something I'm missing because it suggests that once you are married, because of your responsibilities, you are disadvantaged or distracted.. in God's eyes.. which contradicts the scriptures where he commands us to go multiply, and commends the acquisition of a wife. ( Prov. 18:22 )

Revelation 14:4
These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.

Here suggests that sexual relations under any circumstance, is some sort of permanent contamination, that makes you less than someone who abstained and gave all their time to God.


All in all, it just seems unfair that God would command us to multiply, as well as compliment marriage so much, then suggest that there is some greater level of holiness in remaining a virgin.

Thank you for your time and God Bless.

 

[ewq1938]

2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that i may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.



Revelation 14:4
These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.

The first one is religious chastity ...not playing the harlot with false gods like Israel and Judah did. Rev 14 might mean that or literal virgins in the flesh sense.

 

[Greg J.]

The context of Paul's comments included the fact that they were in a state of crisis (1 Corinthians 7:26). Being married means that one would have less time for God. Marrying creates obligations to one's spouse in God's eyes. If a crisis is severe enough, a person may want to devote themselves to God as much as possible.

“Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its men and their animals, even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign LORD. ... ... ... as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved (Ezekiel 14:13-14, 18, 1984 NIV).

Scripture does convey that remaining a virgin is a higher calling. The restrictions on marriage for the Levites were greater than for everyone else (could only marry virgins). It is presumably because people associate them with being closer to God and therefore need to reflect his image more accurately for the benefit of the onlookers, lest they grow lax in their reverence of God. (God is pure.)

We see in Matthew 19:11 that remaining unmarried is something God chooses for some people. It is not the general rule of thumb.

 

[DaishinKan]

The first one is religious chastity ...not playing the harlot with false gods like Israel and Judah did. Rev 14 might mean that or literal virgins in the flesh sense.

Why was Paul Jealous of them? I thought most likely because Paul was once married already.

 

[MartyF]

Having a wife is a blessing from God. Eve was not made for Adam to punish him.

However, it can be easier to do God’s work when single, especially in dangerous circumstances. If you became a Christian in North Korea, taking a wife would condemn you and her to the same fate as you. What if there were children? Things might be even worse.

So, in such a persecuted environment, one would be limited. Could Paul have done the things which caused him to be stoned and beat up if he knew his family would suffer the same fate? Would it be fair to the woman or to the children?

Paul never says God wants everyone to be single. Paul was expressing a personal opinion about the current times.

Marty

 

[ewq1938]

Why was Paul Jealous of them? I thought most likely because Paul was once married already.

It doesn't mean what you are thinking it means. This is a very old English translation using very old words, from a Greek text. Always need to check the concordance and commentaries to understand what is actually being said:


Barnes:

2 Corinthians 11:2

For I am jealous over you - This verse expresses the reason why he was disposed to speak of his attainments, and of what he had done. It was because he loved them, and because he feared that they were in danger of being seduced from the simplicity of the gospel. The phrase “I am jealous” (Ζηλῶ Zēlō) means properly, I ardently love you; I am full of tender attachment to you.

 

[MartyF]

Why was Paul Jealous of them? I thought most likely because Paul was once married already.

Read further. Paul was “jealous” of the super apostles. He has some humor here which doesn’t translate well. Long story - short. This passage has nothing to do with marriage or being single.

And no, I’ve read nothing which leads me to believe that Paul was married. If you can point a passage out to me that implies otherwise , I’d be interested in reading it.

Marty

 

[ewq1938]

Read further. Paul was “jealous” of the super apostles. He has some humor here which doesn’t translate well.

I don't see that in the text.

 

[daydreamer40]

Good-day everyone,

Today I have a question on God's apparent favor to unmarried Christians. Now there are many places where the Bible compliments and encourages marriage and reproduction. On the other spectrum we have the following verses which I have compiled together which suggest that there is still some form of impurity in sexual relations....

1 Corinthians 7: 8-9
To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Of-course the unmarried here could refer to husbands who have lost their wives and not necessarily people who have never been married. However it places preference on staying single, and suggests a weakness in those who cannot stay single.

1 Corinthians 7: 1-2
Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

The line in bold suggests that it is better to abstain from sex .. period.. which I think i might be misinterpreting or taking out of context. .. But why?

2 Corinthians 11:2
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that i may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Chaste - Untouched; undefiled ( Bible Study Tools )
- abstaining from extramarital, or from all, sexual intercourse. ( Google )

1 Corinthians 7: 32 - 35
32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

Again, I think there might be something I'm missing because it suggests that once you are married, because of your responsibilities, you are disadvantaged or distracted.. in God's eyes.. which contradicts the scriptures where he commands us to go multiply, and commends the acquisition of a wife. ( Prov. 18:22 )

Revelation 14:4
These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins.

Here suggests that sexual relations under any circumstance, is some sort of permanent contamination, that makes you less than someone who abstained and gave all their time to God.


All in all, it just seems unfair that God would command us to multiply, as well as compliment marriage so much, then suggest that there is some greater level of holiness in remaining a virgin.

Thank you for your time and God Bless.

If you are married you are obligated to your spouse to consider their needs, and spend time thinking of things that would please them etc. If you choose not to marry then you can spend your whole time concentrating on what God wants from your life.
In saying this, for most people they need to, or choose to marry, and there is obviuously nothing at all wrong with that. But for those who are able not to marry, and may do so, so they can devote themselves entirely to God, being free of other obligations, that, from a purely spiritual point of view would be the best thing of all to do.

 

[MartyF]

I don't see that in the text.

“2 Corinthians 11:1-5 NLT
[1] I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. [2] For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband-Christ. [3] But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. [4] You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. [5] But I don't consider myself inferior in any way to these "super apostles" who teach such things.”

NLT


Here you go.

 

[ewq1938]

“2 Corinthians 11:1-5 NLT
[1] I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. [2] For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband-Christ. [3] But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. [4] You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. [5] But I don't consider myself inferior in any way to these "super apostles" who teach such things.”

NLT


Here you go.

You didn't read it properly.

You said, "Paul was “jealous” of the super apostles."
But Paul says, "I don't consider myself inferior in any way to these "super apostles" "

So Paul in no way is saying he was jealous of the other Apostles but says he was equal to them.

 

[MartyF]

You didn't read it properly.

You said, "Paul was “jealous” of the super apostles."
But Paul says, "I don't consider myself inferior in any way to these "super apostles" "

So Paul in no way is saying he was jealous of the other Apostles but says he was equal to them.

So glad you wasted everyone’s time with Semantics. I would argue samantics with you, but I have important things to do.

 

[ewq1938]

So glad you wasted everyone’s time with Semantics. I would argue samantics with you, but I have important things to do.

This isn't semantics. It's you misreading what the verse says and being upset when you are corrected.