Gift of Marriage and Singleness
Definition of Marriage
Marriage was established by God to join a man and a woman together for life. A believer is only allowed to marry another believer. Genesis 2:18-25, Ephesians 5:22-33, 1 Corinthians 7:39-40, Romans 7:1-3
Purpose of Marriage
Marriage serves a variety of God-ordained purposes. Its primary purpose is to function as a picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church. Therefore, the goal of marriage is to sanctify the couple. A secondary purpose is to provide companionship. Another reason is procreation. Marriage also functions to provide a legitimate outlet for our sexual drive. Genesis 2:18-25, Genesis 1:26-31, Proverbs 2:17, Malachi 2:13-14, 1 Corinthians 7:1-7, Ephesians 5:22-33
The Legitimacy of Singleness
Although most individuals will get married, there is a special enabling for some to be single. Singleness provides greater freedom for service to the Lord and is to be honored in the church. Matthew 19:10-12, 1 Corinthians 7:25-40, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, 1 Corinthians 7:8-9