One of the Apostles who wrote extensively on marriage is Apostle Paul.
Interestingly, we are not sure whether Apostle Paul got married or not.
One thing we know for sure is that he was not married at the time of this writing. He was single!
1Co 7:27 (MSG) Are you married? Stay married. Are you unmarried? Don’t get married.
Why would Apostle Paul say this?
Let us dive into this.
1. Additional Stress
1Co 7:28 (MSG) But there’s certainly no sin in getting married, whether you’re a virgin or not. All I am saying is that when you marry, you take on additional stress in an already stressful time, and I want to spare you if possible.
He believed that getting married would bring some additional stress, which he believes is avoidable by remaining single! Just that you and I won’t listen!
2. It’s Complicated!
Apostle Paul believes that getting married will usher in some complications, which might make it more difficult to serve God.
1Co 7:32 (MSG) I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you’re unmarried, you’re free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master.
3. Demands on Attention
He believes your attention is totally divided because you must always please your spouse!
1Co 7:33-34 (MSG) Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse, [34] leading to so many more demands on your attention. The time and energy that married people spend on caring for and nurturing each other, the unmarried can spend in becoming whole and holy instruments of God.
4. Marriage is not wrong!
He is not saying marriage is wrong. He is only encouraging singleness.
1Co 7:38 (MSG) Marriage is spiritually and morally right and not inferior to singleness in any way, although as I indicated earlier, because of the times we live in, I do have pastoral reasons for encouraging singleness.
5. One will chase a thousand, two ten thousand.
If you find a couple who are sincere, sacrificial, selfless, and love God, they will do more as couples than remain single!
Marriage is a blessing, but only for those who are ready to work it out!
What is that one thing that is also important in considering who to marry? His faith is important.
Mostly because his faith will influence yours.
It is his faith in God, that will cause him to have the fear of God.
If he has the fear of God, he will never cheat on you.
He would rather protect you and care for you.
He would have the wisdom to live with you and raise a godly family because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
Never ever get married to a man who has no regard for God.
It would be the greatest mistake ever!
Well, no matter how much you love him, no matter how much preparation you have made, no matter how much has been spent, if he does not have a relationship with God, pick your bags and bolt!
Run for your life.
Preserve your destiny with your choice.
2Co 6:14-15 (MSG) Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? [15] Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands?
In marriage, there is a “knowing” at the highest level as love is consummated.
The husband becomes the cover and the head of the family.
God forbids that the head is sick, for he would only transfer the sickness.
He can only give what he has.
God forbid that the head is foolish, he would only disseminate the foolishness and no more.
He would make foolish decisions and affect the wife and the children, and sometimes, the children’s children!
The mouth of the foolish poureth out foolishness.
Pro 15:2 (KJV) The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
Take a look at the Message Translation:
Pro 15:2 (MSG) Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.
May you not have a leaky faucet of a head, dripping nonsense over your destiny!
Knowing Who To Marry
I tell you, as a counselor, that can be frustrating!
How beautiful is it, to have a praying man over your life, to have a man who is faithful to you, who will never cheat on you, not because he doesn’t feel like it but because he fears God!
You wouldn’t need to add the unrest, suspicion, insecurity, disagreements, and bickering that goes with knowing your spouse is cheating on you to your daily pressures.
Go for peace of mind.
If you are already married and have issues, please don’t give up too quickly. Pray and intercede! Go for therapy as well! Don’t keep quiet and watch things degenerate until it becomes too late!
Divorce is not always God’s direction unless life is threatened.
Take time to intercede and trust God for intervention and you will surely see the salvation of the Lord in Jesus name!
