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    Singleness With A Purpose

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    Yang Cole
    The document discusses the meaning and purpose of singleness for Christians. It begins by noting that society often views singleness negatively, but the Bible teaches that singles should define themselves by their union with Christ, not their marital status. Singleness, like marriage, is a calling from God. The document then examines how marriage symbolizes Christ's relationship with the church, and that this heavenly reality is what ultimately matters, not marital status. It concludes by explaining that Christians find their identity in Christ alone, that singleness uniquely demonstrates God's sufficiency, and that singles should actively serve Christ and the church rather than postponing involvement until marriage.

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    Singleness With A Purpose

    Uploaded by

    Yang Cole
    226 views2 pages
    The document discusses the meaning and purpose of singleness for Christians. It begins by noting that society often views singleness negatively, but the Bible teaches that singles should define themselves by their union with Christ, not their marital status. Singleness, like marriage, is a calling from God. The document then examines how marriage symbolizes Christ's relationship with the church, and that this heavenly reality is what ultimately matters, not marital status. It concludes by explaining that Christians find their identity in Christ alone, that singleness uniquely demonstrates God's sufficiency, and that singles should actively serve Christ and the church rather than postponing involvement until marriage.

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    The document discusses the meaning and purpose of singleness for Christians. It begins by noting that society often views singleness negatively, but the Bible teaches that singles should define themselves by their union with Christ, not their marital status. Singleness, like marriage, is a calling from God. The document then examines how marriage symbolizes Christ's relationship with the church, and that this heavenly reality is what ultimately matters, not marital status. It concludes by explaining that Christians find their identity in Christ alone, that singleness uniquely demonstrates God's sufficiency, and that singles should actively serve Christ and the church rather than postponing involvement until marriage.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    226 views2 pages

    Singleness With A Purpose

    Uploaded by

    Yang Cole
    The document discusses the meaning and purpose of singleness for Christians. It begins by noting that society often views singleness negatively, but the Bible teaches that singles should define themselves by their union with Christ, not their marital status. Singleness, like marriage, is a calling from God. The document then examines how marriage symbolizes Christ's relationship with the church, and that this heavenly reality is what ultimately matters, not marital status. It concludes by explaining that Christians find their identity in Christ alone, that singleness uniquely demonstrates God's sufficiency, and that singles should actively serve Christ and the church rather than postponing involvement until marriage.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 2

    Singleness with a purpose

    How many times have you heard someone say, "He's such a nice guy; how come he's still
    single?" Or, "She's such a hottie." “When is she going to get married?” The implication of
    such questions is that great men and women marry, while ordinary people do not. For many
    people, being single imprints a meaning on their very identities: they are defective, second-
    rate, and somehow less than those who marry. In response to this message, Scripture teaches
    that single Christians are defined by their union with Jesus Christ, not by their singleness.
    Singleness, like marriage, is a calling from God, not an identity. The calling of singleness
    does not imbue a single person with any different identity than a married person. It does,
    however, leave an imprint. That meaning, however, conveys a message about God rather than
    a single person. Singles will experience greater joy in their calling as they discover the
    meaning that God ascribes to singleness, and those who minister to them will be better
    prepared to encourage them to live that calling out.

    The Meaning of Being Single


    To understand the true meaning of singleness, one must first understand the true meaning of
    marriage. When Paul writes, “This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to
    Christ and the church,” he reveals the ultimate meaning of marriage (Eph 5:32). The shocking
    revelation here is that marriage is ultimately about Christ's relationship to his church, not the
    relationship between a man and a woman. Marriage was designed from the start to be
    modeled after the relationship between Christ and the church. The eternal relationship
    between Christ and the people he would save existed in God's mind before creation, and
    marriage was created to symbolize that relationship. This is extremely significant because it
    demonstrates that the meaning of marriage is, and has always been, about something that is
    equally true for single people as it is for married people. Marriage is not an eternal norm that
    must be met in order for a person to be considered normal. Christ and the church, on the other
    hand, are the norm. A husband and wife's love and devotion to one another in marriage
    exemplifies Christ's supreme love and devotion to the church. Marriage is referred to in the
    Bible as a "type." It's similar to an imprint in wax left by a ring seal. The design imprinted on
    the wax is not the ring itself; rather, it is a reflection of the ring's design. Marriage, as a
    symbol, reflects a reality larger than itself. It reflects a heavenly reality and foreshadows that
    same reality when it comes to earth in its entirety. [1] Marriage reflects the heavenly reality
    of Christ's devoted and loving union with the church. It foreshadows the day when that union
    will be a permanent earthly reality. However, once reality has arrived, the image is no longer
    required. This is why, when Christ returns, human marriage will cease to exist.

    Demonstrate the Importance of Your Singleness


    To begin, we must remember that Christians are not ultimately defined by their calling.
    Singleness is a calling, not a state of being. A Christian's identity, that which defines him at
    his core, is firmly rooted in his union with Jesus Christ, never to be shaken. God's love for
    him is what distinguishes him. In Christ, he is loved, valued, forgiven, accepted, purposed,
    and empowered. This is who he is and always will be. Your identity in Christ is the same
    whether you are called to singleness or marriage. Singleness and marriage are both temporary
    callings that may change throughout life, but a Christian's identity will not. A woman's
    calling may change from single to married, or from married to single again, but her identity in
    Christ as God's beloved child, heir to all the precious and great promises of God, will never
    change (2 Pet 1:4).
    Second, the meaning of singleness will be revealed in the struggle for God's contentment.
    Because singles are called to find in God what married people often find in one another,
    singleness is uniquely designed to demonstrate God's sufficiency and superiority. Those who
    are called to marriage frequently find love, affirmation, security, comfort, companionship,
    and intimacy in their spouses, among other things. For those who are single, however, having
    a sense of these things is often less certain or immediate, necessitating a greater reliance on
    God for the fulfillment of such needs and desires. Singleness, in a unique way, points to the
    truth that all of our needs and desires are ultimately met in Christ alone. Singles must strive to
    be so content with all that Christ has for them that they can say, like Paul, that they have
    learned to be content in whatever situation they find themselves in (Phil 4:11).

    Finally, the meaning of singleness is revealed when a single Christian actively participates in
    service to Christ and the church. Too many single Christians live their lives as if their
    singleness is just a pause before the real life begins in marriage. As a result, they postpone
    active participation in Christ's service, believing that such full-scale participation in the
    church can wait until they are married. This way of life sends a distorted message about God,
    subjugating Christ and the church to marriage rather than the other way around. Singles must
    prioritize serving Christ over looking for a spouse in order to demonstrate the meaning of
    singleness that God desires—namely, that devotion to Christ is primary. Let singles
    demonstrate that Jesus is truly enough for them by actively serving his church.

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