Yes, it is. Because God's original design, that we read about in Genesis 2, was for a man and a woman to be united together in marriage. Marriage ideally fulfils our deep, created need for relationship and intimacy. But because of Genesis 3 (the fall, the fallen world, sin coming into creation) even the best marriages now don't work they way they should. So...
Singleness and marriage, the way they are both experienced today, are symptomatic of how imperfect the world really is. As I said on Sunday (download from here) each of the three great monotheistic religions of the world - Judiasm, Christianity and Islam - value marriage highly, but ONLY Christianity affirms singleness as inherently positive.
Seen in the Christian light, singleness is therefore an opportunity to shine as a positive example of God's power to redeem.
Hope that helps!
Might also be worth noting that the uniquely Christian perspective on heaven is one of embodied singleness, therefore single Christians in the world today can begin to model aspects of eternity (while of course married Christians can also model aspects of heaven in other ways - the close relational picture that marriage provides of the interaction between us and Jesus). I think this is very encouraging and worth remembering
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny - thanks for that great point. I think I said something like it in the Sunday sermon when I noted that in eternity, everybody's single and devoted to God, so singleness now is good practice!
ReplyDeleteHi WH!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your talk the other night! I've listened.
I'm a little confused in what you are saying exactly here. On one hand you seem to say that there is inherent fallen-ness in being single (gen 2) because of our 'deep need for relationship and intimacy', then later you say that christianity only views it as inherently positive. I understand the fall has a play in both singleness and marriage. But just as I wouldn't say that marriage in itself inherently fallen (as a creation of God- tainted yes, but not fallen of its nature), I also would not say that singleness is of itself, fallen.
The need for intimacy and relationship will not be fulfilled ultimately in marriage as you said in your talk, because God ultimately fills that place. And singles *can* be fulfilled by close and intimate relationships within God's family (or even outside), short of the sexual relationship of course..
Theologically, I look at our triune God and think: "Each distinct person of the trinity- Father, Son and Spirit is inherently UN-fallen in themselves- experiencing the unity, intimacy and relationship of one another (bar the cross!) in community. As a single OR married person, I am reflecting the image of God in this state, yet also in desperate need of salvaging- the invitation to be joined to God and the community of God fulfills this need!
PS You may have noticed I am taking up the challenge to boldly and quite sincerely say 'dear assistance minister, I think your egg is good in parts! I hope that fits with what you're wanting on this blog. It seems to be from what I gather? ;-)
I hope I'm not saying that there is 'inherent fallen-ness in being single'! Maybe the unequivocal 'Yes' is unhelpful in that regard! Singleness isn't part of the 'fall', as it is in Genesis chapter 2 (pre-Fall). But God did notice that it wasn't good for the man to be alone, and acted to create the woman. So singleness is still, in an inherent way, not good.
ReplyDeleteBUT, Christianity (alone among the three monotheistic faiths) affirms the single state and all the potential for redemption and good action it holds.