PRAYER FOCUS

Single Adults

1 Cor 7:1-8

In this letter to the Corinthians Paul is addressing an issue that is prevalent in the region: sexual immorality. As a single Christian man I find this passage very enlightening and instructive.

In Chapter 6 Paul writes “. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.

So, as a single Christian our bodies are members of Christ and one spirit with him. In a sense, as singles, we are married to Christ.

In chapter 7 Paul is making sure the single Christians know that while married to Christ that we should not be having sexual relations. I also think that the inference here is that anything that is sexual in nature is not allowed.

He goes on to acknowledge that there is sexual temptation and that it can only rightfully be fulfilled between husband and wife.

He cautions the husband and wife only to abstain for a “limited time” to “devoting yourselves to prayer”. 

Paul recognizes that sexual temptation is so strong and that Satan uses it to test your self-control. 

Paul, being single himself, wishes that all could be “single” like him and married to God alone. But, he also recognizes that not all have the same gifting.

No one knows if Paul was ever married or not. There are many who think that when in Tarsus after his encounter on the road to Damascus in his home town that it is plausible that he was married sometime during those ten years, but one thing is certain, Paul knows that his relationship with Christ is the most important aspect of his being single and that he is an example of how to live as a single person in the midst of a society ridden with sexual immorality. 

Put Christ first, and don’t do anything to jeopardize the sanctity of your singleness or any possible future relationships.