Author: Rev. Lek Aik Wee

Celibacy is good. Profitable for those who are called to remain single that they may devote their lives to the service of the Lord without distraction. For such who consecrate their lives in single hood for the Lord’s sake finds life most rewarding. The Apostle Paul is not saying trying to influence the Corinthian Christians to celibacy. It is a choice that they, individually, have to make. He is simply showing them what each choice entails.

Here is highlighted the difference between the married and the single woman. The unmarried woman is able to better devote her time to the service of the Lord whereas the married woman has to tend to the needs of her husband. William MacDonald observed well, “The expression “that she may be holy both in body and in spirit” does not mean that the unmarried state is more holy, but simply that she can be more set apart in both body and spirit to the work of the Lord. She is not essentially purer, but her time is freer.”

The unmarried Christian may give his or her undivided attention to the things of God whereas the married has to consider the the spouse’s needs and adjust accordingly. Caring for the things of the world is a phrase alluding to the fact that the spouse’s needs are to be taken into consideration which may compromise the priority of the gospel.

“Without carefulness” means “to be free from care or anxiety”, to be torn between two conflicting responsibility. The unmarried Christian, without the commitment of time in caring for spouse and children, can better devote time to serve the Lord “undistracted”. This is not to say that the married person cannot care for the things of God. Rather, the family’s needs requires the commitment of time and resources that the unmarried person can give better over the married person. This does not mean that the unmarried Christian necessarily would make such a sacrifice toward the service of the Lord.

The Christian is to set is affections on the things that has eternal value. This world passes away and all there is therein. Whether earthly relationship between husband and wife, the emotions that overtakes us during the various circumstances in life whether it be sorrow or joy, the material possession that we own in this life time and all that is in this world is but temporal.

Life on earth is but a fleeting existence, soon we die. Whether one is married or not married there is that time of reckoning that befalls every man, a time to die. And in view of this inevitable outcome, the plans made in life are truly, at best, uncertain in its fulfilment.

James 4:13-16 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.