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Advantages of

Single-Minded

Singleness

Part 2

1 Corinthians 7:25-40

February 9, 2020

Sermon Series:

Are You Living Life to the Fullest?

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The Big Idea…

God did not design us for the single life, but there are definite advantages

to being single.

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We fail to live life to…

…the fullest but why?

We focus more on where we

want to be rather than where

we already are.

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God did not…

…call all of us to marriage

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And we are not…

…defined by our

marital status.

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If you want to live…

…life to the fullest as a single, embrace the

advantages of singleness.

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Singleness is…

…a good thing but it can be problematic in some

situations.

(7:1-2)

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1 Corinthians 7:1

Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a

man not to touch a woman.

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1 Corinthians 7:2

But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife and each woman is to

have her own husband.

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The Christian Life…

…has boundaries that

have been established by

God. Some things

acceptable…other not!!!

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The Christian Life…

You cannot move the goal posts

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Singleness is not…

…for everyone, especially if you do not have the gift of celibacy.

(7:7-9)

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1 Corinthians 7:7

Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am.

However, each man has his own gift from God, one in

this manner and another in that.

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1 Corinthians 7:8

But I say to the unmarried and the widows that it is

good for them is they remain even as I.

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1 Corinthians 7:9

But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to

burn with passion.

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The call to singleness…

…includes the gift of celibacy

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Singleness is like…

…marriage. Both are a calling from God, so bloom where you are

planted. (7:17,20,24)

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1 Corinthians 7:17

Only as the Lord has assigned to each one, as

God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches.

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1 Corinthians 7:20

Each man must remain in that condition in which he

was called.

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1 Corinthians 7:24

Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that

condition in which he was called.

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What do you do…

…while you are waiting for lightening to strike?

Answer: Use the time to become the best person

you can be.

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Singleness sets you…

…free to set spiritual priorities for your life.

(7:32-35)

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1 Corinthians 7:32But I want you to be free

from concern. One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the

Lord, how he may please the Lord.

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1 Corinthians 7:33

…but one who is married is concerned about the things

of the world, how he may please his wife.

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1 Corinthians 7:34a…and his interests are

divided. The woman who is unmarried and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be

holy in body and spirit.

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1 Corinthians 7:34b

…but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may

please her husband.

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1 Corinthians 7:35This I say for your own

benefit; not to put a restraint on you, but to

promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted

devotion to the Lord.

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Time is short…

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Time is short and we…

…should live with a “holy indifference” to what is going on around us in

this world.

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Single relationship…

…can be challenging, but

dating is not the answer until

you are mature enough to

handle a dating relationship

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If you insist on dating…

…I want to give you some

tips on how to survive in the

dating jungle.

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Pastor Smith’s 10

Commandments…

…for navigating and surviving the

contemporary dating scene.

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Commandment #1

Thou shalt avoid a romantic

relationship with any person

that you would not consider

marrying

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Dating should be a…

…relationship-building

process that prepares

people for marriage.

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Unfortunately, dating is…

…a dysfunctional process

that encourages singles to

make decisions based on

feelings rather than on facts.

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Commandment #2

Thou shalt cultivate an

attitude that both

appreciates and encourages

authenticity.

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Dating encourages…

…us to fake-it. We are not

committed to knowing and

being known.

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Commandment #3

Thou shalt not attempt to

have a committed

relationship with more

than one person at a time.

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Commandment #4

Thou shalt not build your

life around your

relationship with another

person.

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Commandment #5

Thou shalt become unequally

yoked together with another

person, especially in a dating

relationship

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Accept the other person…

…for who they are today.

That is the person they will

for the long term. You are

not going to change them.

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Commandment #6

Thou shalt not seek a

relationship for what you

can get but rather for what

you can give.

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Commandment #7

Thou shalt not seek a

relationship that is not based

upon a mutual commitment

to growth and change.

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Commandment #8

Thou shalt cultivate

emotionally and physically

healthy expressions for

your sexuality.

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Commandment #9

Thou shalt accept the fact

that every relationship is

a work in process.

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Relationships…

…take time to mature and

they take lots of work.

You must be available but

not too available.

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Phase 1

The Get-to-know you-phase (First 6 months)

Share life story, aspirations, values, likes/dislikes, warts

(no intimate touching)

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Phase 2The Share My World/Your World

Phase (6-12 months)

Share intimate knowledge, secrets, meet family, close friends, co-

workers

(Holding hands, hugs, tender embrace)

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Phase 3The Engagement/I Want to spend the

rest of my life with you phase (1-3 years)

Making joint plans for the future, pre-marriage counseling (before the

engagement)

(Healthy expressions of intimacy during this phase)

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Phase 4

The Marriage Phase

•This is the culmination of

the whole process.

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Commandment #10

If you choose to date,

thou shalt not engage in

“emotional promiscuity.”

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If you want to live…

…life to the fullest as a single, embrace the

advantages of singleness.

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Advantages

• Single is a good thing

• Single is a calling just like marriage

• Single gives the freedom to focus on spiritual priorities