Made for Relationships: Singleness
Pastor Tim focuses on the topic of singleness within a larger series on relationships. The pastor challenges the assumption that single people lack relationships and outlines five truths about singleness, emphasizing that it does not mean being unlovable or unloved, referencing Isaiah 56 to highlight God's high regard for single individuals. The sermon also points out that many of God’s great servants, including Jesus and the Apostle Paul, were single, demonstrating that singleness does not equate to ineffectiveness. Furthermore, the text explores the reality that singleness can be viewed as both a gift and a cross to bear due to the mixed blessings and challenges it presents. Finally, the pastor addresses the pressures of a sex-obsessed culture and concludes by asserting that all believers are guaranteed marriage one day to Christ, positioning both earthly singleness and marriage as temporary states pointing to the ultimate wedding of the Lamb.
Deep Dive podcast
Study Guide: A Biblical Perspective on Singleness
This guide is designed to review and deepen understanding of the key themes presented in the sermon on singleness. It includes a quiz to test comprehension, essay questions for further reflection, and a glossary of important terms and figures mentioned in the text.
Quiz
Answer the following questions in 2-3 complete sentences, drawing only from the provided source material.
According to the sermon, what are some of the diverse reasons and circumstances that can lead to a person being single?
What promise does God make to the "eunuch" in Isaiah 56, and what does this reveal about God's view of single people in His kingdom?
Why is it significant that Jesus was single, according to the teachings of Dallas Willard?
Besides Jesus, who is another major biblical figure identified as being single, and what was his contribution to Christianity?
Based on 1 Corinthians 7, what "gift" or advantage does the Apostle Paul associate with singleness?
How does the testimony of Margaret Clarkson illustrate that singleness can also be a "cross to bear"?
How does the sermon contrast the biblical view of sexual intimacy with the prevailing view in modern culture?
According to Rebecca McLaughlin, what does the cultural inability to imagine life without a sexual relationship reveal about our society's values?
What is the ultimate "wedding" described in Revelation 19 that all people, single or married, are invited to?
According to Sam Aubrey, what is the ultimate purpose of both earthly marriage and earthly singleness?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answer Key
Singleness can occur for many reasons, both by choice and not by choice. The sermon lists being called to singleness, not yet married, divorced and not remarried, widowed, or choosing celibacy while wrestling with same-sex attraction as examples of how a person might be single.
In Isaiah 56, God promises to give eunuchs a "memorial and a name better than sons and daughters" within His temple, an "everlasting name that will endure forever." This demonstrates that there is no lower status for a single person in God's kingdom; in fact, they are given a place of special honor.
According to Dallas Willard, Jesus was the "most fully human person who ever lived," and following him means following him into "God's perfect humanity." The fact that this perfect humanity was expressed through Jesus as a single person shows that singleness is not a subpar status in God's kingdom.
The Apostle Paul is identified as another major single figure in the Bible. He was a monumental servant of God who wrote one-third of the New Testament, planted numerous churches, and is considered by scholars to be one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity, second only to Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul explains that a single person has the gift of undivided focus and can be concerned primarily with "the Lord's affairs" and how to please Him. In contrast, a married person's interests are divided between pleasing the Lord and pleasing their spouse.
Margaret Clarkson's words express the profound and constant challenge of singleness, describing it as a "never-ceasing tension." She states that her "whole being cries out continually for something that I may not have," illustrating the deep sense of burden and sacrifice that can accompany a life of celibacy.
The sermon states that the biblical view defines sexual intimacy as something expressed exclusively within the covenant of marriage between one man and one woman. This is contrasted with the cultural view, which suggests sexual intimacy can be shared with anyone regardless of relationship status or gender, largely ignoring spiritual and other ramifications.
Rebecca McLaughlin suggests that the difficulty in imagining a life without a sexual relationship is "symptomatic of our idolization of sex and romantic love." This misplaced priority is highlighted by the fact that while some Christians face martyrdom, others in our culture believe being called to celibacy is an unbearable fate.
Revelation 19 describes the ultimate wedding at the end of time between Christ, the Lamb, and His bride, which is His people (the church). This is the "wedding supper of the lamb," to which all believers are invited.
According to Sam Aubrey, both earthly marriage and earthly singleness are temporary states that serve the same purpose: pointing to the gospel. Marriage reflects the shape of the gospel through its promises, while singleness demonstrates the sufficiency of the gospel by showing that the only marriage one cannot live without is the marriage to Christ.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Essay Questions
Consider the following questions for deeper reflection and discussion. Formulate a comprehensive response based on the concepts presented in the sermon.
The sermon outlines five key truths about singleness. Choose two of these truths and explain how they challenge common assumptions about singleness that may exist both in secular culture and within the church.
Analyze the argument that singleness can be both a "gift" and a "cross to bear." Using the examples of the Apostle Paul and Margaret Clarkson, discuss the complexities of this dual reality for a single Christian.
Discuss the theological significance of the "wedding of the lamb" as presented in Revelation 19. How does this ultimate reality reframe the purpose and value of both earthly marriage and earthly singleness?
Pastor Tim notes that a church-goer once wept because the topic of singleness is so rarely addressed. Based on the sermon's content, what are some of the hurtful or untrue messages single people might absorb from this silence, and how can the church better align with "God's heart towards the single person"?
Sam Aubrey is quoted as saying that in an effort to defend marriage, the church can "unwittingly idolize it." Explain what this means and how this idolization can negatively impact the church's view and treatment of single people.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glossary of Key Terms
Term / Figure
Definition
Augustine of Hippo
An influential Christian theologian quoted as saying, "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."
Celibacy
The state of abstaining from marriage and sexual relations. The sermon discusses the choice of voluntary celibacy to honor God.
C.S. Lewis
An influential Christian author quoted as saying that God designed the "human machine to run on himself."
Dallas Willard
A Christian teacher cited for his teaching that Jesus was the "most fully human person who ever lived."
Eunuch
A term used in Isaiah 56 and Matthew 19 to refer to a single person. The texts mention eunuchs who were born that way, made that way by others, or who choose to live that way for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.
God's Perfect Humanity
A phrase from Dallas Willard used to describe the life of Jesus. His single status demonstrates that marriage is not required to live a full and perfect human life.
Isaiah 56
An Old Testament passage quoted to show God's heart for the single person, promising them a "memorial and a name better than sons and daughters" in His temple.
Jesus Christ
Identified as the primary example of a single person who served God. As the "most fully human person who ever lived," his singleness affirms the value of this status.
Margaret Clarkson
A hymn writer and author quoted at length about the profound challenges of her life of singleness, describing it as a "never-ceasing tension."
Paul (The Apostle)
Identified as one of the most influential single people in history, second only to Jesus. He wrote one-third of the New Testament and was a prolific church planter.
Rebecca McLaughlin
An author quoted on the topic of the culture's "idolization of sex and romantic love."
Sam Aubrey
A single pastor from the UK quoted extensively at the end of the sermon. He teaches that both marriage and singleness are temporary states that point to the ultimate reality of the gospel and our marriage to Christ.
Singleness
Defined in the sermon as the state of not currently being married. It is presented not as an absence of relationships, but as the absence of one particular type of relationship.
Wedding of the Lamb
A term from Revelation 19 describing the eschatological marriage between Christ (the groom) and His people (the bride) at the end of time. It is presented as the ultimate marriage that earthly marriage foreshadows.
Yada
A Hebrew word mentioned in the context of the Song of Solomon. It means "to know deeply" and illustrates that deep, intimate connection is possible without sexual intimacy.
