Since I am a single man, I feel led to write this series, not just for
the man who is single, but for those who have been married and whose
marriages have ended in tragedy. Some may be free to re-marry, some may
not. This question lies between you and God; but the single man, whether
he is single by choice or circumstances, will find issues that must be
faced. The world is definitely against him, and sometimes I wonder if
Christianity is not also against him.
        
The world exalts and glorifies sex. Christians tend to exalt and glorify
marriage. Is there any difference between the two? Yes, morally there is,
but they both can be carried to an extreme that is apart from Christ.
Five false statements that have come my way are:

1. Being single is not hard.

2. Marriage is the ultimate goal of man.

3. You can never fully know the love of God until you are married.

4. You can never teach upon marriage or on the raising of children unless
you are married and have children.

5. You cannot be used of God because of your single state.

These are definite falsehoods that, Lord willing, we will address by
seeing what the Bible says about the single man.

Dear saints, and especially those who are married: the goal and purpose
of this series is to take away the cloud of ideology that surrounds the
single man, bring him back to reality, show that he does have a place in
scripture, exhort him to holiness, and give him practical advice on his
daily walk and keeping.

I am praying that throughout this series, those of you who are married
will see the struggles that singleness brings and learn to be a help, not
a hindrance, nor cause the single brothers to stumble or fall through
ignorance, that you will balance the scales between singleness and
marriage.

My father was once married and the Lord took my mother home to be with
Him several years ago. My father went from a married state to being
single in a few seconds. There may come a day, if the Lord does not come
first, that you who are married will lose your mate. You will face life
as a single man or a single woman again. Your ideals or concepts will be
swept away and you will face things that you once thought were long dead.

We are still human and we are always learning. That is how God designed
us. So let us approach this subject with meekness, gentleness, and
surrender ourselves to the Word of God.

Let us pray:

Our God and Father, in approaching this topic of the single man, I ask
for wisdom and discernment, that, Father, your Word would touch us in a
very special way. I pray for the single men who will read this, that they
will come to a deeper understanding of what it takes to live the single
life.

I pray for those who are married, that these articles will bring to mind
what it was like before they were married and that they may face
singleness again, that they will be sensitive to the needs of those who
are single. We praise thee, O God, for thy Holy Spirit and give thee
praise and thanks in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord for all things.
May our words be edifying and true in the name of Jesus.    Amen!

M. H. G.

E-Mail Matthew H Goins