Celibacy (along with singleness and virginity as a whole) - a Blessing or a Curse?

[Carry_Your_Name]

Divorce wasn't in the original design.
Jesus said..."For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it." (Matt 19:12)
Those remaining celibate for the kingdom of God's sake will be blessed.

The real delimma I wondered is described in post #6. In theory, as you said, celibacy for the kingdom is a blessing, we should all live as nuns and monks, but most devoted Christians are married or dating, in fact, marriage and fertility rate of religious groups are consistently higher than non-religious group. It is common understanding in Christianity that marriage is a covenant instead of a contract, sex is the consummation of love instead of pleasure or physiological need, children are blessings from God instead of heavy burdens, and married people generally live happier and healthier than singles who are truly celibate. Indisputably, singleness and loneliness are not good for anybody, it's not just for Adam, it applies to all mankind.

Why wait to find out ?.
Repent now, while you have some life left with which to glorify God !

Because that union is in HEAVEN, as long as we live, we can only find out a foretaste of that through earthly marriage. Jesus "waited" to find out the perfect bride God the Father arranged for him instead of finding a bride by himself during his ministry.

 

[Hopeful 2]

The real delimma I wondered is described in post #6. In theory, as you said, celibacy for the kingdom is a blessing, we should all live as nuns and monks,

You mean celibate, and holy in mind and body.

but most devoted Christians are married or dating, It is common understanding in Christianity that marriage is a covenant instead of a contract,

Isn't a covenant a contract ?

and married people generally live happier and healthier than singles who are truly celibate. Indisputably, singleness and loneliness are not good for anybody, it's not just for Adam, it applies to all mankind.

Singleness and loneliness are not synonymous.

Because that union is in HEAVEN, as long as we live, we can only find out a foretaste of that through earthly marriage. Jesus "waited" to find out the perfect bride God the Father arranged for him instead of finding a bride by himself during his ministry.

The union between us and Christ starts here.
What the future holds for the truly repentant will be 100% better than that which we have already.
By refusing to live without sin, you will have neither present nor future companionship with Jesus.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

You mean celibate, and holy in mind and body.

What else do you think it means other than living as monks or nuns?

Isn't a covenant a contract ?

No it isn’t. Covenant is forever, contract is temporary. Covenant is based on love, contract is based on performance.

Singleness and loneliness are not synonymous.

No, but neither is good.

The union between us and Christ starts here.

But it doesn’t end here, it ends in New Jerusalem. You describe it as though what we have now is the end, while we’ve still living in a sinful, broken and tumultuous world.

 

[Hopeful 2]

What else do you think it means other than living as monks or nuns?

I don't think the religions with nuns nd monks are holy.

No it isn’t. Covenant is forever, contract is temporary. Covenant is based on love, contract is based on performance.

Didn't God throw away the covenant He had when the disobedient Israelites revolted against Him ?

No, but neither is good.

You can't let personal bias impede your judgement.
Was celibacy bad for Jesus ?
For Paul ?

But it doesn’t end here, it ends in New Jerusalem. You describe it as though what we have now is the end, while we’ve still living in a sinful, broken and tumultuous world.

If the union we have with Christ is real, it will never end.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

I don't think the religions with nuns nd monks are holy.

Then how else do you live in celibacy? One defining character of nuns and monks is celibacy.

Didn't God throw away the covenant He had when the disobedient Israelites revolted against Him ?

No He didn't. Disobedient Israelites were banished, not disinherited. His face still shines upon those who genuinely seek Him.

"Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, nor shall I abhor them, to utterly destroy them and break My covenant with them; for I am the Lord their God." (Lev. 26:44)

You can't let personal bias impede your judgement.
Was celibacy bad for Jesus ?
For Paul ?

Was crucifixion bad for Jesus? Was martyrdom bad for Paul? Is calibacy remotely comparable to the anguish they suffered for us?

If the union we have with Christ is real, it will never end.

Nonetheless the wedding feast of the Lamb is still in heaven, not here on earth.

 

[Hopeful 2]

Then how else do you live in celibacy? One defining character of nuns and monks is celibacy.

You don't have sex with anyone !

No He didn't. Disobedient Israelites were banished, not disinherited. His face still shines upon those who genuinely seek Him.

And if they don't ?
Also..."The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: He hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man." (Isa, 33:8)

Was crucifixion bad for Jesus? Was martyrdom bad for Paul?

Was Jesus crucified because He was celibate ?
Was Paul killed because he was celibate ?

Is calibacy remotely comparable to the anguish they suffered for us?

What are you talking about now ?
Of course not !

Nonetheless the wedding feast of the Lamb is still in heaven, not here on earth.

That is right, and only those not ready for His return were turned away.
Our union with Christ begins at our baptism into Him. (Rom 6:3, Gal 3:27)

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

You don't have sex with anyone !

No, I don't.

And if they don't ?
Also..."The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: He hath broken the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man." (Isa, 33:8)

They fail to uphold their end of the covenant, but God never fails to uphold HIS end. Your mind is polluted by the replacement theology.

Was Jesus crucified because He was celibate ?
Was Paul killed because he was celibate ?

What's the relevance?

That is right, and only those not ready for His return were turned away.
Our union with Christ begins at our baptism into Him. (Rom 6:3, Gal 3:27)

That's the betrothal, not the wedding feast. We can't pretend that he's already returned when he's still seated at the right hand of the Father.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

What are you talking about now ?
Of course not !

You know, this thread's original purpose is to ask WHY celibacy is supposedly a gift, even though I would very likely suffer alone and die alone.

 

[Hopeful 2]

No, I don't.

That wasn't a question.
It was the way to live celibately.

They fail to uphold their end of the covenant, but God never fails to uphold HIS end. Your mind is polluted by the replacement theology.

God cut off the Israelites a number of times.

What's the relevance?

Your reply shows me you are not following your own trail.

That's the betrothal, not the wedding feast. We can't pretend that he's already returned when he's still seated at the right hand of the Father.

We are not discussing betrothals or wedding feasts.
We are discussing union with Jesus.
You sure go to great lengths to nullify the place that the repentant have been granted.
Those that have truly turned from sin are in union with Jesus and His Father.
As you don't believe we can truly repent of sin, you fight against the privileges and honors associated with it.

 

[Hopeful 2]

You know, this thread's original purpose is to ask WHY celibacy is supposedly a gift, even though I would very likely suffer alone and die alone.

Celibacy is a gift because it insures you will never grieve the loss of a wife or child.
I thank God for this gift every day.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

Celibacy is a gift because it insures you will never grieve the loss of a wife or child.
I thank God for this gift every day.

i used to think so, but now I begin to doubt this. As long as we’re commanded to love the Lord as well as to love our neighbor, we need both vertical relationship with God and horizontal relationship with other people. There is no solo Christianity.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

That wasn't a question.
It was the way to live celibately.

You know, sex is supposed to be sacred, not filthy. Adam's original sin was not that he had sex with Eve, quite the opposite, it was that he pursued forbidden knowledge INSTEAD of having sex with Eve and procreate - as he was told to.

God cut off the Israelites a number of times.

He did not terminate his covenant with his people.

Your reply shows me you are not following your own trail.

Christ died for our sins, and we ought to die to our sins and have our old selves crucified DAILY, which you don't seem to believe.

We are not discussing betrothals or wedding feasts.
We are discussing union with Jesus.

But betrothal and wedding feasts are essential steps in union with Jesus. Church as the bride is betrothed and wedded to Christ first, He wouldn't have taught two wedding parables and made other wedding analogies if it were a non sequitur.

 

[Hopeful 2]

i used to think so, but now I begin to doubt this. As long as we’re commanded to love the Lord as well as to love our neighbor, we need both vertical relationship with God and horizontal relationship with other people. There is no solo Christianity.

That may be true, but there is celibate Christianity.

 

[Hopeful 2]

You know, sex is supposed to be sacred, not filthy. Adam's original sin was not that he had sex with Eve, quite the opposite, it was that he pursued forbidden knowledge INSTEAD of having sex with Eve and procreate - as he was told to.

You are imagining things.
Where is it written that Adam and Eve ate the fruit instead of mating ?

He did not terminate his covenant with his people.

Covenants and contracts necessitate the participation of two parties..
When the Israelites left God, He left them.

Christ died for our sins, and we ought to die to our sins and have our old selves crucified DAILY, which you don't seem to believe.

The only people saying they "die daily", are those who have never died with Christ at their water baptism into Him and into His death and burial.
Do it actually once, and you won't need to do it again.

But betrothal and wedding feasts are essential steps in union with Jesus. Church as the bride is betrothed and wedded to Christ first, He wouldn't have taught two wedding parables and made other wedding analogies if it were a non sequitur.

It only mattered in the times, and to the people to whom Jesus was speaking.
Today, union with Christ only requires a real, permanent, turn from sin, and water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins.
Do those things, and one will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
How much more of a union with Jesus can one have than that ?

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

That may be true, but there is celibate Christianity.

Look, man, I've already accepted celibacy as my fate whether I like it or not, I'm just afraid that I'd never have the chance to experience the vertical relationship with Christ THROUGH a horizontal relationship with another person. After all, we ought to "come and taste", not just listen and read.

 

[Carry_Your_Name]

You are imagining things.
Where is it written that Adam and Eve ate the fruit instead of mating ?

Gen. 4:1, "Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord". Why didn't they do this while they were in the garden of Eden? Nowhere in Gen. 2-3 mentioned that Adam went into his wife.

Covenants and contracts necessitate the participation of two parties..
When the Israelites left God, He left them.

No, God never left His people. You have no faith in God's faithfulness. Your mind is polluted with replacement theology.

The only people saying they "die daily", are those who have never died with Christ at their water baptism into Him and into His death and burial.
Do it actually once, and you won't need to do it again.

So Paul who wrote this had never died with Christ, according to you?

It only mattered in the times, and to the people to whom Jesus was speaking.
Today, union with Christ only requires a real, permanent, turn from sin, and water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins.
Do those things, and one will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
How much more of a union with Jesus can one have than that ?

Friend, as long as we still lack the white as snow wedding garment of righteousness, as long as we still lack the oil in our lamps, those parables matter to us as much as they mattered to the people to whom Jesus was speaking. Don't deceive yourself with your sin of pride.