Hi blessed loved one of God, I hope you’re fine by God’s grace.
Today’s post is going to be about celibacy.
1 Corinthians 7:9 NLT
Yes, it is good to live a celibate life
Last month, I told you about a conference I attended on Celibacy and preparation for marriage. It’s a conference which takes place once every month, and I attended this month again, yesterday.
Last time I attended the conference with the aim of learning more about marriage preparation, but this time around I went with the aim of learning more about celibacy. I’ll try to share with you what I’ve learned and understood.
Let’s first of all try to define what Paul meant by celibate life.
Living a Celibate life implies not only not getting married but also not having any romantic and/or sexual relationship with anyone as well as having no self-sexual gratification.
It may be a choice which you made for a period of time (for example while waiting to get married) or it may be a life choice which you made for God, to be a Celibate for your whole life in order to focus on serving Him through your celibacy.
1. Celibacy is For God’s Glory
1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Last time we said that marriage is not about us, but for God’s glory, and it’s actually the same thing for celibacy.
If you thought that living a celibate life would mean that you can do whatever you want and at whatever time, you were completely wrong.
Celibacy (just like marriage) is all about God. It’s all about giving glory to God.
You need to ask yourself, how can I give glory to God in my celibate life ?
- Consecrating my life to God every day : reading my Bible, adoring Him, worshiping Him
- Living a pure life in line with what is written in The Bible
- Serving God by volunteering in my local church
- Serving God by serving the poor, the orphans, the needy
- Bringing other people to Christ by preaching The Gospel
- Loving my neighbor as myself
- Growing in faith everyday
As you have noticed, all that has been listed is exactly the same thing that applies to married Christians. Which means that no status is superior to another, a Celibate for God isn’t superior to someone who gets married for God and vice versa because whatever your status whether married or celibate your role is to live in that status in a way which brings you closer to God and which gives glory to Him.
No matter your status, your life should be a testimony which brings others to Christ.
2. Celibacy is God’s Choice Not Mine
Lamentations 3: 37 NLT
Who can command things to happen without the Lord’s permission?
1 Kings 12:24 NLT
‘This is what the Lord says: …… for what has happened is my doing!’
God is Sovereign, He is The King of kings and The Lord of lords. He is The One who created you, and the decision to get married or remain a celibate is a decision which comes from God.
Matthew 19:12 NLT
Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.”
This text is often used to say that
- Some people are born with the gift of celibacy, that God has given it to them.
- There are also people who because of their profession have been obliged to remain celibate (eunuchs who had to guard the queen and the king’s wives and concubines undergone castration to prevent any sexual incident )
- There are people who decide to live a life of celibacy, they decide not to marry
I think the apostle Paul fell into two categories. He chose not to marry, inorder to serve God through celibacy, but we must also emphasize that he wouldn’t have been able to fulfill this calling if he didn’t have that ability.
It’s God, who gave Paul the gift of celibacy, such that Paul was able to choose to be a celibate all his life for God, and that Paul was able to stick to it.
Even if you made a decision to be a celibate for life, it is God who is Sovereign who made you take that decision, He is The One who inclined your heart towards celibacy and not towards marriage.
3. Discern God’s Will
Finally, choosing celibacy or marriage is a very important decision, you can’t take it alone.
You have to turn to God and ask Him
“God, what is your will for my life? what is your plan for my life?”
Have a conversation with God about it.
Of course it’s God’s will that you will serve Him all your life, but the question is, will He have you serve Him as a spouse or as a celibate?
Finally, I grew up thinking that those who decide to be celibates for life in order to give glory to Him were the best Christians ever. I thought that celibacy was a higher state of glory, and that those who chose it were superior spiritually, and were the ones who were really ready to serve God and sacrifice for Him.
But, at the conference, I learned that there are people who think that it’s actually marriage which is a higher state of glory and service to God.
What I learned was, actually both celibacy and marriage should involve sacrificing for God, and serving Him right where you are, that’s exactly why neither celibacy nor marriage is superior.
What really matters is
- Go for God’s choice for you
- Give glory to God no matter your status
- Be fulfilled in God right where you are
Prayer
Father Lord God Almighty, thank You so much for loving me and for having a plan for my life. Lord, please I need Your Help to know Your plan for my life. I choose to open my heart to listen to You, and whatever the case I choose to give glory to You no matter my status, and to be fulfilled in You. Help me not envy others who have a different status, nor feel superior to them. Help me be a testimony which brings people to Christ, in Jesus Christ’s Name I pray. Amen
Thank you so much for reading
Please tell us in the comments section what you think about celibacy and marriage
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Here is an invitation to the next conference in Yaounde, Douala, and as you’ll see on the invitation, other regions in Cameroon. The next event in Yaounde is on the 17th February 2018, at the Mvog-Ada Centrer of Tyrannus Institute, for the other dates and locations, please refer to the invitation.
God bless you
Victoria Eyog
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