1 Corinthians 7:21-35 (New International Version)
21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

I. The completeness of singleness (vv. 21-24)
• God gives spiritual gifts that are

but are needed for our sanctification.
• Singleness and marriage are

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seasonal.
• Singles do not sell out to a system of sexuality that

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you.
• Singles in the Church expose the cultural idol of “

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defines us” as untrue.
• Singleness is when we do our part to protect and promote the arc of the Gospel in regards to the source of

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and

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.
II. The message of singleness (vv. 25-31)
• There are no commands in the Bible for

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or

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for dating or engagement.
• Engaged singles need to understand that

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is not synonymous to lust and should be talked about with your fiance.
• Singles remind the Church that

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is not the highest expression of love – Agape is. (Jn. 15:13)
• Singles remind the Church our truest and most lasting relationship is that of a

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.
• The mission of love is choosing to be the

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, not finding the right person.
III. The challenges and blessings of singleness (vv. 32-35)
• Christ-centered living results in accepting

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responsibility.
• Singleness allows for ministry service that married people find

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excuses for.
• Singleness reminds the Church that being alone is not synonymous with

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.
• Those who treat singleness as a gift demonstrate the blessing of

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.
• Be

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you are looking for which is the law of love. (Mt. 7:12)
• Non-virginal singles are not “

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“ because integrity, not purity, is the goal of the Gospel.