Bible Reading: Genesis 19; Nehemiah 9; Matthew 19; Acts 19
Matthew 19:11-12 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 12 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.
Jesus told his disciples this after he had taught them concerning marriage. After the disciples heard him they commented:
Matthew 19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
Jesus here teaches us who is able to receive the saying that it is good not to marry. In other words, it is NOT GOOD for the man to be alone, unless he is able to receive this teaching.
The Lord Jesus tells us there are three types of men who can receive the saying that it is not good to marry.
- Some men were born eunuchs from their mother's womb. In other words, they naturally are able to live a celibate life and not 'burn'. The apostle Paul here helps us with this.
1 Corinthians 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
1 Corinthians 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
Paul apparently was born this way. He was able to contain his sexual appetites and not burn with passion. Notice that Paul says this is a gift from God.
- Jesus says some eunuchs were made that way by men. The cruel world that these men lived in was one in which kings would make some men eunuchs. In this case, these are not excluded from kingdom service. Remember the Ethiopian eunuch that Philip led to Christ in Acts 8?
- There are some who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. Here is a person who willingly chooses to remain single in order to serve Christ. There are responsibilities in a marriage that a single person is free from.
1 Corinthians 7:32-33 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.
A single person is able to serve the Lord in a unique way. An example here might be for the purpose of taking the gospel into a place that a family could not go.
These are all instances in which a person may want to remain single and be within the will of God.
In Christ,
Rody
