Page 70 - No Apologies

devotion. The apostles also testify that it continues to be acceptable in God’s eyes for a man
or woman to choose service to Christ over marriage and family life.

I Corinthians 7:29-35
But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have
wives should be as though they had none, those who weep as though they did not
weep, those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, those who buy as though they
did not possess, and those who use this world as not misusing it. For the form of this
world is passing away. But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares
for the things of the Lord - how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares
about the things of the world - how he may please his wife. There is a difference
between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things
of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she
who is married cares about the things of the world - how she may
please her husband. And this I say for your own profit, not that I may
put a leash on you, but for what is proper, and that you may serve the
Lord without distraction.

Paul is not endorsing the single life in order to seek things for self. He advocates the
single life for the purpose of procuring an undistracted devotion to the Lord. The woman
who chooses a life other than being a homemaker to pursue selfish pleasure stands
condemned. The life of the woman who is single by choice in order to serve God lives
according to the same principle set forth for the godly widow.

I Timothy 5:5-6
Now she who is really a widow, and left alone, trusts in God and continues in
supplications and prayers night and day. But she who lives in pleasure is dead while
she lives.

The woman who would be approved by God must live for His pleasure, not her own.
She must seek His will, and adopt a servant’s attitude, ministering wherever, and however,
Christ directs. If she is using her time, her resources, and her liberty for the pursuit of
personal pleasure, then she has fallen away from the path of life. She is dead (spiritually)
even while she lives.
Some of the women who accompanied Christ were single, and some were married.
What then of the married woman? The married woman is subject to her husband. Although
she has Christ as Lord, she also has her husband as head. This governmental order was
established by Yahweh and He will not violate it. The married woman must honor and obey
her husband. If he gives her leave to devote herself to the ministry of Christ then she is free.
However, if he desires her to abide at home, and perform the duties of a homemaker, she
must consider herself under authority of her husband.
We find that God does not violate authority where it legitimately exists. There are
times when Christians and some in the world deny the legitimacy of certain authority
relations, like that between a husband and wife, or between a master and slave. The Bible
does not set aside such relationships, but advocates honoring authority where it exists.
God’s instructions to slaves was that they honor their masters. He did not declare their
service null and void because they became Christians, not even if they had Christians