“But this I say by way of concession, not of command. Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that.”

This passage poses a number of interpretive challenges. First, if Paul is asserting that singleness is better than being married, would that not go against God’s original intention in creating male and female in His image and calling it “very good” (Gen. 1:26, 31)? Would it not also diminish the significance of marriage portraying Christ and the church (Eph. 5:31–32)? It is possible that Paul may have at one time been married, having been a Pharisee and advancing possibly toward being in the Sanhedrin in his former life (Phil. 3:5, Gal. 1:14)—but at present he was not married, possibly being a widower. Other apostles, it seems, were married (see 1 Cor. 9:5).

Paul does not say that singleness is better, but that it is his preference that he recommends. However, no Scripture should be lifted out of its context and interpreted without investigating how it is expanded and clarified. Often Paul lays down a principle and then follows it up with an explanation along with caveats and limitations. That is what he is doing here. We shall soon see why he recommends singleness. There are other challenges we must consider first.

If all Scripture is inspired, then what do we make of Paul’s “wish?” Since it is written in this inspired epistle, does his wish automatically become an inspired command? Yet, he explicitly says it is not a command. Further, he seems to distinguish between some of his statements as being from the Lord or not being from the Lord (1 Cor. 7:10–12). So is it possible that he is telling us which parts of his writings are inspired and which are not? This conundrum has stymied students of the Word for ages, especially younger believers for whom finding a life partner in marriage is a very big part of their life experience.

First, we do affirm that all Scripture is inspired, including Paul’s writings (2 Tim. 3:16). Second, we acknowledge, along with Peter, that some of Paul’s writings are difficult to understand (2 Pet. 3:15–16). Third, we can be assured what we are reading is truly what Paul wrote, that is, it is authentic to the apostle. Fourth, when taking this at face value, Paul is conveying a desire, but not conveying a command, as he does elsewhere (e.g. 1 Cor. 5:4–5). Fifth, the apostle allows that his desire for others to be single is limited by their individual gifting. In other words, the desire to be single is a gift. Therefore, he refrains from commanding that which can only come by gifting. He will soon explain why he has that desire and gives instructions to those who do not have it.

Lord, thank You for the multilayered instructions about sexuality in Your Word.