Deuteronomy 22:28–29 Why don't Church singles group encourage singles to get married?

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oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
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#81
So you think, if single person just thinks about sex they have sinned? If so, if just thinking about sex is a sin, you might as well go out and have sex, as a single person. By the way, two unmarried people having sex is not adultery. Jesus was speaking about a married person.
Matthew 5:28
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Differentiation between physical adultery and fornication is irrelevant for this context.
 

JohnB

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Jul 31, 2022
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#82
If you're happy being singles, GOD bless you, he GAVE you that ability. Don't try to force your opinion on those who don't have that.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
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#83
you completely ignored what Jesus said about being able to accept it.
You are capable of accepting God's will for your life. Just trust me on this. You seem to have confusions about which things you want and which things you need. Continuing to moan and groan is an option, but it makes for a low quality of life overall.
 

JohnB

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#84
Matthew 5:28
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Differentiation between physical adultery and fornication is irrelevant for this context.
While coveting your neighbor's wife may involve sexual desire, it is unlikely that coveting a neighbor's house or field is sexual in nature. And in most New Testament uses, the word ἐπιθυμέω does not have a clear sexual connotation, e.g.

  1. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matthew 13:17, ESV)
  2. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. (Luke 22:15, ESV)
  3. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. (Acts 20:33, ESV)
  4. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:16, ESV)
All of these verses involve strong desire or longing, but not sexual desire.

The word translated as woman is gyne, which can mean either woman or wife. Some scholars believe that Jesus is only talking about lusting after another's wife, not the attraction of a man to a woman in general.[3] Nolland notes that sexual desire is not condemned in Matthew or in the contemporary literature, only misdirected
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
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#85
If you're happy being singles, GOD bless you, he GAVE you that ability. Don't try to force your opinion on those who don't have that.
I will pray that God give you the ability to possess your vessel.

1 Thessalonians 4:4
“That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;”

>
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
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#86
It's normal to think about sex; God gave us a sex drive. However, the normal sex drive can become perverted into uncontrollable lust.

It's fairly easy to control the normal sex drive, but lust is another story. If it's a normal sex drive, a thought may enter your mind and you say, eh, another sex thought, then you think about something else. But lust can control and overtake a person and ruin their life.

Sexual desire can become perverted in others ways, like if it becomes enmeshed with control and domination. The need to control and dominate can express itself through sexual activity.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
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#87
it is unlikely that coveting a neighbor's house or field is sexual in nature.
:rolleyes: Rather unlikely indeed, butcha' neva know. :confused:

And in most New Testament uses, the word ἐπιθυμέω does not have a clear sexual connotation,
Well then, we are obviously talking about the places where it does.

  1. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matthew 13:17, ESV)
  2. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. (Luke 22:15, ESV)
  3. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. (Acts 20:33, ESV)
  4. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. (Luke 15:16, ESV)
All of these verses involve strong desire or longing, but not sexual desire.
It is noteworthy that the translators of our English Bible have not used the English word "lust" in any of these references.

Nolland notes that sexual desire is not condemned in Matthew or in the contemporary literature, only misdirected
Perhaps Nolland should note that lust is condemned.

Sexual desire is normal. We all agree on this. That is why it takes effort, and we need to strive to be holy.

1 Corinthians 10:13
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

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JohnB

Well-known member
Jul 31, 2022
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#88
:rolleyes: Rather unlikely indeed, butcha' neva know. :confused:



Well then, we are obviously talking about the places where it does.



It is noteworthy that the translators of our English Bible have not used the English word "lust" in any of these references.

Because english is a very limited language. In all those cases the same Greek word is used. People assume any kind of "Lust" is s sin. Clearly it is not.



Perhaps Nolland should note that lust is condemned.

Sexual desire is normal. We all agree on this. That is why it takes effort, and we need to strive to be holy.

Paul said it is better to marry than to burn. The church has it all wrong.

1 Corinthians 10:13
“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

>
 

JohnB

Well-known member
Jul 31, 2022
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#89
It's normal to think about sex; God gave us a sex drive. However, the normal sex drive can become perverted into uncontrollable lust.

It's fairly easy to control the normal sex drive, but lust is another story. If it's a normal sex drive, a thought may enter your mind and you say, eh, another sex thought, then you think about something else. But lust can control and overtake a person and ruin their life.

Sexual desire can become perverted in others ways, like if it becomes enmeshed with control and domination. The need to control and dominate can express itself through sexual activity.

The verse is about adultery not fornication. They are different. One was punishable by death, the other wasn't. One concerns a married person the other, does not.
 

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
Apr 21, 2021
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#90
The verse is about adultery not fornication. They are different. One was punishable by death, the other wasn't. One concerns a married person the other, does not.
Sorry, but I haven't been following this conversation so I don't know to which verse you refer. I was just sharing some thoughts.
 

JohnB

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#91
I have a question for those of you who have been married more than once. When you talk to a pastor about getting married again, do they tell you you're committing adultery? I've never been married, so I would like to know.
 

JohnB

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Jul 31, 2022
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#93
Also, if a single (never married) wants to marry a divorced person, do you warn them it's adultery? Seems the church comes down very hard on the single person and sex yet ignores someone who has been divorced.
 

JohnB

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Jul 31, 2022
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#94
When a divorced Christian goes to a church to get married again, do they tell that person they are committing adultery? Do they tell Christians who have never married, not to marry someone who is divorced? I've never been married, so how is it handled?
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
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#95
One was punishable by death, the other wasn't. One concerns a married person the other, does not.
Both are punishable by eternal damnation if they are not repented of.


Matthew 10:28

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

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oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
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#96
I have a question for those of you who have been married more than once. When you talk to a pastor about getting married again, do they tell you you're committing adultery? I've never been married, so I would like to know.
It is always acceptable if the previous spouse has passed on.
 

JohnB

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#97
It is always acceptable if the previous spouse has passed on.
I know some divorced Christians whose spouses have not passed on. The church accepts it.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
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#98
Also, if a single (never married) wants to marry a divorced person, do you warn them it's adultery? Seems the church comes down very hard on the single person and sex yet ignores someone who has been divorced.
I'm not sure what you are referring to when you say "the church". The True Church is based upon the Bible and we need look no farther than it. The Bible comes down hard on all sin because the root cause is the same.

A true child of God is more interested in pleasing his Master than wondering about how much extramarital touchy-feely they can get away with.

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oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
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When a divorced Christian goes to a church to get married again, do they tell that person they are committing adultery? Do they tell Christians who have never married, not to marry someone who is divorced?
In my church they do.