7 reasons why being unmarried doesn’t make you less faithful Christian

So, you’re a Christian, not married legally, and you’re wondering if this makes you any less faithful in God’s eyes.

Well, rest assured, your legal marital status doesn’t define your faith or commitment to Christianity.

Often, society equates marital status with religious devotion, but the two are not mutually exclusive.

Just because you’re not in a legal marriage doesn’t mean that you’re less of a Christian. Your faithfulness is measured by your relationship with God and not by your marital status.

As a Christian who is unmarried, I can assure you that your relationship with God can be just as profound, if not more so.

In this article, we’ll 7 reasons why not being in a legal marriage doesn’t make you any less of a faithful Christian.

1. Faith is personal and individualistic

Christianity is a deeply personal journey, where your relationship with God is individualistic and unique.

It’s centered around your faith, devotion, and adherence to Christian principles.

These core aspects of Christianity hold true whether you’re legally married or not.

God’s love for you is unconditional, not contingent on your marital status. He values your heart, your faith, and how you live out His teachings in your daily life.

In the Bible, Paul highlights the value of singleness in 1 Corinthians 7:8, stating

“To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.”

Clearly, Paul’s teachings emphasize that being single doesn’t diminish your faithfulness or your relationship with God.

This reinforces the idea that faith is a deeply personal journey between you and God, not dictated by societal norms or legal formalities.

In essence, your faithfulness as a Christian is determined by your relationship with God and not by your marital status.

2. Marriage is a societal institution, not a measure of faith

It’s crucial to differentiate between the societal institution of marriage and God’s expectations of us as Christians.

Legal marriage, as we understand it today, is largely a societal construct.

It is a legal contract between two people, enforced by the laws of the land.

In contrast, the Bible doesn’t set legal marriage as a standard for being a faithful Christian. In fact, it teaches us about various forms of love and relationships, not just marital ones.

Consider Jesus Christ himself.

He was single, and yet, He is the epitome of faithfulness and devotion to God.

Moreover, in 1 Corinthians 7:32-34, Paul advises that being unmarried allows one to be more focused on serving God.

“An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs – how he can please the Lord.”

Therefore, it becomes evident that being in a legal marriage isn’t a prerequisite for being a faithful Christian.

3. God’s love is unconditional

Understanding God’s love is crucial in understanding faithfulness in Christianity.

God’s love, as we know, is unconditional.

It doesn’t hinge on our marital status, our achievements, or our failures.

Instead, His love for us is constant and unwavering. This is emphasized throughout the Bible, including in Romans 8:38-39, where Paul states that nothing can separate us from the love of God.

This means that whether we’re single or married, rich or poor, flawed or seemingly perfect – God loves us just the same. His love is about who we are, not about our life circumstances.

So, when we speak about being faithful Christians, we’re talking about reciprocating this unconditional love by living a life by His teachings.

We’re talking about striving to exemplify Christ-like qualities in all aspects of our lives.

Clearly, being a faithful Christian is about your relationship with God and living by His teachings. And your marital status doesn’t change this!

4. Serving God’s purpose is paramount

As a Christina, I’m sure you have thought about what really matters in our journey as Christians?

According to the Bible, our primary purpose as Christians is to serve God and fulfill His purpose for our lives.

This fundamental truth remains the same regardless of our marital status.

In Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus states that the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself.

Nowhere in these commandments does it mandate a legal marriage as a prerequisite for fulfilling them.

In fact, being single can sometimes allow more freedom in serving God’s purpose. Without the responsibilities and commitments that come with marriage, one might have more time and energy to devote to God’s work.

So, fulfilling God’s purpose for your life, loving Him wholeheartedly, and loving others are the true measures of being a faithful Christian.

Insight: Paul, who contributed significantly to the New Testament, was single and used his singleness to dedicate his life fully to serving God.

5. The Bible promotes both singleness and marriage

The Bible, in its profound wisdom, acknowledges the unique benefits of both singleness and marriage.

In fact, 1 Corinthians 7 is a notable chapter where Apostle Paul discusses the virtues of both states. He recognizes the value in both, without asserting one as superior to the other.

• In verses 7-8, Paul states, “I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am.”
• However, in verse 9, he acknowledges that if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. “But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.”

What’s more, as I mentioned, Jesus Christ himself was single.

He served God’s purpose wholeheartedly, and His life stands as a testament to the fact that marital status does not limit our capacity to live a faithful Christian life.

Simply put, while the Bible does promote the sanctity of marriage, it equally values singleness.

This strongly indicates that not being in a legal marriage doesn’t make you any less of a faithful Christian.

6. God’s judgment is not based on marital status

Let’s be clear: God doesn’t judge us based on our marital status. He looks at our hearts and our actions.

The Bible emphasizes throughout that God is interested in our character and how we treat others.

In 1 Samuel 16:7, it says:

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'”

So, it’s not about whether you’re single or married. It’s about how you live your life as a Christian. It’s about your love for God, your obedience to His commands, and your love for others.

Whether you are legally married or not doesn’t change God’s love for you or His desire for you to love and serve Him faithfully.

7. Your relationship with God is paramount

Imagine you’re standing before God.

Do you think He’ll ask about your legal marital status or about your relationship with Him?

Our relationship with God is the most essential aspect of our Christian journey. It’s about our faith, our prayers, our understanding of His Word, and how we seek to live out His teachings in our daily lives.

The Bible consistently emphasizes the importance of this personal relationship with God over any earthly institution, including legal marriage.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus instructs us to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” above all else. This instruction applies to everyone, whether single or married.

In other words, what truly matters in your Christian journey is your faith in God and your commitment to living according to His Word.

Let’s remember that not being in a legal marriage doesn’t alter your ability to have a meaningful and deep relationship with God.

In fact, it may even provide more opportunities for you to focus entirely on strengthening your relationship with Him.

Living faithfully as an unmarried Christian

From our exploration, it’s clear that being a faithful Christian transcends our legal marital status.

What God truly values is your heart, your relationship with Him, and how you live out His teachings.

• Focus on building and deepening your personal relationship with God.
• Strive to live by His teachings and commands every day.
• Seek to serve and love others as Christ loved us.

These are the aspects that truly define our faithfulness as Christians. Your marital status, legally married or not, doesn’t change this fundamental truth.

In the grand scheme of things, your relationship with God is what matters most. So, let’s focus on nurturing that relationship and living a life that glorifies Him.