I have heard it expressed before by a past preacher in a church of Christ that he did not consider single women to be mature in Christ.\u00a0 The implication being that all women must marry if they are to obtain maturity spiritually.\u00a0 This perplexes me and I find myself coming back to his statement again and again.\u00a0 It seems to be in conflict with I Corinthians 7:34, that an “unmarried woman” (woman, not child, or girl) cares for the things of the Lord rather than a husband, and it appears to conflict with the teachings that all Christians continue to mature in faith if they remain in the Word throughout their lives.<\/p>\n
Paul uses the word “virgin” in I Corinthians 7:34.\u00a0 How then should a woman who is not a virgin in the physical sense, though never married, having been called out of the worldly life she was once leading and having given up the sexual immorality, consider herself?\u00a0 I firmly understand and believe that Christians are “new creatures in Christ,” and that the old sins are washed away when baptized for the remission of sins.\u00a0 Do we not then become virgins again in a spiritual sense, though not having that physical virginity restored?\u00a0 Is a woman in such a case wrong to choose not to seek a spouse but to remain just as she is?\u00a0 Can she truly mature in Christ without becoming a wife?\u00a0 I believe the scriptures teach that she can.\u00a0 I can find no supporting scripture that says an unmarried woman cannot mature in faith and that a married woman, by virtue of her marriage, obtains some greater level of maturity.<\/p>\n
Your insights would be welcome.\u00a0 Thank you.<\/p>\n\t
If it were true for a woman that only in marriage can she become spiritually mature, then it would also be true for men. This would mean that this man was unintentionally claiming Paul and Jesus were not spiritually mature.<\/p>\n
Paul stated, “But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am<\/em>” (I Corinthians 7:8). Yet, if a person cannot mature without marriage, then it would not be good for them to remain single.<\/p>\n Marriage isn’t for everyone. Seeking change because others are pressuring you to change isn’t the right motivation. “But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches. … Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be loosed. Are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But even if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Nevertheless such will have trouble in the flesh, but I would spare you<\/em>” (I Corinthians 7:17, 27-28). Marriage is one of those areas where God has given us a choice as to whether we participate or not.<\/p>\n I wouldn’t let this man’s opinions bother you.<\/p>\n\t Thank you for your words and the scripture references. I did not think it a correct position with respect to the Bible’s teachings. I’m not sure why it kept coming back to mind, but I needed some clarification.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: I have heard it expressed before by a past preacher in a church of Christ that he did not consider single women to be mature in Christ.\u00a0 The implication being that all women must marry if they are to obtain maturity spiritually.\u00a0 This perplexes me and I find myself coming back to his statement…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[64,79],"class_list":["post-24644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-marriage","tag-women"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7889,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/silent-in-the-churches\/","url_meta":{"origin":24644,"position":0},"title":"Silent in the Churches","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 20, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: I Corinthians 14:34-37 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Interest has risen in the subject of women speaking during Bible classes and in the assembly. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I would like for us to delve into this topic in detail, but first I would like to commend the women here. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Recently, some of the women here became\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":93630,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-role-of-women-in-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":24644,"position":1},"title":"The Role of Women in the Church","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Mike Johnson via Seeking Things Above The role of women in society has changed dramatically in recent years.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Some changes have been good, but many have not.\u00a0 Societal changes eventually filter into the church.\u00a0 Renewed discussion is occurring on this issue, and some are contending for an expanded role\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":24756,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/are-women-less-than-men\/","url_meta":{"origin":24644,"position":2},"title":"Are women less than men?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Are women less than men? Because the Bible says it's disgraceful for a woman to talk in the church. Seems like she's something dirty. Answer: I wonder about the question because I don't believe you think your mother or any other woman is inferior. It leaves me with the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58088,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/maturity-and-marriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":24644,"position":3},"title":"Maturity and Marriage","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 19, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Bill Walton When we talk about \"maturity\" there are different ways in which people can be mature and different ways in which they can be immature.\u00a0 It is possible for a physical giant to be an emotional dwarf.\u00a0 It is possible for a grown man to be as immature\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/01\/MatureLove.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":32547,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-a-woman-do-the-bookkeeping-and-generate-financial-reports-for-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":24644,"position":4},"title":"Can a woman do the bookkeeping and generate financial reports for the church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Sir: I am writing to you because I need an answer from a mature Christian. I have in the past read a great deal of the articles your congregation has posted online. I have also used several of them in our bulletins. We are a fairly new congregation.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33318,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-virgin-really-the-best-translation-in-isaiah-714\/","url_meta":{"origin":24644,"position":5},"title":"Is “virgin” really the best translation in Isaiah 7:14?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 20, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In your article,\u00a0you said that the RSV mistranslated Isaiah 7:14 by changing \"virgin\" to \"young woman.\" My Baptist College and Career group visited our city synagogue and the rabbi told us that the Hebrew word in Isaiah 7:14 meant and is translated as a young maiden and not virgin.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24644"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24644\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Response:<\/h2>\n