- Jan 27, 2021
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Young people are discouraged from getting married but this is worldliness.
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7 discusses marriage in these terms:
But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
If the woman is old enough, let the man go ahead and marry her!
My opinion is that we over complicate this for worldly reasons.
1. They need education/finances in order first!
Can we talk? The standard for living in the U.S is super high. There is nothing wrong with young couples going ahead and getting married because, though they may start out relatively poor, they don't necessarily stay that way.
I would argue that marriage can provide a stable backdrop for both college education and a career.
2. They need time to be immature/sow their wild oats!
The Bible tells us to conduct ourselves with self-control. In fact, just a few generations ago, young marriages around the ages of 17 and 18 were the norm. Why do we have such low expectations of late teenagers and even people in their twenties now? Standards have lowered and its not good.
3. The flavors.
"We need to test if we're sexually compatible!"
"How could I possibly know what I want without a string of unsuccessful relationships???"
4. The high divorce rate.
Look, back in the day, people got married younger and divorced less often. Could it be that having less relational baggage correlates to having more successful marriages? I think so.
Here are some reasons why marriage shouldn't always be put off.
1. You want to behave Holy.
Paul said it is better to marry than to burn with lust. When you're serious about someone, committment is what should follow.
2. Its unrealistic to expect the majority of people to abstain from sex until their thirties.
3. It causes maturation.
4. Fornication is a real problem.
Not everyone supported my marriage to my husband. He was 19. I was 20. My parents acted like I was throwing myself into marriage way too soon.
But I don't regret our actions because we were serious about each other and it was the right thing to do. Simple as that.
From there we were forced to grow up in a way that was often painful but now we look back fondly on because we are way better people now that we've gone through the sandpaper process of learning to deal with one another. God has blessed us and we are not as poor as when we started. But its okay to start out that way and even be that way for a while.
Im sure some will disagree: maybe someone who's waited for decades for the right person or someone who feels like they aren't ready to be married. Thats okay.
My point is that it shouldn't be abnormal for young couples to marry. Especially Christian ones. If a young person is thinking they're old enough for sex but too young for marriage, Id challenge that.
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7 discusses marriage in these terms:
But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.
If the woman is old enough, let the man go ahead and marry her!
My opinion is that we over complicate this for worldly reasons.
1. They need education/finances in order first!
Can we talk? The standard for living in the U.S is super high. There is nothing wrong with young couples going ahead and getting married because, though they may start out relatively poor, they don't necessarily stay that way.
I would argue that marriage can provide a stable backdrop for both college education and a career.
2. They need time to be immature/sow their wild oats!
The Bible tells us to conduct ourselves with self-control. In fact, just a few generations ago, young marriages around the ages of 17 and 18 were the norm. Why do we have such low expectations of late teenagers and even people in their twenties now? Standards have lowered and its not good.
3. The flavors.
"We need to test if we're sexually compatible!"
"How could I possibly know what I want without a string of unsuccessful relationships???"
4. The high divorce rate.
Look, back in the day, people got married younger and divorced less often. Could it be that having less relational baggage correlates to having more successful marriages? I think so.
Here are some reasons why marriage shouldn't always be put off.
1. You want to behave Holy.
Paul said it is better to marry than to burn with lust. When you're serious about someone, committment is what should follow.
2. Its unrealistic to expect the majority of people to abstain from sex until their thirties.
3. It causes maturation.
4. Fornication is a real problem.
Not everyone supported my marriage to my husband. He was 19. I was 20. My parents acted like I was throwing myself into marriage way too soon.
But I don't regret our actions because we were serious about each other and it was the right thing to do. Simple as that.
From there we were forced to grow up in a way that was often painful but now we look back fondly on because we are way better people now that we've gone through the sandpaper process of learning to deal with one another. God has blessed us and we are not as poor as when we started. But its okay to start out that way and even be that way for a while.
Im sure some will disagree: maybe someone who's waited for decades for the right person or someone who feels like they aren't ready to be married. Thats okay.
My point is that it shouldn't be abnormal for young couples to marry. Especially Christian ones. If a young person is thinking they're old enough for sex but too young for marriage, Id challenge that.
