How Jesus Redeems Singleness

I am single, and a follower of Jesus. I can easily feel like that means I am playing the second fiddle, not fully initiate or functionally important until I get myself a family. This seems to be part of the conservative, evangelical air that surrounds me. Barry Danylak tells a different story in Redeeming Singleness. He shows how the Biblical narrative affirms both the married life and the single life—in contrast to Judaism, Islam, and Mormonism.

Redeeming Singleness traces a Biblical theology of singleness and marriage through the Bible. Danylak starts with Genesis and God's covenant to Abraham. He shows how, for the people of Israel, marrying and having children was directly connected with receiving the blessing of the Sinai covenant. Alternatively, singleness, and leaving no heir, was a sign of divine disapproval. 

Next, Redeeming Singleness looks at the message of the prophets, and then the redemptive message of the New Testament. Whereas the blessings of the old covenant passed through children and land, all the blessings of the new covenant come through Jesus. Through Christ we are brought into a new family, receive an imperishable inheritance, and join Jesus in making spiritual children.

While marriage still remains God's blessing for most Christians, God does call some Christians to a different path. While marriage ought to show the communion, intimacy, and commitment God has for his church, Christian singleness should show the surpassing sufficiency of Christ, and the fulfillment of all of God's promises through him. It's no lesser call. 

Several points I took away from Redeeming Singleness:

• God will bless his people by his mighty hand, and he will get the glory for it. 
• All the blessings of the covenant are now through Jesus Christ.
• Singleness is neither second class Christianity nor a calling for all serious disciples. It is a spiritual gift God gives to some of his children. 
• Marriage shouldn't be the default position for every Christian, but we should wrestle with the calling to be eunuchs for the Kingdom. 

I thoroughly recommend Redeeming Singleness to anyone. It is thorough, well researched, and scholarly, without being overbearing and dry. Barry Danylak writes well and has an eye for the practical. Reading this not only gave me a clearer grasp on the Bible's position on singleness and marriage, but, by tracing out a thematic element of the Bible, it helped me see how the Bible fits together.