The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-12, titled "Questions and Answers--Part 40."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE. Copyright 2001 by John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

Answer

Well, that’s a good question: what do you need to confirm to you that you have the gift of celibacy? I’m sure there are many people who are wondering about that question and that’s a pretty subjective thing, but I would say this, basically--by the way, I did a series of tapes on I Corinthians 7 on the gift of singleness; you might want to get those out of the Book Shack [Grace Community Church's Book Store] . Have you listened to those? Then go over there and tell them to put them on my account and pick them up, Ok, so that you can listen to them because they’ll give you a more detailed answer.

But I believe this: I believe the gift of celibacy equals being totally content to be single. Ok? Totally content, totally fulfilled, and furthermore, for the purpose of spiritual ministry. The gift of celibacy is not something that comes upon you by default. “Well, I’ve tried 13 of them and they all said no. I must have the gift.” No, that’s not the gift. That’s not the gift. The gift of celibacy is complete contentment to be single for the purpose of ministry because you are drawn to a ministry.

Now, at some point in time, that celibacy might be tested. You might say, “Well, I wonder if I”--you know who usually tries to test your gift of celibacy? Your mother. Your mother. By the time you’re 30 and you’re not married, she’s asking all kinds of silly questions. “Is something wrong with you? What’s wrong with you? You don’t like girls?”--you know how that whole conversation goes. The gift of celibacy is not a gift that operates independent of a life committed to ministry. Now, it might not be professional ministry, but there’s just a freedom and a liberty to totally serve God with that gift. That’s what that gift is for.

Now, celibacy itself is something else. I mean, a person may be celibate simply because God wanted them to be, because maybe they missed the perfect purpose of God and, you know, their life wasn’t what it ought to be, and since they weren’t the right guy, the right girl didn’t know that: know that they were the guy. There’s a lot of factors that could leave you single that would be different than the gift of celibacy. That’s a unique facility whereby God provides you with singleness for the specific purpose of ministry.

Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "MacArthur’s Questions and Answers" by:

Tony Capoccia
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