“Singleness”

Recommended Reading for Single Women: Your Half of the Apple

0:02 Finally, I felt it would be helpful to give a brief bibliography for those who wish to do some reading in this vital area of practical Christian concern. There is an excellent book for single women called Your Half of the Apple by Jeanne Andrews, published by Zondervan. The foreword to this book is written by Dr. Francis Schaeffer, and one of the most helpful things about this book is that Ms. Andrews writes from the perspective of having been single beyond the normal marriageable age, and then having had the joy of being a wife for a period of time, and now writes from the perspective of one who has been widowed. She speaks very bluntly and frankly and yet most perceptively to the peculiar problems of single Christian women, and this book is highly recommended. And then a second book, J. Adams' Christian Living in the Middle East, is written by Dr. Francis Schaeffer, and one of the most helpful things about this book is that Ms. Andrews'

Further Resources on Singleness, Marriage, and Creation Ordinances

0:57 Christian Living in the Middle East, published by Presbyterian and Reformed, a publishing house in Nutley, New Jersey, has an excellent chapter on the matter of singleness, and although there is much helpful material in the whole book that will give a single person some biblical perspectives on what is really involved in marriage in a biblical and realistic perspective, this chapter written especially for singles will be helpful. And then in the excellent book in the general theme of Christian ethics by Professor John Murray called Principles of Christian Conduct, published by Erdmann's, there is a most helpful section on the subject of creation ordinances. And within the framework of what Professor Murray calls the creation ordinances is a most helpful treatment of the subject of marriage, showing the place of marriage in the creation framework, and thus laying a very solid biblical and theological perspective for one's marriage. And then there is an excellent InterVarsity Press publication called Living and Loving by A. N. Triton, T-R-I-T-O-N, in which Mr. Triton seeks to set forth the general principles of the Word of God relative to

Essential Reading on Christian Marriage and Infatuation

2:17 human sexuality, to Christian perspectives on dating and marriage. And then perhaps what is the most helpful book on the general subject of Christian ethics, which is called Living and Loving by A. N. Triton, T-R-I-T-O-N, in which Mr. Triton seeks to set forth the general principles of the Word of God relative to Christian marriage, one that I constantly recommend for all the couples that I'm privileged to have premarital counseling with. The name of the book is Designed for Christian Marriage by Dwight Harvey Small and published by Ravel. Again, the general treatment in the first three chapters of this book on the subject of marriage and its biblical perspectives is excellent. And chapter six, dealing with the subject of infatuation, fact or fiction, is perhaps the finest thing I've ever read on this whole matter of distinguishing between the nature of true biblical love and this thing called infatuation. For any who think they may be, quote,

Concluding Recommendations and Pastoral Purpose

3:12 falling in love, this chapter is a must. And then finally, there is a book called Love is a Feeling to be Learned by Walter Trubisch, also published by InterVarsity Press. Of course, in recommending these books, this recommendation is not to be construed as a blanket of approval of everything that is included in the books, since no human author can receive such a complete recommendation. However, it is hoped that these books would be useful for general background reading in this vital area of biblical concern, but particularly if the tapes are used in a class situation or a study situation, these books and the sections that I've written on the subject of marriage and its biblical relationship would be most helpful for background reading so that those involved in the class study could bring a broader perspective to the discussion periods. This series of messages is sent forth with the prayer that single Christians will gain new insights concerning this matter of their singleness and also that those who are not single but are married will be able to have a more sensitive relationship with God. And I hope that this series of messages will be useful for you in your relationship to those who are single and when having opportunities to counsel and interact with single Christians, perhaps we'll be better able to give them biblical counsel and direct them

4:41 into some new dimensions of that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.