Undivided Life

“The undivided soul which worships God ought to be actuated by the simplest and purest motives.”
A. W. Tozer

“The married state involves numberless engagements with the world, which certainly prove so many avocations from spiritual exercises.”
John Wesley

“There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage.”
Martin Luther

“Marry, and you will regret it; don’t marry, you will also regret it.”
Soren Kierkegaard

“There is magnificent beauty in the life of a visionary sold solely to Jesus Christ.”
Jim Elliot

To Marry or Not to Marry? That is the Question. When it comes to the matter of marriage versus singleness, Paul did not mince words. In his first letter to the Corinthians, he stated his preference quite clearly: “I wish that all were as I myself am” (1 Corinthians 7:7, ESV). As one who remained unmarried, Paul saw distinct advantages to the single life for those willing to embrace it. His reasoning? “I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:32-33, ESV). Paul’s heart was for believers to be single-mindedly devoted to Christ and the advance of His Kingdom, unfettered by the potential divided loyalties of marriage. Yet, Paul also recognized that singleness is a gift from God that not all are called to (1 Corinthians 7:7). While holding up the undivided devotion of the unmarried state as admirable, he affirmed that marriage too is an honorable path instituted by God Himself (Genesis 2:24).

The Undeniable Challenge of Marriage
Does this mean Paul saw marriage as a secondary, lesser option? Not at all. He acknowledged that for the married person, the desire and obligation to please their spouse becomes an inescapable reality (1 Corinthians 7:33). And meeting that desire or obligation is not inherently sinful, rather, Paul instructs husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church (Ephesians 5:25). The challenge, according to Paul, is that marriage by its very nature introduces potential for one’s devotion to Christ to become compromised or divided (1 Corinthians 7:34). Paul chose singleness to be free from anxieties so he could be anxious about the things of the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:32).

Undivided Singleness or Divided Marriage?
At first glance, Paul’s words may seem to cast marriage in a rather negative light. Is he suggesting that the unmarried person is automatically more spiritual? That the married life is hopelessly entangled in worldly anxieties that distract from wholehearted service to God? A closer look reveals a more nuanced perspective. Paul does not condemn marriage outright, nor does he insist that singleness is the only path of undivided devotion. What he does emphasize is the unique reality that marriage creates a pull of loyalty between serving one’s spouse and serving the Lord. He simply acknowledged this felt tension. Perhaps from personal observation of married believers in his day, Paul saw how this dynamic could subtly undermine one’s singular focus if not consciously guarded against. Ultimately, Paul’s aim was not to dogmatically prescribe singleness as inherently superior. It was to equip all believers, whether married or unmarried, to pursue undivided devotion to Christ as their highest aim.

The Key Question: Whom Do You Seek to Please?
In the broader context of 1 Corinthians 7, Paul repeatedly frames the marriage-singleness discussion around the core issue of whom believers are trying to please. He gives voice to the potential inward anxiety of both the married and unmarried: “The unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:34, ESV). This inner tension, between pleasing God fully versus pleasing others, even a spouse, gets at the heart of Paul’s exhortation. His concern was that even good desires like fulfilling marital duties could insidiously disintegrate one’s spiritual priorities if not carefully checked. In Paul’s mind, the preeminent question was this: Are you living in undivided devotion to Christ, uncompromisingly seeking to please Him above all else? Or have you allowed your interests and affections to be fragmented by pursuits, relationships, or responsibilities that rival your commitment to the Lord? This competitor applies just as much to the unmarried person who may idolize personal ambitions, possessions, or pleasures. It manifests differently in the life of the married person who must consciously re-subordinate marital allegiances under the supreme lordship of Christ.

Undivided Love for God and Neighbor
Does this mean those who marry are destined for a life of fragmented priorities and compromised devotion? Not necessarily. It comes down to keeping one’s love rightly ordered. Jesus highlighted the primacy of loving God with one’s entire being, while similarly commanding wholehearted love for one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:37-39). Paul was articulating the unique challenge of holding these two great commandments in proper balance for the married person. To genuinely love one’s spouse is to faithfully practice neighbor-love toward them. Yet, that neighbor-love must continually be subsumed under one’s supreme, undivided devotion to loving God first and foremost. It is a lifelong process of checking one’s motivations, realigning misplaced affections, and staying laser- focused on seeking Christ’s approval above all else. For the unmarried, the process may look different outwardly. But the heart posture is the same, constant attentiveness to keeping Christ as the exclusive object of one’s highest allegiances and aspirations.

Undivided in Marriage or Singleness
The married and unmarried are called to undivided, wholehearted devotion to Jesus Christ as Lord. For some, that will mean embracing the gift of singleness that allows a more unencumbered abandonment to the call of God (1 Corinthians 7:7). For others, that will mean the two becoming one flesh in marriage while keeping God as the integrated center (Ephesians 5:31). Neither path is automatically more spiritual than the other. They each come with unique challenges to zealously guarding one’s supreme love and loyalty for Christ. The key is being profoundly self-aware, brutally honest with oneself, and relentlessly committed to the undivided life that Paul exemplified; a life where permeating anxieties about pleasing God crowd out all competing fears or desires. Paul wrote, “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:35, ESV).

The Undivided Life of a Spiritual Leader
For those in positions of spiritual leadership, these tensions around undivided devotion take on even greater significance. Those called to speak and minister on God’s behalf carry a weighty responsibility to ensure their perspective remains firmly anchored in the truth of Scripture, unswayed by competing influences or interests. James soberly reminded that “not many of you should become teachers...for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1, ESV). Why? Because those who instruct others in the ways of God open themselves up to heightened accountability for rightly handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). This is where a leader’s marital status, has the potential to create added challenges in maintaining undivided allegiance to Christ and His teachings. As Paul noted, the married person perpetually wrestles with the divided headspace of anxieties about Godly pursuits, worldly things, and an innate desire to please their spouse (1 Corinthians 7:33-34). For a spiritual leader, allowing such marital influences to seep into their perspective and cloud their judgment could prove spiritually catastrophic. Unconsciously shaping one’s actions, reactions, sermons, prophetic words, and expectations to cater to a spouse’s preferences or perceptions is a subtle snare many must guard against vigilantly. Even more problematic would be a leader’s perspective becoming utterly subjugated by a domineering spouse, rendering them voiceless or complicit in upholding unbiblical ideologies merely to preserve marital peace. Such abdication of spiritual authority is an abuse of their calling. The biblical account of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel (1 Kings 16:29 – 1 Kings 22:40, and 2 Kings 9-10) is a cautionary tale of a domineering spouse’s influence leading to spiritual compromise. Jezebel’s manipulation and idolatrous practices corrupted Ahab’s leadership, causing him to turn a blind eye to her schemes and even participate in them. Ahab’s deference to Jezebel’s dominance ultimately contributed to his spiritual downfall, exemplifying the grave consequences of allowing a spouse’s influence to supplant unwavering devotion to Scripture.
Conversely, the single leader is not automatically immune from similar pitfalls. Lack of accountability, unbridled self-interest, or worldly enticements could, likewise, derail their ministry if left unchecked. Singleness delivers freedom, but as Scripture warns, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated by anything” (1 Corinthians 6:12, ESV). The path forward for any leader is to intentionally construct a web of godly relationships, mentors, and accountability that keep them grounded in humble self-awareness and fidelity to the truth. Forming a supportive leadership community helps mitigate the isolating dangers of individualism or marital insularity distorting one’s perspectives. Ultimately, the spiritual leader must daily reinforce the supremacy of their allegiance to Jesus Christ as the only Lord they answer to. Their ministry flows from intimacy with Him, not kowtowing to human pressures or proclivities, whether from a spouse, ministry peers, or their fallen desires. With Christ as the integrated core around which all other obligations orbit, the devoted leader can fulfill their high calling of shepherding others while modeling the undivided life Paul exemplified. It is no easy task, but it is the Biblical model of leadership to which all who would teach God’s word must continually aspire.

So, where do you find yourself on this journey toward undivided devotion to Christ? Perhaps as one who has embraced the calling of celibate singleness, but struggles with the undisciplined pursuit of personal ambitions or pleasures. Or maybe you are devotedly married, yet feeling the pull of misplaced priorities or allegiances vying for preeminence. Wherever you are, take heart; the undivided life is not a lofty ideal reserved for elite Christians. It is the continual realignment process to which all believers are called to live in constant pursuit. An undivided life means being ruthlessly committed to pleasing God alone as your supreme delight and ambition. The exhortations of the Bible still ring out today: Above all else, guard your heart (Proverbs 4:23, Philippians 4:7) and order your affections aright (Matthew 6:33, Colossians 3:2). Cast off every weight and disordered attachment (Hebrews 12:1, 1 Peter 2:1-2) that distances you from wholehearted devotion to Christ. Pour out your highest and most undivided love upon the One who is endlessly worthy. Whether married or single, may an undivided, single- minded pursuit of Christ consume your life’s energies and allegiances. For in Him alone is found the power for undivided living and undivided service to His Kingdom that will never disappoint.