That is what God said when He looked at Adam. And we know what followed: God created Eve, to be his helper. But does this passage mean that it is not good man (or woman) to remain single? Not at all!
One of the most often quoted verses to single people is Genesis 2:18. “And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (NKJV). We read this verse and conclude that being single is not good. And for most human beings, who have not been given the gift of singleness, living alone can indeed be difficult. But this verse does not mean that being single is a sin or a curse. It is always necessary to consider the context in which a verse is found to better understand it.
In verse 15 we read that: “Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Then in verse 18 God says that man needs help. He has given him a task and He concedes that this task is heavy for one human. So God looks for a helper for man. His first solution is to train the animals and bring them to man (v. 19). After considering all the animals, and naming all the animals, Adam realizes that no animal could help him, that there is none like him (v. 20). And that is when God creates Eve (vv. 21-22). When God said it is not good for man to be alone, He was saying it is not good for man to be alone to “to tend and keep” the garden. God did not say that it was bad for man to be single; there was no question of marriage in this passage, nor even of procreation, but simply of taking care of the garden.
There were no animals either that could give Adam offspring. So, in this sense too, we can say that it was not good for Adam to be alone, because, without a partner, he could not accomplish the task of multiplying and dominating on Earth either. It was not good for Adam to be alone to fulfill his mission, but that does not mean that it is not good for all humans to be alone to fulfill their mission.
Many single people will argue that it is not good for them to be alone, and they are probably right. When we have not received the gift of singleness, it can be difficult to be alone. Paul, who was single at the time of writing his letter to the Corinthians, expressed it well. “For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:7-9 NKJV).
So, yes, for many singles, it would be better for them to get married. It is not good for them to stay single if they want to have children or if they are burning with desire to be in a relationship. But if a person is single, in love with Christ, and using their talents to build up the Body of Christ, there is nothing “wrong” for them to be single. Being single is not a sin! Otherwise, Jesus would be a sinner! It is not even a curse mentioned in the Bible or a consequence of sin. God cares for the widow and the orphan: He never condemns them as being responsible for their lonely life. Reading Paul’s message, one could even conclude that it is holier to remain single than to marry!
In short, for many single people, it is indeed preferable that they seek a partner. But our society and especially our churches must stop ostracizing unmarried Christians. There is nothing wrong with being single. Whether for a specific time or the rest of our days. We all need to continue to sanctify ourselves, but just because a person is single does not mean that God is punishing them by keeping them unmarried. We need to stop this hateful talk. Just because a person is not in love does not mean that they are not lovable or loved. We can walk alongside single people who are looking for a partner, but without being condescending. Single people are perhaps even holier than many married people. Singleness is not a sin, nor is it a disease.