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86. The Perils of Adultery

Numbers 5:11-31, Proverbs 5:16-19, Malachi 2:13-16, Matthew 5:27-32, Luke 16:18, Mark 10:2-12, Matthew 19:3-12, Ephesians 5:22-33
Key verse: This is a profound mystery but I'm talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Ephesians 5:32-33

As you can see, Jesus, that is, God, had much to say about marriage. So in a year of your life getting to know Jesus, it is good to learn how he feels about marriage.  After all, marriage was His idea in the beginning with Adam and Eve. Many books have been written about marriage; books of advice and wisdom on how to do marriage better. Many authors share their experience of what worked for them in the hopes of helping others. As a result, I realize that trying to tackle such a huge subject in a few short paragraphs is next to impossible. Therefore, I thought it best to content myself with a few simple thoughts and let the reader explore the subject further as interest allows.

1.    Marriage was designed by God, as a picture of the relationship that He longs to have with humanity. Christ is the husband. The church is the bride.
2.    God hates divorce. After all, would God ever divorce His bride, the church?
3.    Yet, though He hates it, He allows for it, recognizing that marriage between two sinners is not the same as a marriage between a perfect partner, God, and an imperfect partner, the church.
4.    However, most divorces are the result of selfishness winning over selflessness. This could turn around, but only if partners are willing to change.
5.    Finally, marriage is not necessarily designed to make one happy, but a committed marriage is designed to help one become more holy, more Christlike, by teaching us how to love unconditionally, "'til death do us part."

I urge you to consider these things as you contemplate a wonderful gift from God, from the beginning of time to eternity. When God created Eve for Adam, His reasoning was, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (Gen.2:18) Even though Adam was not alone because God walked with him, yet, God understood that there would be blessing for Adam if he had a fellow human to walk with him as well. The woman would bring to the relationship what the man was lacking so that both would be complete, one whole, the full image of God. By attacking marriage, Satan is working to destroy the image of God itself. When we see our marriage as a testimony to Christ and a witness of His goodness, it becomes more sacred to us and we value and cherish it for the gift that it is. "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Eph. 5:21) What a beautiful picture.

Hymn:
Happy the Home When God is There   Congregational singing

Restore, Chris August

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