FRESH
BREAD
The
Kingdom Series – ‘Marriage, God’s Way and His Will’
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined
to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).
God has called Christian leaders to set
the example and model what a marriage can and should look like when that
marriage is built upon the foundational truths found in God’s Word. Too often
we focus on those whose marriages have fallen apart when we should be taking
notes and honoring those whose marriages are successful from God’s perspective.
As much as possible marriages within the church, especially among leadership, should
reflect God’s original intent as first stated in Genesis 2:24. The truth is,
wherever God is moving in revival and spiritual awakening you will find
marriages being strengthened, healed and restored. Healthy and strong marriages
reflect God’s way and His will.
Recently I ran across a featured article
sent out by a ministry called The
American Pastors Network titled, Five
(Biblical) Truths on Marriage. Since its Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d
share these principles followed by some of my own additional comments from
God’s word.
PRINCIPLE #1: Marriage is God’s
Model—Marriage is God’s idea. God’s plan is best because God alone is Truth,
Creator and Judge. Our opinion doesn’t really matter. We have no vote, but we
do have a choice. As the Source of all authority, God’s plan for male and
female, marriage, human sexuality, children and family prevails. Only He has
the right to legitimately define it and demand we observe it.
PRINCIPLE #2: Marriage is God’s Foundation
for Society—Not only is marriage God’s idea, His plan establishes biblical
marriage as foundational for strong families—the cornerstone of authority in
human society. God’s foundation for societal order is upheld first by the
pillar of family authority, then civil, then church authority all nurtured by
God’s purpose and limitation for each.
PRINCIPLE #3: Marriage is One
Man-One Woman—God’s design for marriage presumes that one man and one
woman—united and committed—will join as one flesh before God. No other
combination works in God’s plan. Therefore, no government possesses the
authority to legally alter or redefine marriage or family. It has no more moral
or jurisdictional authority to redefine marriage than to declare invalid natural
law or declare moral such immoral actions as theft, murder or rape.
PRINCIPLE #4: Marriage Must be Kept
Holy—To preserve the integrity of marriage and the family, it must be kept
holy. No violation or variation of marriage or human sexuality, other than
within the bounds of marriage between one man and one woman is acceptable
without bringing predictable consequences to individuals, communities and
nations. Heterosexual infidelity, sex outside marriage, homosexuality or
marriage between multiple men or woman all violate God’s established order.
PRINCIPLE #5: Marriage is the Picture of
Christ and the Church—God declares in Ephesians 5 that physical marriage
between one man and one woman is holy and depicts the spiritual relationship
between Christ and the Church. God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ is
the picture of true love and unity between God and men and women. It’s why all
efforts to redefine God’s design are direct attacks on God Himself, His plan of
redemption and Jesus Christ.
The attacks on how the bible defines
marriage are, as this article points out, a direct assault on God Himself and
what He has already determined to be holy or unholy.
Furthermore in Malachi 3:6 where God says,
“For I am the Lord, I do not change”,
He was including how He views divorce. Just a few verses prior to making this
statement it is written where God hates
divorce because “it covers one’s
garment with violence” (Mal 2:16).
As we
read further in Malachi we discover where God was specifically addressing the
priesthood who He said had profaned marriage, “the Lord’s holy institution which He loves”. It is emphasized how the priests were dealing “treacherously with the wife of his (their) youth” while carrying on as
if everything was just fine. However nothing could have been further from the
truth!
“Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of
your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion
and your wife by covenant. But did He not make them one,” (Mal 2:14-15a)
Certainly God forgives sin and restores
the years the locusts (the enemy)
devours where there is true repentance. Forgiveness and restoration is included
in the message of the cross. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from even the
darkest of sins. Yet as the Apostle Paul once asked, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may
abound? Certainly not!” (Rom 6:1)
When
the enemy comes in like a flood, as certainly is the case with the biblical
definition of marriage and divorce, God always raises a standard which reflects
and calls men and women back to His way that we may align our lives with His
will.
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will of God” (Rom 12:2).