Marriage Pondering
In fear and trembling (I hate the microphone) I have recently agreed to help with a conference on marriage. I could have declined but I have a burden to see and promote the glory of God in His paradigm of holy matrimony. The following thoughts are not completely connected, and are parts of larger concepts, but I thought I would share them with you briefly here. I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter of the Mission of marriage and ask that you would please pray that all I say and do in this endeavor would honor God. In the end I trust that “God’s work, done God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.”
My piece of the conference is to focus on the long-term missionary work of marriage for the promotion of the gospel to the glory of God. This is not to negate other forms of mission work, but it is to say that the choice of marriage and the way we live it out is, in and of itself, a vehicle for the promotion of the Gospel and a potentially powerful revelation of the glory of God. I would argue perhaps that it is the most powerful human work in that direction. Here is why I say that:
1. It is God’s heartfelt desire and plan.
2. God holds it together.
3. It has a God ordained purpose.
1. “Be fruitful and multiply”. Make Children of God, yours, and others.
2. “Fill the Earth and subdue it”. Less of a physical conquering than a spiritual conquering
4. It has special power.
b. Power to make holy: 1 Cor 7:14 “For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.”
5. God commands permanence.
6. Disruption of marriage is an indication of the condition of the heart.
7. It shows the dangers of divided loyalty -- i.e., Idolatry.
8. It is a picture of Gods relationship to man.
9. Marriage is a living lesson in how to relate to others and to God.
All ministry is a result of living in right relationship with God. As married couples that is a whole other thing. All the wrestles we have with our flesh are squared by the juxtaposition of more flesh. It is the most intimate of relationships a mere inkling of the intimacy that we will share with Christ.
Now you can share the source of my apprehension. I will be endeavoring to rightly portray the most serious and intimate relationship of all. One that is most often entered into almost by accident. One that is a direct representation of the very nature and love of God with the potential to show the greatness of our God and draw countless people to Him, but with the power to turn the hearts of many away if not lived out in mutual, complete surrender to Him. Talk about jars of clay! My only hope in this is Him. In fact, that is our only hope in our marriages. Despite marrying a saint, even she could not pull it off unless the Lord builds His house. Praise God for His Word and His Love. Know that His Sacrifice somehow miraculously makes it all possible. As we seek Him together in our marriage, He will glorify Himself in all our works. We do not have to seek to do something for Him we only have to seek Him, and all the rest will be provided. Suddenly I think that it will all be ok. To God alone be the Glory!
My piece of the conference is to focus on the long-term missionary work of marriage for the promotion of the gospel to the glory of God. This is not to negate other forms of mission work, but it is to say that the choice of marriage and the way we live it out is, in and of itself, a vehicle for the promotion of the Gospel and a potentially powerful revelation of the glory of God. I would argue perhaps that it is the most powerful human work in that direction. Here is why I say that:
1. It is God’s heartfelt desire and plan.
a. Gen 2:18 “Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (the first time that God declares something “not good”!)
2. God holds it together.
a. Ecc 4:12 “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
b. And what is the third strand but God Himself? Mal 2:15 “Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? And what was the one God seeking? Godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.”
3. It has a God ordained purpose.
a. Godly offspring:
i. Godly offspring (literally Elohim Zera-God Seed) Our physical children can be children of God but no less all those that are brought to Him. This is the reason He brought a man, and a woman together bound with a portion of His Spirit in a cord of three strands.
ii. Gen 1:28
1. “Be fruitful and multiply”. Make Children of God, yours, and others.
2. “Fill the Earth and subdue it”. Less of a physical conquering than a spiritual conquering
4. It has special power.
a. Ecc 4:9 “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.”
b. Power to make holy: 1 Cor 7:14 “For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.”
5. God commands permanence.
a. Mat 19:6 “So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
6. Disruption of marriage is an indication of the condition of the heart.
a. Mat 19:8 He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.”
b. Choosing divorce is sin.
7. It shows the dangers of divided loyalty -- i.e., Idolatry.
i. Hosea
ii. Adultery is very much a lesson in Idolatry.
iii. Countless references to the rejection of God by His chosen people
8. It is a picture of Gods relationship to man.
i. Christians are the Bride of Christ
9. Marriage is a living lesson in how to relate to others and to God.
a. Eph 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,”
b. Eph 5:33 “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”
All ministry is a result of living in right relationship with God. As married couples that is a whole other thing. All the wrestles we have with our flesh are squared by the juxtaposition of more flesh. It is the most intimate of relationships a mere inkling of the intimacy that we will share with Christ.
Now you can share the source of my apprehension. I will be endeavoring to rightly portray the most serious and intimate relationship of all. One that is most often entered into almost by accident. One that is a direct representation of the very nature and love of God with the potential to show the greatness of our God and draw countless people to Him, but with the power to turn the hearts of many away if not lived out in mutual, complete surrender to Him. Talk about jars of clay! My only hope in this is Him. In fact, that is our only hope in our marriages. Despite marrying a saint, even she could not pull it off unless the Lord builds His house. Praise God for His Word and His Love. Know that His Sacrifice somehow miraculously makes it all possible. As we seek Him together in our marriage, He will glorify Himself in all our works. We do not have to seek to do something for Him we only have to seek Him, and all the rest will be provided. Suddenly I think that it will all be ok. To God alone be the Glory!
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