In Genesis 2:15 we read that God put
man in the Garden of Eden to work it, and take care of it. Then God says (v18): “It
is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (The Hebrew word
here translated as “suitable”, literally means “like opposite him” like him but
opposite of him a good description of
the complementary characteristics of men and women).
When reading Genesis, we understand that marriage was/is instituted by God so
that human beings can fulfill the creation mandate. Marriage is necessary to
help the human race do the jobs it is meant to do: to work, to be stewards of creation, to have children and to
raise them to be productive. And so, marriage is foundational to all this human
activity. This last part is very important for Christians to grasp; which is, that marriage is foundational to all human activity which is not always godly activity - Lord's affairs.
In scripture, we read - each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them into a spiritual life. What does that mean? It means that if they were married when called, they should remain married. If they were unmarried when called, they should remain unmarried. In other words, if you feel that your first and foremost call is to serve the Lord, it is better not to marry. If you feel you can serve God (the two become one) by marrying then marry. Just remember, marriage is not self serving.
In Corinthians, we are instructed further, Paul said that it is wiser to be free from worldly concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—and
his interests are divided.
An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.
Again, to reiterate, it means that if you feel called to be devoted to the Lord, you should not marry. But, this does not mean that marriage is wrong or that it is not foundational to human activity... it still is for those who want to be and choose to be married. And, that in marriage they ' a man and woman' become one and should together be devoted to the Lord God.
Thus, according to the will of God, when it comes to married life, a man leaves his father and mother and becomes one with his wife...and each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband ~ Genesis 2:24, 1 COR 7:2.
*Additional Source ~ http://www.christian.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/biblical-basis-of-marriage.pdf
Each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. 3The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control ~ 1 COR 7:2-5.
ReplyDeleteAlso, let's remember that we are living in a fallen world and not in paradise. So, we need to have a hierarchy of authority in Christ. Read Ephesians 5: 22-33 ~ Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
ReplyDelete25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Why is that? It is necessary to help all of us prepare for Christ's return. It is necessary for men and women to have certain roles; husbands are a covering for their wives and she submits to that; it does not mean enslavement or submission to abuses. The husband has an enormous responsibility for his wife, to love her as his own body so that the two become one in Christ. Otherwise, sin would take over and destroy all of God's creation.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, if you feel that your first and foremost call is to serve the Lord, it is better not to marry. If you feel you can serve God (the two become one) by marrying then marry. Just remember, marriage is not self serving...
ReplyDeleteLastly, sexual immorality can exist in marriage. Refrain from sexual immorality..."Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body" ~ 1 COR 6:18. "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry; worshiping the things of this world" ~ COL 3:5. "And, that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable" ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4.
ReplyDeletewhich means that it can but it should not exist in marriage...
ReplyDelete