Your peace and prosperity would have been like a flowing river and your righteousness and purity like the abounding waves of the sea.
In these days it is shocking to hear of so many Christians who are living in a common-law relationship without the benefit of marriage. Others think they can divorce and remarry at will. Whatever happened to the authority of Scripture? All sexual activity outside the legal marriage of one man and one woman is sin and rebellion against God.
Genesis 1:27 – male and female He created them.
Hebrews 13:4 – marriage is honourable among all and the bed is undefiled. Let marriage be held in honour and esteemed worthy and precious. Therefore, let the marriage bed be undefiled. For God will judge and punish all guilty of sexual sin.
Why does God hate divorce and why does He call remarriage adultery? There is mystery involved.
Ephesians 5:23-32 –Why should a wife be subject to her husband? So he can boss her around? Certainly not! Because the marriage needs a protector, provider, leader and loving supporter. Just as Jesus is and does as Head (Ephesians 5:23) of the Church. In this mystery God intended marriage to be an example of the relationship of Christ and the Church.
Genesis 2:22 – God brought Eve to Adam to be his wife just as a father escorts his daughter down the aisle to her waiting bridegroom.
John 10:28 – When I received Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour He gave me eternal life which is a never-ending relationship and no one in heaven, earth or hell is able to break that relationship. Not even myself. If I, as part of the Bride of Christ, persist in continual sin, I can ruin the fellowship but nothing and nobody (1Corinthians 3:15) can ever sever the relationship.
Matthew 5:32, Mark 10:2:12 – The marriage bond is sacred and divorce is permitted only for continual sexual unfaithfulness. Not for a one-time slip. There is always room for repentance and forgiveness and wise counsel. Of course if there is abuse the wife should separate at least temporarily (1 Corinthians 7:10-11) but she is not free to remarry but if possible to reconcile with her husband.
2 Corinthians 6:14 – If a Christian marries an unbeliever he/she has already sinned by unequal yoking. That person needs to repent and then pray for the salvation of the spouse.
1 Corinthians 7:13-15 – If one of the partners is saved after marriage, they should let the unbelieving spouse leave or remain in the marriage. The Christian cannot remarry but the Lord will never leave (Hebrews 13:5) him/her and can use that one (1 Peter 3:1) to lead the unbeliever to salvation.
Malachi 2:16 – God hates divorce because marriage is intended to be a lasting relationship “until death do us part” as an example of the never-ending relationship between Christ and His Church. God calls remarriage adultery because it is sin against the first ordinance the Lord instituted.
Romans 7:2-3 – If a spouse dies the other is free to marry again and in such a case it is not adultery.
Genesis 1:22 – Be fruitful and multiply. Procreation is not always possible but generally is an important part and joy of marriage. To nurture children and teach them about Jesus, salvation and the authority of Scripture. Then to see the resulting work of God in their lives. How does that represent the church?
Matthew 28:18-20 – The Bride goes to every nation with the Gospel which transforms lost sinners into children of God.
Genesis 2:24 – In marriage you have become “one flesh”. What does that mean? Any person you have sex with, outside of marriage, you take something away from them and leave something of yourself behind. In marriage you give yourselves totally, unconditionally, heart and mind to each other.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 – A 3 fold cord is not easily broken. If a Christian husband and a Christian wife take God into every part of their marriage, they will have a strong, stable, God-honouring marriage with growing love and appreciation for each other. The only greater intimacy is our personal relationship with the Living God through the Lord Jesus.
Matthew 19:5 – A husband and wife are joined inseparably.
1 Corinthians 6:16-17, 1 Corinthians 6:20 – If a marriage partner is sexually unfaithful, he/she becomes one body with the prostitute or whoever and those two become one flesh. BUT – a person who is united with the Lord becomes one spirit with Him. So honour God and bring glory to Him in your body. Whatever you do (1 Corinthians 10:31) do all for the glory of God.
Ephesians 5:31-33 – The husband is to love his wife as being, in a sense, his very own self. As the Church is truly the Body (Ephesians 1:22-23) of Christ, the supreme Head.
Revelation 22:17 – Ever since Pentecost the Bride has been looking and longing for the coming of the Bridegroom. The Holy Spirit and the Bride (the Church) say – COME!
Many Christians (?) to-day have exchanged the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:25) and switched from the never-changing authority of Scripture to the loose, ungodly culture of the world system which is destined for destruction - - to the peril of their own souls. Be not deceived (Galatians 6:7-8) God is not mocked. Whatever you sow, you will reap and you will reap much more than you sow. If you are truly a Christian you must appear (2 Corinthians 5:10) at the Judgment Seat of Christ. How dreadful to hear the Lord say (Isaiah 48:18) Oh, that you had hearkened to My commandment. Then your peace and prosperity would have been like a flowing river and your righteousness and purity like the abounding waves of the sea.
40 or 50 years ago, would we have put up with what we tolerate in the Church now? Have we lived in the dark so long that we are used to it – have adjusted to it? Don’t confuse your fleshly desires with genuine needs. If you look at, listen to impurity and think impure thoughts – you have a dirty mind which (Colossians 3:5) leads to idolatry. But look – this is the will of God for you (1 Thessaslonians 4:3) your sanctification - - and He has not left you on your own to achieve the impossible. The cleansing Blood of Jesus has not lost its power and He has given the Holy Spirit to be with believers (John 14:16-17) and in them forever. By His sanctifying power (2 Thessalonians 2:13) we are enabled to live righteously in obedience to God.