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Marriage Is A Commitment To God Introduction: How do you view marriage? A) Marriage is a covenant relationship between two people and God, Malachi 2.14 1. Covenant is a contract or contractual relationship. 2. Like any contract, the marriage covenant or commitment to God keeps one devoted to their marriage. B) Marriage has deteriorated in a godless institution. One in which God is left out. 1. Society --- a time of celebration, centers on the bride and groom. 2. Marriage has become regarded as a human centered arrangement that has little to do with God. Ex. Homosexual marriages. 3. "Christianity" -- has reduced marriage to something that enables us to have children, keep us from sexual immorality, and from being lonely. a. Augustine said -- offspring, fidelity, and sacrament were the three primary reasons for marriage. b. 1549 church document said -- procreation, protection against fornication, and companionship the primary reasons for marriage. C) A marriage that is strong and long-lasting is a marriage that is first based upon the commitment to God. 1. How many times have you heard the preacher refer to God while doing a wedding ceremony. 2. The promise is before God, God does the binding, etc. I) Our Commitment To God Says That Our Marriage Will Endure Till Death A) God intended marriage to be a permanent relationship, Genesis 2.24. 1. Not a revolving door relationship where last year's husband is replaced with this year's boyfriend. 2. Jesus maintained that it was not lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason, Matthew 19.4-6. a. God is the One who does the joining together; husband and wife are bound (a binding contract), v. 6. b. Any contract to be worth anything has to be binding. A non-binding contract is not worth the paper it is written on. 3. Another way of saying this is that we are bound by God's law on marriage, Romans 7.2. a. Described as a covenant in Malachi 2.14b. They were guilty of treachery, being deceitful, in not keeping their covenant. b. God witnesses or ratifies the covenant making it binding until one person dies. 4. God does the joining together of the man and woman. Not the preacher or the state. B) It is our duty to keep our marriage covenant before God 1. Why do you keep your marriage together? a. For your own personal happiness? b. For the sake of the children? c. Because your spouse needs you? d. Because of the laws of the land -- having to divide property? e. The cost of a divorce? etc. 2. The first reason is because it is our duty to do so. a. Husband and wife are to cleave to each other, Matthew 19.5. b. What God has joined together, let not man separate. II) Our Commitment To God Means That We Will Want To Please Him In Our Marriage A) Is your goal in your marriage to please God? 1. Above your own personal happiness, sexual fulfillment, the rearing of children, companionship, should be the goal of pleasing God. 2. People often look at their marriage from a worldly or fleshly point of view instead of a godly point of view, 2 Corinthians 5.16,9. B) How do we please God in our marriage? 1. By loving your spouse, you are loving God, 1 John 4.20-21; 1 Corinthians 13.4-7 2. By honoring or respecting your spouse, 1 Peter 3.7; Ephesians 5.33b. 3. By meeting the sexual needs of your spouse, 1 Corinthians 7.3-5; Hebrews 13.4 4. By fulfilling all the other responsibilities you have in the marriage. 5. By not giving up or quitting on your marriage, Malachi 2.16; Hebrews 10.36. It takes no commitment to quit. III) Our Commitment To Our Marriage Shows The World Our Commitment To Christ A) Commitment to Christ is directly related to your commitment to your marriage. 1. A person not committed to their marriage cannot be committed to Christ. 2. The covenant relationship between God and the people of Israel was compared to a marriage, Isaiah 54.5a; 62.5b. 3. The covenant relationship between Christ and the church is also described as a marriage, Revelation 19.7 4. Our entire outlook on our marriage will be transformed once we understand that commitment to our marriage is commitment to Christ, Ephesians 5.22-33. B) Commitment to your marriage shows your commitment to Christ to the world 1. Hard to convert people to Christ if your home life is in shambles. 2. When people see a good marriage they appreciate it. There is a reason the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints stress the family relationship in their advertizing. 3. The light of Christ is to be seen in our marriages. Matthew 5.16. Conclusion: When the husband and wife are committed to God, they will have a happy marriage. (Adapted from a sermon by Mark Larson) |