Why is marriage so important?
Ephesians 5:32 – marriage is a picture of Christ and His church!
Why has divorce become more pronounced?
- A growing tide of “cultural Christianity” – calling on
- Individualism – marriage is no longer a public institution for the good of the family and community, but a
- Busyness – marriage requires hard work!
- Unrealistic expectations – marriage will come naturally, this person will meet my needs, constant feelings of romance.
What are Jesus’ standards regarding marriage?
- And this second thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 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. “For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.” (Malachi 2:13-16 ESV)
- “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. (Matthew 5:31-32 ESV)
- And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her, (Mark 10:10-11 ESV)
- “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery. (Luke 16:18 ESV)
- To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. (1 Corinthians 7:10-11 ESV)
- A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:39 ESV)
- For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. (Romans 7:2-3 ESV)
What are Jesus’ standards regarding marriage?
- Desertion of an unbelieving spouse – 1 Corinthians 7:15
- Sexual immorality – Matthew 19:9
Westminster Confession, Question #24: Although the corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments, unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage; yet nothing but adultery, or such willful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or civil magistrate, is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage; wherein a public and orderly course of proceeding is to be observed; and the persons concerned in it, not left to their own wills and discretion in their own case.
How should we respond to Jesus’ teaching on marriage?
- We ought to be thankful that Jesus loves us with an unending love. God doesn’t give up on us.
- We ought to hold ourselves to Jesus’ standards for marriage. They haven’t changed.
- We ought to remember that God extends grace to broken people.
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