God invites people to get married

 

1)      Earlier this year the Washington Times had an interesting article.

2)      Someone put together an article about spying—a practice called “e-spying.”

3)      There is software that allows someone to see exactly what has been done with a computer.

4)      Once installed, a person can see every single e-mail that was sent as well as all the replies.

5)      There is an automatic record of every single thing done through that computer on the Internet.

6)      A full log is kept of every single thing done on a machine, and the article made this point:

7)      This type of spying in the business world may be legal, but is it moral?

8)      Just because something can be done, does that make it right?

 

9)      We can ask this same type of question in the spiritual realm.

10)  A practice may be legal (permitted by the government), but is it Biblical?

11)  The law may allow us to do something, but does God also allow or approve of it?

12)  Abortion is legal, but is it sanctioned by God?

 

13)  This question also applies to the realm of marriage.

14)  For our scripture reading we heard the first six verses of Deut. 7.

a)      God said no treaties could be made with the various pagan nations in Canaan.

b)      Treaties may have been “legal” (there was no human law against them), but they were wrong.

c)      God also said something else to His people:  some marriages were not permitted.

d)     The law of the land would not have likely had any objections against Hebrews marrying pagans.

e)      God said marriages between His people and the heathens were not allowed.

 

15)  Today we want to think about God and marriage.

16)  We want to start our study with what is said in Deut. 7 as well as Gen. 2.

17)  We begin by affirming that God is not against marriage.

a)      In Gen. 2:18 we are told that God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.”

b)      Adam was the first created person and God knew this man needed help.

c)      Heaven knew what Adam needed – a wife, and a wife was provided by God.

d)     Adam was put into a deep sleep (Gen. 2:21) and a rib was removed from his body.

e)      God formed a female out of that bone and Eve was brought to see her mate (verse 22).

 

18)  Adam was invited to have Eve as his mate and he was very receptive to that idea.

19)  In Genesis 2 we get a general picture of marriage.

20)  We know this is right because of a small statement by Jesus in Mt. 19:4.

a)      Jesus said, “Have ye not read”?

b)      When talking about marriage, Jesus directed people back to the first couple.

c)      God put the Genesis information into His word to help us understand what marriage is.

 

21)  One of the things we see in Genesis 2 is an invitation to men and women.

22)  Males and females are invited to find a mate.

a)      God has not told us how that process is to occur.

b)      In life as well as the Bible there are two types of authority:  general and specific.

c)      If someone says, “Go to the store and get food,” we have some leeway.

d)     We are not told which store we must use.  We are not told how much food to buy.

e)      We are also not told what type of food to buy.

f)       Neither are we told how we must go to the store – we may walk, run, drive, or take a taxi.

 

23)  Men and women are invited to become partners in a relationship called marriage.

24)  How are they supposed to get together?  God has not legislated how this is to be done.

25)  People might use the Internet, the phone, e-mail or spend time in person one with another.

26)  Men and women are invited to have contact with each other and one day get married.

a)      Paul said in 1 Cor. 7:2, “let each man have his own wife, and each wife have her own husband.”

b)      This is precisely what we find in the creation account:  one man and one woman.

c)      People have tried to change the terms of God’s arrangement.

d)     There have been some men who said they wanted more than one wife.

e)      Rather than marry just one lady, a man may have taken 2 wives or even more.

f)       God’s invitation is a one-one arrangement and it is just like Gen. 2 describes (a man and a woman).

 

27)  Many are willing to do all the things just proposed.

28)  They will take a spouse and limit themselves to just one.

29)  As time passes, the mate they choose may grow less appealing to them.

30)  We see cases in the world where a spouse is treated like an automobile.

a)      A person takes possession of a car and they are pleased with their transportation for awhile.

b)      As time passes, the car is just not as appealing as it once was.

c)      The owner notices there are other cars in the world.  One day he decides he wants a new car.

d)     The old car (which was once treasured and valued) is traded in for something newer.

 

31)  This same type of process is often applied to the realm of marriage.

32)  A person gets married and as time passes they want a different mate.

33)  Various reasons are given, but in the end the result is always the same:  divorce.

34)  At the beginning of this lesson we laid down a principle we all accept.

35)  A thing may be lawful, but it is not moral.

36)  In the religious realm a matter may be permitted by the state (lawful), but rejected by God.

a)      We know that divorce in our country is permitted by civil government.

b)      We have reached a point where “no fault” divorces are common.

c)      People do not need a reason – just filing a request for terminating the marriage may be enough.

 

37)  Our nation may approach marriage and divorce in this way, but what does God say?

38)  We have an implied answer in Gen. 2.

a)      Adam said, “This is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh.”

b)      That sure does not sound like a temporary arrangement.

c)      It would seem that God intended for marriage to be a life-long commitment.

 

39)  This is certainly the way many marriage ceremonies are worded.

40)  The next time we go to a wedding, listen carefully to the words.

a)      Listen to what people promise each other.

b)      Common phrases are, “For better and for worse.  For richer and for poorer.”

c)      “In sickness and in health.”  “Till death do us part.”

 

41)  God invites people to get married, and His invitation reads as I described.

42)  God intends for people to get married and stay with each other till death.

43)  Not only is this implied in Gen. 2, Jesus said this in Mt. 19:6.

a)      Hear His words:  “What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.”

b)      Many seem to have the idea that marriage is just a civil union.

c)      A man and a woman agree to marriage and they find someone to make it official.

d)     Certainly human begins are almost always involved in marrying two people.

e)      Jesus said God is also at and actively involved with a marriage.

f)       From the lips of Jesus we find heaven saying “God joins people together.”

 

44)  God not only invites people to get married, He helps tie the knot.

45)  Many overlook this fact as they go through life, and that can be very, very bad.

a)      Once God helps join 2 people together, there are only two things that can break that bond.

b)      Common sense tells us that death will sever a marriage.

c)      The example in Gen. 2 suggests only living people can be married to each other.

d)     We cannot marry a dead person, and once a mate dies the marriage ceases.

e)      Marriage is for the living, not the dead.

 

46)  Common sense tells us this as does the Bible.

47)  In Rom. 7:2 Paul said if a woman’s husband passes away, she is “discharged” from the marriage.

48)  Stated another way, if someone is a widow(er), God extends another invitation to them to marry.

49)  Another marriage is not required.  Younger widows (1 Tim. 5:14) are encouraged to marry.

50)  If a man or woman loses their mate to death, marriage is a “may” and not a “must.”

51)  What about a case where a person has married someone and their mate is still alive?

a)      Can a man and a woman dissolve their marriage and find someone else to marry?

b)      According to civil government, the answer is “yes.”

c)      We need to remember that marriage did not come from civil government.

d)     Marriage is a divine institution (it has come from God).

e)      Jesus said heaven helped join people together.

f)       If there is going to be an “unjoining,” we need to see what the Bible says about that.

g)      In the scriptures we find information about divorce.

 

52)  One of the first things we see is that God hates divorce.

53)  Mal. 2:16 is a passage that is too plain to misunderstand; it says God detests divorce.

a)      To this someone may say, “we also hate it.”

b)      God’s hate for divorce is not just a dislike for two people terminating a marriage.

c)      God says divorce can lead to some other things—very serious problems.

 

54)  God invites people to get married and to stay married.

55)  If there are problems in a marriage, the Bible offers some solutions.

56)  Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church.

57)  Wives are to show respect and love for their husbands.

58)  Love bears all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

59)  God’s invitation to get married applies to all people, and it is an invitation for life.

a)      In spite of this some still say, “I really need a way out of my marriage.”

b)      “I believe I must get a divorce.”

c)      Let’s be sure we realize a divorce will not send anyone to hell.

d)     God doesn’t like divorce, it is not easy, and it usually has some long-lasting consequences.

e)      A divorce will not condemn a person to everlasting punishment.

f)       In a case where a person’s  life in jeopardy, a divorce may be an almost necessary procedure.

 

60)  Once a divorce is completed, a high percentage of people will again think about marriage.

61)  Another marriage is where people can get into serious (and eternal) trouble.

a)      If we do not accept God’s invitation to marry for life, we need to know Mt. 19:9.

b)      Rather than cite these words from memory, I will read them – READ

c)      “Whosoever” means all people.  Christian or not, American or African—each person.

d)     If we choose to marry, there is only reason to divorce and then marry again.

e)      Jesus said fornication must be involved.  Sexual sin must be the basis for destroying a marriage.

 

62)  If we are married and our mate commits sexual sin, that specific sin allows for divorce.

63)  A divorce is not commanded, but it is permitted (allowable).

64)  If a divorce occurs, only the person who was not guilty of fornication can find another mate.

65)  Another mate would be someone who is:

a)      A widow/widower,

b)      Someone who has never been married,

c)      Or someone else who divorced their spouse because that spouse committed sexual sin.

 

66)  God invites people to get married, but He warns us that there are rules to follow.

67)  These rules are ultimately for our personal best interest as well as the betterment of society.

68)  All of God’s rules are for our good.  They may not always be easy, but they are the best choice.