Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Hebrews 13:4; 2 Timothy 2:22 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge . . . Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
HONOR MARRIAGE
Statistics say that 70% of couples today live together before marriage to "try out" their relationship. But statistics also tell us that 67% of couples who live together before being married get divorced.
We clearly live in a world where marriage is often scorned. People say: "We don't need to get married. It's just a piece of paper." But the LORD God of heaven here declares that marriage is to be kept honorable by all.
How is marriage kept honorable? We keep marriage honorable by defining it as God Himself has in His Word. It is the lifelong union of one man and one woman (Genesis 2:15-25). We keep marriage honorable when we respect it as a God-ordained institution, not a human tradition ("a piece of paper"). We keep marriage honorable when we follow the directives of Scripture within marriage (Ephesians 5:22-33).
How is marriage dishonored? Marriage is dishonored by sexual sin.
What about living together before marriage? Can't an unmarried couple who love one another live together and not sin? Is that really the question we should ask? Is it possible for me to throw large shards of glass up in the air and catch them bare-handed? I suppose it's possible, but is it wise? God has created us with natural desires (that doesn't make it okay to act on them) that it is hardly wise to ignore. Does living together honor marriage? Does it keep the bed undefiled? The answer is simple: NO.
But why bring this up? Why not just let people think that marriage is "just a piece of paper" and that it's okay to cohabitate before marriage? The answer in a word is: LOVE.
Love for souls -- the souls of our children and our youth should lead us to speak up and defend the Word. God isn't mute on this subject! Those who live together before marriage place themselves in the crosshairs of God's judgment, and are here warned: "but fornicators and adulterers God will judge."
Don't speak up because of what the statistics reveal. Speak up because those who despise marriage and so sin against God don't just "live together," they put themselves in danger of dying together, of being judged by GOD for their sin. Speak up because Christ died to free us all from sin -- once and for all.
