CHRIST AND MARRIAGE

HEBREWS 13:4

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and

adulterers God will judge.

In the Hebrew writer’s list of exhortation he talks about marriage.

This is a vital subject given the way most Americans look at marriage.

Given the divorce rate in our country it is an important subject.

The Bible has much to say about this vital subject.

How does an admonition about marriage fit in a book designed to prove that Jesus Christ is worthy of your

faith?

Faith in Christ influences one’s thinking in every area of his life.

In Marriage (home)In recreationOn the job

Respect for Christ as God’s final spokesman means that one must listen to and obey the Lord in all

aspects of their life.

What does the Bible have to say about marriage?

The Purpose Of Marriage

Marriage should be held in honor by all people.

It was instituted by God Himself.

It was given that a man and a woman might have the greatest happiness this life has to offer.

Marriage is for:

Companionship

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all.

Genesis 2:18-24 Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see

what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the

man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a

woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because

she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they

shall become one flesh.

Matthew 19:4-6 "Have you not read that He who created them

from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN

SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL

BECOME ONE FLESH'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined

together, let no man separate."

Proverbs 18:22; 19:14 He who finds a wife finds a good

thing and obtains favor from the LORD.

House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the LORD.

We need companionship.

For spiritual development.

I Peter 3:7 Likewise you husbands, live considerately with your wives,

bestowing honor on the woman as the weaker sex, since you are joint heirs of the grace of life, in order that your prayers may

not be hindered.

For mental stability.

Genesis 2:18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should

be alone.”

To share the joys and sorrows of life.

For procreation

It right for people to marry and have children.

I Timothy 5:14 Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry,

bear children, manage the house, give no opportunity to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

Genesis 1:28 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth

and subdue it.

For purity of life.

I Corinthians 7:2 But because of the temptation to immorality, each man

should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

I Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the

kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor

sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

The physical union of a man and a woman is right:

Only in marriage!

Outside of marriage it is sin.

I Timothy 5:22 Keep yourself pure.

Jesus Taught That Marriage Is A Permanent Contract.

Moses’ law had permitted divorce.

Christ goes back to the original plan.

Matthew 19:3-5 And Pharisees came up to Him and tested Him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?" He answered, "Have you not read that He

who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this reason a man shall

leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?

It is God who joins a man and a woman in holy matrimony.

Marriage was instituted by God.

Matthew 19:6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God

has joined together, let not man put asunder."

Divorce, according to Christ, came from man. Matthew 19:7-8 They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command one to give

a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" He said to them, "For your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

The Lord does permit one to put away a marriage partner and marry another for one reason.

Matthew 19:9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman

commits adultery.

How can we keep a marriage permanent?

Put God first in your marriage. Marriage takes 3.

We can use God’s blue print to get a long better with our spouse.

Romans 12:10 In honor, giving preference to one another.

Take the word “divorce” out of your vocabulary.

Ephesians 5:25-29, 31-33 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the

church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might

present it to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. "For this reason a man shall

leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let

each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

The Marriage Relationship Is Used To Show The Relationship Between Christ And The Church.

The husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church.

Christ’s love was a sacrificing love.

Christians are married to Christ. Romans 7:4

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to

another, even to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

This union with Christ should result in a fruitful service to God.

Just as a husband and a wife should be faithful to each other so should we as Christians be faithful to

Christ.

ARE YOU BEING FAITHFUL TO

CHRIST TONIGHT?

What one thinks about Christ influences what he thinks about the honor and sanctity of marriage.

God designed marriage of a man and a woman for their happiness in this life.

God designed “marriage to Christ” for the Christian’s happiness now and eternally.

• Given by David Hamlin on April 6, 2008 pm Hollister, Missouri church of Christ www.hollisterchurchofchrist.org