July 25th, 2010 the message: "Marriage" No Flash Player detected by Dr. Art Gay Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:3-14

Marriage

This may be the most inportant message you will ever hear on marriage. If you are a professing Christian, write this on your heart...make it your own...do not let anyone interfere with this order. Your success as a faithful Christian disciple, free to server Jesus with all your heart, is at stake.

There is great hope for us all. To conduct each relationship in a Godly way and stay on course is the best way to honor God. And, to begin again and do it God's way this time is the blessing of God's forgiving and restoring grace.

The Order

I. Commitment... entering into private covenant with each other.

This Commitment/Covenant says, "I love you and willingly obligate myself to you as long as I live."
Why? This is the time to hear each other's witness of faith commitment to Jesus Christ and to see if there is great "chemistry" in the relationship.
Consider: Song of Songs 6:2

II. Concurrence... receiving the blessing of family and significant brother and sister Christians.

Why? This is the time to see how others view your relationship.
For example: Will he be a willing spiritual leader or is he using religion as a "line" to get what he wants? Will potential issues of family abuse, alcoholism and divorce cause her to "catch the first bus out of town?"
Consider: Genesis 24:59-60

III. Covenant... publicly stating our provate Commitment/Covenent.
We will love each other exclusively, faithfully and selflessly as long as each of us lives. This is the way that God loves us and has given us saving grace. Please listen and remind us of what you heard.
Why?  This is the time to call family and friends together to worship God and seal our mutual covenant by exchanging marriage vows.
Consider: 1 John 4: 16b-19

IV. Contract ... our legal agreement with the local government that we will live our lives together according to the civil laws concerning marriage.
Why? This is the time to seal our life-long covenant with a legal contract as citizens of a nation based on law. Christians are called to be good citizens.
Consider: Romans 13:1-7

V. Consummation... the sealing of our Commitment/Covenant by having sexual intercourse as husband and wife.
Why? This is the right time! Husband and wife begin sexual love-making together. The gift has been kept to be given at just the right time.
Consider: Hebrews 13:1-6

 

Conclusion: The order is critical ... our culture and its "public relations'" teams on almost every TV network and cable outlet "exalt" consummation without commitment. The "best" of these secular thinkers advocate commitment before consummation, but omit the necessity of a Godly covenant and a legal contract. The "worst" of these secular activists despise any order. Their credo seems to agree with the libertarian commercial, "Whatever hapens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." The current debate over "rights" of privacy regarding promiscuity and unwanted pregnancies maintain that concurrence is no one's business, certainly not the parents! While marriage should bring great joy, "out of order" relationships oftem bring sadness, frustration and grief.

God has always called his children to loving obedience to his commands and Biblical traditions. He knows our lives will be filled with peace, forgiveness, purity, hope and freedom when we follow His way. Please do not let anyone or anything put an "Out of Order" sign on your precious life. Consider: 2 Timothy 1:3-14 (v. 12b, especially)

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