The Symphony And Unity Of The Bible As Seen In "The Great Marriage Theme"

John 3:27-29 "John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full."

Introduction: The unity and symphony of scripture

        We recently have explored how the theme of "the great wedding" ties together the Bible's message of salvation. Additionally, this same theme has shed light upon predictive Bible prophecies of Jesus' return to retrieve believers unto Himself in "the rapture of the church". It truly is amazing to see the symphony and unity of the Bible. When I say "symphony", I mean all the various strands of truth that convey God's revelation of Himself in Scripture. When I speak of the "unity of scripture", I mean the incredible consistency of the message of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The "marriage theme" is one of those themes that demonstrates both of these traits of scripture. 

          Today's post is going to explore this theme further by taking as its point of departure the early days of Jesus' ministry in John chapters two and three. John 2:1-11 and John 3:22-36 represent bookends that expose readers to the theme of Jesus Christ as the Heavenly Bridegroom that came to redeem His bride. The Bible Knowledge Commentary notes this point about Jesus and the "bridegroom" theme:

"In Jesus’ growing influence, John found his own joy fulfilled. He illustrated this for his disciples by referring to a custom at Near Eastern weddings. The friend of the bridegroom was only an assistant, not the main participant in the marriage. The assistant acted on behalf of the bridegroom and made the preliminary arrangements for the ceremony."

The commentary later notes:

"His joy came when he heard the bridegroom coming for his bride. John the Baptist’s work was to prepare for the arrival of Christ, the “Groom.” John baptized only with water, not with the Spirit. Therefore Jesus must become greater and John must become less. This was not merely advisable or fortuitous; it was the divine order. John willingly and with joy accepted Jesus’ growing popularity as God’s plan."

       The Biblical theme of the "Divine Wedding" was used by God to portray His redemptive purposes in the Bible. In a more specific way, we want to see how this overall theme applies specifically to understanding the identity of Jesus Christ in John 3:22-36.   

1. The Old Testament's use of the "bridegroom theme"

        It is no accident that the most famous passage on salvation in the Bible - John 3:16 - occurs in the same chapter as John the Baptist's declaration of Jesus as the Bridegroom for the people. In the Old Testament, God planned to marry Israel as His wife (as portrayed in His promises to the patriarchs).  His covenant with them on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19-20) and His repeated appeals for them to be faithful as a spouse to her husband (see  Hosea 2:20-23) pervade the message of the Old Testament scriptures (also see Jeremiah 2:1ff). 

       Old Testament books like "Ruth" unite the marital language of the Old Testament with the concept of a "Kinsman Redeemer" who takes on a bride that was married to a near blood-relative that passed away so as to preserve that man's bloodline (see Deuteronomy 25:5-10). In such ancient contexts, widows had no way of redeeming themselves, and so not only did the "law of the kinsman-redeemer" preserve the dead man's lineage, but also protected the living widow. Such marital language is used in the Old Testament's pointing forward to Jesus, who came to redeem for Himself a bride that, metaphorically speaking, was formerly married to the deadness of sins, trespasses and the kingdom of darkness (see Ephesians 2:1-4 and 5:22-25). 

       The Old Testament unfolds this "marital" language in many more ways as it speaks of the relationship between God and His people (see Psalm 45 and Song of Solomon). With the great "marriage theme", we do come across unexpected "twists and turns", such as  the abrupt theme of divorce representing the breach of covenant by the people to God (see Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8; Hosea 2:2). The sad treachery of Israel is thankfully not the final word. Glimpses of promises of restoration sit on the horizons of the prophets. 

       Through prophetic predictions of a new Covenant and coming Messiah (Ezekiel 36:25-26; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Joel 2:28-31), Yahweh revealed His plan to restore unto Himself His people (see again Hosea 2:20-23). What all this means is that God's Sovereign purposes to restore His people were not going to fail. 

2. The appearance of the Heavenly Divine Bridegroom to achieve salvation for His people

      John the Baptist's remarks about Jesus being the "bridegroom" begins to unfold how it is God is going to restore unto Himself a people.  What surprises us is that God Himself, in the Person of the Son, was going to experience incarnation as the Groom who would offer Himself to Israel as her Messiah. Redemption is pictured in the New Testament as God's desire to restore broken fellowship with a people who rejected Him! 

3. The Tragedy and Triumph of the Bridegroom in redeeming His people

       As the reader journeys throughout the Gospels, we see the following thoughts developed regarding the presentation of the Son as "The Groom for His people":

A. The Divine Groom rejoices in coming for His people. Matthew 9:15; John 2:1-12

B. The Divine Groom rejected by His people. Matthew 22:1-5

C. The Divine Groom renders His life on behalf of His people. Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25-27

4. The surprising climax of the Bridegroom redeeming His people

       The New Testament's unfolding of this amazing theme centers almost exclusively on the Groom - The Son. However there is another twist, a surprise unforeseen by the Old Testament and faintly unfolded in the Gospels: namely, the mystery of the church (see Ephesians 3:9-10). The Son who rejoiced, was rejected, rendered His life to crucifixion and raised from the dead will return once again. Passages such as Revelation 19:7-21 portray how the Son is looking forward to retrieve His Bride - The Church. Furthermore, the current project of God the Holy Spirit involves calling forth, one -by-one, sinners to saving faith - which amounts to sinners saying: "I do" to Jesus. When we put together all that we have considered up to this point, and then consider how the remainder of the New Testament explains this theme, we discover the following:

A. The Bride is being prepared for her groom, (with Israel being set aside at this present time) - Romans 11.

B. The Bride will be presented to the Son as His bride in heaven the rapture - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:6-7.

C. The Bride will be presented here on earth at His second coming (at which point He will restore Israel) - Matt 25:1-13; Rom 11:25-26; 1 Thess 4:13-16.

D. The Groom will reign on earth with His Bride the church, along with Israel who will be folded into His bride to be at the end of His reign on earth - Revelation 20.

E. The Groom and Bride will be married for all eternity, thus completing God's purposes in presenting a bride, composed of all of those whom He chose, called and were converted by faith to His Son - Revelation 21-22.

Closing thoughts:

       So when we consider all of the above observations with what John says in the opening text of John 3:27-29, we can see why he was so excited. Truly the promises of redemption and restoration were decisively revealed in the life of the incarnation of the Son in Jesus. This grand "marriage theme" conveys to us the symphony and unity of the Bible, as well as the identity of Jesus. May we all fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of Faith (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Summarizing the "Bridegroom" theme in the Bible

John 3:27-29 "John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full."

Introduction:

John 2:1-11 and John 3:22-36 represent bookends that expose readers to the theme of Jesus Christ as the Heavenly Bridegroom that came to redeem His bride. The Bible Knowledge Commentary notes this point about Jesus and the "bridegroom" theme:

"In Jesus’ growing influence, John found his own joy fulfilled. He illustrated this for his disciples by referring to a custom at Near Eastern weddings. The friend of the bridegroom was only an assistant, not the main participant in the marriage. The assistant acted on behalf of the bridegroom and made the preliminary arrangements for the ceremony. His joy came when he heard the bridegroom coming for his bride. John the Baptist’s work was to prepare for the arrival of Christ, the “Groom.” John baptized only with water, not with the Spirit. Therefore Jesus must become greater and John must become less. This was not merely advisable or fortuitous; it was the divine order. John willingly and with joy accepted Jesus’ growing popularity as God’s plan."

The Biblical theme of the Divine Wedding as used by God to portray His redemptive purposes in the Bible will be the focus of today's post. In a more specific way, we want to see how this overall theme applies specifically to understanding the identity of Jesus Christ in John 3:22-36.   

1. The Old Testament's use of the "bridegroom theme"

It is no accident that the most famous passage on salvation in the Bible - John 3:16, occurs in the same chapter with John the Baptist's declaration of Jesus as the Bridegroom for the people. In the Old Testament, God planned to marry Israel as His wife, as portrayed in His promises to the patriarchs, His covenant with them on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19-20) and His repeated appeals for them to be faithful as a spouse to her husband (see  Hosea 2:20-23). 

Books of the Old Testament like the Book of Ruth tie in the marital language of the Old Testament with the concept of a "Kinsman Redeemer" who takes on a bride that has no way of redeeming herself. As the Old Testament unfolds this "marital" language describing God and His people (see Psalm 45 and Song of Solomon); the reader is faced with the abrupt theme of divorce representing the breach of covenant by the people to God (see Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:8; Hosea 2:2). The sad treachery of Israel is thankfully not the final word. Glimpses of promises of restoration sit on the horizons of the prophets. Through prophetic predictions of a new Covenant and coming Messiah (Ezekiel 36:25-26; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Joel 2:28-31), Yahweh revealed His plan to restore unto Himself His people (see again Hosea 2:20-23). What all this means is that God's Sovereign purposes to restore His people was not going to fail. The Old Testament tells us what Yahweh intended to do, and yet it does not reveal how.  

2. The appearance of the Heavenly Divine Bridegroom to achieve salvation for His people

John the Baptist's remarks about Jesus being the "bridegroom" begins to unfold how it is God is going to restore unto Himself a people.  With a surprising twist - that God Himself in the Person of the Son was going to be incarnated as the Groom who would offer Himself to Israel as her Messiah. Redemption is pictured among other things in the New Testament as God's desire to restore broken fellowship with a people who rejected Him! 

3. The Tragedy and Triumph of the Bridegroom in redeeming His people
As the reader journeys throughout the Gospels, we see the following thoughts developed regarding the presentation of the Son as the Groom for His people:

1. The Divine Groom rejoices in coming for His people. Matthew 9:15; John 2:1-12

2. The Divine Groom rejected by His people. Matthew 22:1-5

3. The Divine Groom renders His life on behalf of His people. Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:25-27

4. The surprising climax of the Bridegroom redeeming His people

The New Testament's unfolding of this amazing theme centers almost exclusively on the Groom - The Son.  However there is another twist, a surprise unforeseen by the Old Testament and faintly unfolded in the Gospels - the mystery of the church.  The Son who rejoiced, was rejected, rendered His life and who will return, is now looking forward to coming to receive the bride that is being called forth, one choice person at a time, by the Holy Spirit, resulting in freely made decisions that say: "I do" to Jesus Christ. When we put together all that we have considered up to this point, and then consider how the remainder of the New Testament explains this theme, we discover the following:  

a. The bride is being prepared for her groom, (with Israel being set aside at this present time). Romans 11

b. The Bride will be presented to the Son as His bride in heaven the rapture. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 19:6-7

c. The Bride will be presented here on earth at His second coming (at which point He will restore Israel). Matt 25:1-13; Rom 11:25-26; 1 Thess 4:13-16

d. The Groom will reign on earth with His Bride the church, along with Israel who will be folded into His bride to be at the end of His reign on earth. (Revelation 20)

e. The Groom and Bride will be married for all eternity, thus completing God's purposes in presenting a bride, composed of all of those whom He chose, called and were converted by faith to His Son. 

Closing thoughts

So when we consider all of the above observations with what John says in the opening text of John 3:27-29, we can see why he was so excited. Truly the promises of redemption and restoration were decisively revealed in the life of the incarnation of the Son in Jesus. In the next post, we will feature a brief outline of John 3:22-36 that incorporates what we learned in today's post. 

Major themes of Jesus in John 1-3

John 3:27-29 "John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full."

Introduction: the themes of Jesus we find in John chs 1-3

As one considers the first three chapters of John's Gospel, it becomes quickly apparent that the coming of the Son of God altered reality and understanding. Today's post wants to briefly explore the major themes developed by John in the first three chapters of His gospel.

1. The Journey of Deity in partaking of true humanity - John 1:1-18
 John 1:1-18 present the Son coming into this world to reveal Himself as the Person of Jesus of Nazareth. The self-imposed voluntary humiliation of the Son's stooping down to partake in our frail humanity is details in other New Testament passages such as Philippians 2:5-11 and Hebrews 10:5-6. As John unfolds the identity of "the Word made flesh" in John 1:19-3:36, we see several Old Testament themes re-introduced and tied together in Jesus. In John 1:19-51 we see several names of Jesus that reveal Him as truly Divine and truly human (namely "Lamb of God" in 1:29; "Messiah" or "Christ" in 1:41; "King of Israel" in 1:49 and "Son of Man" in 1:51). This journey of the Son's "enmanning" or "incarnation" occupies the "prologue" of John 1:1-18.

2. Lamb of God - John 1:19-51
Here we find various titles expressed by John the Baptist and would-be followers of Jesus. John the Baptist begins this sequence of titles by expressing Jesus as "The Lamb of God". In subsequent follow-up conversations that we find between Jesus and his would-be followers, we see such titles as "Messiah" (John 1:41); "King of Israel" (John 1:49) and "Son of Man" (John 1:51). These three titles work in differing ways to communicate the true Deity and true humanity of Jesus. As the Lamb of God, His mission was to come to die as man for the sins of the people while being God who would ever be the source of their salvation. 

3. The Mediator of the New Covenant - John 2:1-11
The unfolding of Jesus' significance goes on in John 2:1-11, whereby in His first sign or miracle of changing water into wine, He introduces Himself as the Mediator of the inbreaking New Covenant age. This particular identification of Jesus connects the reader to how Jesus' coming alters history and understanding of everything from designating the ending of the Old Testament era to the fulfillment of so many prophecies and promises (see Isaiah 12; Ezekiel 36:25-26; Jeremiah 31:31-34; Joel 2:28-31). The miracle of the wedding at Cana forms a cycle in John which Gerald Borchert in the New American Commentary series describes as "The Cana Cycle":

"The five segments of the Gospel and two transitional statements (2:12, 23–25) that compose the Cana Cycle move the reader’s attention from Cana (2:1–11) and Capernaum (2:12) through Jerusalem (2:13–24) to an unclear Jewish/Judean(?) context (3:1–36), then to Samaria (4:1–42) and back to Cana in Galilee (4:43–54). The focus of this Cana Cycle provides the reader with a perspective on the widening influence of Jesus’ ministry reminiscent of the dominical (i.e a command given by Jesus) commission given the disciples in the postresurrection encounter."


4. Jesus as the New Temple and High Priest - John 2:13-25 
The cleansing of the Temple in John 2:13-25 weaves in another set of themes, namely Jesus as the New Temple and the True High priest who cleanses His temple. Both of these themes are so closely related as to really occupy one two-fold theme.  It appears that Jesus conversation with Nicodemas in John 3:1-21 continues on the two fold theme of temple/priest and the cleansing thereof from John 2:13-25. Ellicott's commentary for English Readers notes this connection: 

"Our division of chapters breaks the connection, and the omission of the conjunction leads us to think of the visit of Nicodemus as quite distinct from what has gone before; whereas it really rises out of it."

Jesus was communicating the old temple system to be obsolete, with Him being the true temple and true High priest - albeit the externals of faith. In John 3:1-21, Jesus' actions lead to the true and only way spiritual cleansing can occur - namely by the New Birth. When one explores the Biblical theme of the Divine Wedding as used by God to portray His redemptive purposes in the Bible, rich themes emerge.  

5. Jesus as the Bridegroom that came for His Bride (i.e His people) - John 3:22-35

Since the Wedding at Cana miracle is set in the context of a wedding, we find Jesus communicating himself as the groom who had come to state and demonstrate his intentions toward the redemption of His people, who are portrayed throughout the Old Testament as "the bride of Yahweh". Consequently, this wedding theme is reinforced in a testimony of John the Baptist in John 3:22-36. In every unfolding episode of the introductory themes we find in John's first three chapters, we find a brief exposition, some sort of sign and then responses of various people to whatever identity of Jesus is being revealed.

The significance of the growth of Jesus' ministry certainly had gained the attention of the people of that time. As all of these themes are introduced and then woven together by John, we find a beautiful tapestry that introduces us the Person of the Son of God. The Bible Knowledge Commentary notes:

"For a short time the ministry of John the Baptist overlapped Jesus’ ministry. Thus the Judean countryside must have been alive with the teaching of both these great preachers of repentance and God’s kingdom. Both John and Jesus had disciples, large crowds followed both of them, and both baptized." 

The same commentary later on adds:
"Both groups were baptizing and thus two “reform” movements were popular. This was before John was put in prison (3:24). This statement reveals how the Fourth Gospel supplements the Synoptics. It implies that readers knew about John’s imprisonment from reading the other Gospels (Matt. 14:1–12; Mark 6:14–29; Luke 3:19–20) or from common church tradition."

Closing remarks:
The point of today's post was to explore the major themes of the first three chapters of John with respect to the identity of Jesus as the Son of God. In our exploration we noted four major themes:

1. The Journey of true Deity partaking in true humanity - John 1:1-18

2. The Lamb of God - John 1:19-51

3. Mediator of the New Covenant. John 2:1-12

4. The New Temple and High Priest. John 2:13-25

5. The Bridegroom who comes for His bride (His people). John 3:1-36

A dedicatory post to an enriched 20 year marriage: 9 Ingredients for an Enriching Marriage

Ruth 1:16 "But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God."

It is hard to believe that today marks 20 years since my wife and I exchanged wedding vows. This morning my wife had commented on how over the years, though life has been difficult, she could not imagine doing life without me. I can echo those same words too. The above opening text appeared on the front cover of our wedding program. Ruth the Moabitess had to make a choice: would she return back to the land of her family, or would she remain with her mother-in-law and enter into a land she did not know and trust in the true and living God whom her own people had never worshipped? Ruth's resolve was to forsake whatever she knew and forge ahead into what she did not know by experience but was sensing deep down to be the correct course of action.

As I think back over the last 20 years of marriage, I can recall what I was like as a 22 year-old young man. It is only by God's grace that I was able to enter into a life-time commitment that neither my wife nor I had ever faced. We both love Jesus. Back then, as well as today, we both retain the sense of God's call on our lives. As one saying goes: "God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called".  God called us to Himself as individuals in salvation and then called us to live life together as husband and wife. I love my wife more than breath itself. The institution of marriage is a God-designed arrangement. Only in Jesus Christ can the aim and purpose of marriage be fully realized. For me, being married to my wife is more delightful, more lovely and more beautiful than the day we exchanged our vows. 

I dedicate this post to my wife, Debi Smith, as a public declaration of how blessed I am to have been given two decades of life with her. This morning I prayed that God would give us many more. 

As I reflect on our twenty years of life together, it seems only appropriate to mention what has made our marriage so enriching. It's interesting how this week in our church there will be two wedding events. We attended a wedding the prior week.  I'll be doing a vow renewal for one couple who is celebrating 50 years of marriage and our Associate Pastor will be performing a wedding for another couple. Whether a couple has been married for 20 minutes, 20 years, 50 years or more, there are elements that make or break a marriage. I am sure as the years go by, the following ingredients will be further verified or perhaps grow in number. I'm sure for many readers, more suggestions could be added. As a way of closing out this dedicatory post, I list nine ingredients for an enriching marriage, that is to say, nine ingredients that I find in scripture as well as elements I think have made our marriage, and can make any marriage truly enriching.

1. Center yourselves on God. Ephesians 5:22-33

2. Celebrate one another. 

3. Keep short accounts 

4. Comfort one another in sickness, in health, in sorrow and in pain

5. Keep praying for one another and pray together

6. Cherish each other above all others

7. Communicate your love to one another before your children

8. Communicate clearly and never assume

9. Cherish each other and teach the children to the do the same

Gospel centered view of gender, marriage and the church

1 Timothy 2:3-4 "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and tocome to the knowledge of the truth."

When we consider the significance of the Gospel, we not only understand it's importance in regards to how sinners are brought to Christ in saving faith, but also how it informs our understanding of everything in life. To put it another way, some of the most basic truths behind what it means to be human, the meaning of marriage and the purpose of the church would not make sense apart from the Gospel. Today's post aims to demonstrate a Gospel-centered view of gender, marriage and the church from 1 Timothy 2:1-4:10.

What is the Gospel?

When we consider the Gospel or the "Good News", 1 Timothy 2:1-4:10 contains key verses that enable us to define the Excellent Savior, The Event of Salvation and Experience of salvation proclaimed in the Gospel. First, the Excellent Savior, 1 Timothy 2:5 "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." The good news about "The Good News" is that we are brought into contact with this Excellent Savior, Jesus Christ, Who is man for us before God and God to us who are undeserving men and women. 1 Timothy 3:16b gives further detail - "He who was revealed in the flesh,Was vindicated in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Proclaimed among the nations, Believed on in the world, Taken up in glory." This Excellent Savior, God in human flesh, came down to earth to become a sinless human being for men, to minister among men, to die for men and to raise from the dead to be believed upon by men. Then, this same Jesus ascended up into heaven to demonstrate He being worthy to be worshipped by men. 

The Gospel tells of an Excellent Savior Who achieved the event of salvation, as recorded in 1 Timothy 2:6 "who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time." This event entailed a transaction, a payment for sin by the Son to the Father. This event occurred on the cross wherein the Son became the curse of sin (Galatians 3:13) and became the very embodiment of sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) while of course remaining the sinless Savior. All that we are and did became credited to Jesus so that all He did and is would be credited (or imputed) to us at saving faith. 

The Excellent Savior achieved the event of salvation, so that their could be a definite experience of salvation to all who are drawn by the Spirit to freely believe on Him. 1 Timothy 4:10 states - "For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers." Jesus Christ is the Savior of all men in a historical and general sense, in that He died to delay the wrath of God and to give men the opportunity to hear the Gospel, repent and believe, as well as to show forth His goodness to them in common grace. (see Matthew 5:45; 2 Peter 3:9) In a second eternal and specific sense, Jesus Christ died specifically for believers, His church, who individually drawn by the Father and called by the Spirit make up the church. (see John 6:44; 16:8-12 and Acts 20:28) Hence the Gospel promises a genuine, definite experience of salvation at the moment of saving faith. This is the Gospel.

A Gospel-centered view of gender

As we noted earlier, issues such as gender cannot be grasped apart from the Gospel, nor for that matter, would the Gospel be understood apart from gender! The Bible is very clear when it comes to God's central focus on gender in Genesis 1:27 "God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." God purposefully made man and woman because He intended for them to express distinctive equality within the bounds of their marriage relationship. God Himself expresses distinction and equality within Himself. The Bible reveals God to be One God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Matthew 22:37-39) that exists as three co-equal yet distinct Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 13:14) 

Biblical manhood is defined as men being spiritual leaders in their homes, churches and communities without hesitation. (1 Timothy 2:1-2, 8) Biblical womanhood portrays women as co-equal sharers in the Person and work of Jesus Christ while distinctively finding covering under the loving leadership of their husbands. (1 Corinthians 11:1-3) For women who may not be married, the concept of Jesus Christ being their covering, as well as their inherent value as human beings before God is underscored time and again. (Galatians 3:28) 

When Jesus came to this world, among the benefits He achieved on the cross, restoration of manhood and womanhood in the context of saving faith was among such achievements. (Colossians 3:12-21; 1 Timothy 2:9-15). Galatians 4:4 reminds us that in the very act of the incarnation, the Son chose to use the womb of the virgin to enter from eternity into time. Womanhood's purposes and dignity are restored in Christ. Luke 8 portrays various women serving Jesus and participating in the work He was doing. Undoubtedly the distinction of men and women are preserved insomuch as Jesus called the twelve disciples to be Apostles. Nonetheless, the equal value that women had in Jesus' sight is proven in the fact that they were the first eyewitnesses and proclaimers of His resurrection from the dead. (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). 

Jesus also came to restore true manhood by becoming a true man, as recorded in passages such as Philippians 2:7. The place of gender functions so centrally in all that Jesus came to accomplish. The distinctive equality of men and women that was lost in the fall and warped by sin is restored in a redemptive relationship with Jesus Christ by grace through faith. 

Whenever an attempt is made to erase the distinctions of gender, the Biblical Gospel is abandoned in favor of a man-made idea. The vision of the true and living God is blurred in favor of a deity that is neither real nor saving. Having then looked at the Gospel and a Gospel centered view of gender, we thirdly turn to....

A Gospel-centered view of marriage

What is marriage in the Biblical sense? How specifically defined is marriage? Genesis 1:26 and 2:24-25 specifically define marriage as one man, one woman and covenant with God for life. The Baptist faith and Message 2000 aptly notes about marriage: "God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage, blood, or adoption. Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the union between Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the woman in marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel of sexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means for procreation of the human race."

The Baptist Faith and Message (BFM 2000) goes on: "The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both are created in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way God relates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect, and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to the servant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is her husband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility to respect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the household and nurturing the next generation."

This summary of the Biblical material demonstrates that marriage proclaims the truth of the Gospel (Jesus and His church). Whenever we see Jesus reiterating this specific, sacred and standard definition of marriage in Matthew 19:3-5 and Paul clearly connecting marriage to what Jesus achieved on the cross for the sake of His bride, the church, the connection between marriage and the Gospel cannot be avoided. To advocate any other sort of arrangement: co-habitation, pornography, adultery, pre-marital sex or same-sex marriage is lose sight of what marriage was designed to be. None of these other arrangements convey anything about the Gospel and demonstrate themselves to be portrayals of men and women having relationships apart from God's sanction and will. 

A Gospel-centered view of the church

The last point on marriage leads naturally into considering a Gospel-centered view of the church. In 1 Timothy 3:1-13 we see two ordained offices being mention: namely the Pastor (3:1-7) and the Deacon (3:8-13). The qualifications for each of these is over-whelmingly predicated upon sound marriage and family life. Why emphasize marriage and family in the qualifications for leadership and servanthood in the local church? Marriage is an enormous deal to God and it functions intimately with the Gospel. The church is the church of the living God, the "pillar and foundation of truth". (1 Timothy 3:15-16)

As one comes in 1 Timothy 4, warning is given about the error that will be circulating in the times leading up to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Pastors have the responsibility to proclaim the truths just mentioned. (1 Timothy 4:6) If a pastor fails to proclaim the Gospel, a gospel-centered view of gender, marriage, the church and really the whole counsel of God, he is forgetting the fact he will stand before the Lord to give an account. (Hebrews 13:17)

In like manner, the congregation is charged in upholding and living out Gospel-centered manhood and womanhood, marriages and church life. (see Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21; 1 Timothy 4:10). If churches and pastors give ground in any of the above areas, they have weakened their ability to be faithful stewards of the Gospel and end-up aiming to please men more than God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ must ever be at the center of any discussion we have about gender, marriage or the church. Why? Because the Gospel reminds us that apart from Jesus Christ, we would be lost in our sins and without hope. Such truths will ensure that we approach all people with truth in love and love in truth, since Gospel-centered living is what God is calling all Christ-followers to articulate and model in this 21st century world.  

P3 Notes from a Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma Conference: The Gospel, Sexuality and the Church - Answering tough questions

Note to readers: The above image is from the weekly publication, "The Baptist Messenger", produced by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO). The link is www.baptistmessenger.com.  All comments below and links were granted permission by the BGCO to be used in today's post. May what is written below inform and equip the reader to the glory of God. 

Introduction:
A few weeks ago this blogger had the opportunity to attend a conference sponsored by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (henceforth from here we will use it's abbreviation "BGCO") entitled: "The Gospel, Sexuality and the Church". My intention for attending this conference was two-fold: 

1). To be equipped on how to better communicate to people what the Bible has to say about the Gospel and it's bearing on gender, sexuality, the church and culture.

2). To know how to express the love of Jesus in a better way to all people, regardless of sexual orientation. 

The conference to say the least was very well done, organized, positively communicated and Biblical. As each sermon and panel discussion was presented, I felt it necessary to not only take notes but to make them available to readers of this blog with the hope of sharing this informative, engaging and Gospel-centered conference. Thus for the next few posts I will be sharing by way of summary the messages and panel discussions. The BGCO has posted some of the plenary sessionson their website, as well as links to their weekly publication: "The Baptist Messenger", which features after-conference reflections and articles by key leadership in the BGCO. Here are the links: http://www.bgco.org/bgco-conference and http://www.baptistmessenger.com/the-gospel-sexuality-the-church-2/. Today's post features another panel discussion that dealt with topics such as divorce/remarriage, requests for church membership from people who want to remain in the same-sex lifestyle and how to handle situations where children express to their parents that they are gay.

Excerpts from Panel Discussion #2 of the conference: "The Gospel, Sexuality and the Church"

1. If a couple comes forward, wants membership in a church, but wants to remain gay, what does the pastor or church do? We would deal with them like any other sexual sin. Talk to them about repentance. Don't baptize them until they have repented. Perhaps they may be on the way to changing. Keep giving the Gospel. 

2. What about ministering to transgender people? Scripture says our sin has alienated us from God's design, including gender. Gender is not a meaningless idea, since Jesus asserts the uniqueness of genders in Matthew 19:4-5. Galatians 6 tells us to come up alongside people, tell them of glimmers of their masculinity or feminity. Sometimes small practical steps such as finances, affirming of gender roles. We have got to get back to discipleship.

3. What happens if a Deacon's children expresses their preference to be gay? We need to encourage the Deacon and his family to maintain contact with the child, affirming an open door of love, while at the same time affirming a biblical standard. We can still love our children while not affirming their choices.

4. How can we deal with homosexuality in comparison to divorce/remarriage? The differences between both are the following:

a. Divorce can be appropriate on Biblical grounds and then remarriage. Sometimes in remarriage, sin was committed going into the marriage. People need to repent of the sin but be faithful to their current marriage. These marriages after all are legitimate marriages. 

b. There are no biblical grounds for same-sex marriage. If we respond to same-sex unions by not talking about it in our churches, we will come to accept it. How people reacted to divorce a generation ago and then came to see it as normal is how our young people look at same-sex unions (i.e. not shocked by it). 

5. Dr. Anthony Jordon, Executive Director of the BGCO, states how he despises seeing theology and doctrine only remaining in the seminaries. We need doctrine taught and preached in the church. Churches need to be good incubators of theology. 

6. What are ways we can improve upon preparing people for marriage? The only people we have the authority to marry are those who are accountable to one another. Weddings are not about love for one another, but in people making vows before God and going into something they have never experienced. Think about it, what happens if a spouse gets sick, laid-off from work or if there is infidelity? 

7. What about infertility or invitro fertilization? Dr. Moore, chairman of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC, notes he is for the technology that fixes a medical problem of infertility. These efforts should not be used in situations separating sex from one-flesh unions.

8. What happens if all 50 states adopt same-sex marriage/unions. Dr. Moore notes that the government cannot force churches to perform such ceremonies. 

P3 God's will on Men, Women, The Church, Marriage and Culture - 1 Timothy 2:1-4:6

1 Timothy 4:1-3 "But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth."

Introduction:

The past couple of days have been dedicated to understanding God's will for manhood, womanhood, the church and marriage. In yesterday's post we dealt at length with the Biblical definition of marriage, noting two marks that can define any marriage and an additional third mark for anyone desiring to have a Christian marriage:

1. Sacred covenant ordained by God 
2. Specifically one man, one woman, united for life.
3. Spiritual Christian marriage: one Christian man, one Christian woman, united for life. 

Thus far we have aimed to understand God's will on these matters from 1 Timothy 2:1-3:16. Today we conclude this blog series by considering God's will in culture, which is to say, God's will for Christians living in the culture as seen in 1 Timothy 4:1-6. We will first of all define briefly the marks of our culture predicted by the Holy Spirit in 1 Timothy 4:1-6, followed by a specific focus on God's will for Christians living in a culture hostile to marriage.

Predictive marks of culture. 1 Timothy 4:1-6
I will only lay out in brief the four marks of culture the Holy Spirit says characterize all subsequent cultures, specifically our own, in the days leading up to Christ's return. We know the Holy Spirit is speaking of the time immediately preceeding the return of Christ, since we similar references to such times in 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Peter 3:3 and Jude 1:18. In short, what four marks does the Spirit predict to characterize the culture of our day:

1. Revival of paganism. 1 Tim 4:1
2. Recklessness. 1 Tim 4:2
3. Rejection of marriage. 1 Tim 4:3
4. Religion without Christ. 1 Tim 4:4

We could easily spend another two or three posts discussing each of these marks, however the third one (rejection of marriage) is what I want to spend the rest of the time focusing on today as well close out this blog series. Why? Inasmuch as all these marks must be warned about and addressed, perhaps no more visible, no more practical and no more personal battleground is being contested for in the culture and the church than marriage. 

God's will for Christians living in in a culture hostile to marriage
As we already discussed above, marriage is specifically defined in the Bible. The Biblical definition of marriage (one man and one woman united in covenant for life) is a concept that is not only found in scripture, but hardwired into humanity, since we are made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:24-25) Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4:3 that among other practices, culture in the time before Christ will "hinder", "forbid" or "try to stop" the institution of marriage in it's tracks. Quite literally in the original language, those who "forbid" marriage will try to "stand in the away or make it difficult" for those who want to get married or who advocate such.  In Paul's first letter to Timothy, the church he pastored was located in a city where all sorts of practices and relationships were being promoted. Temple prostitution was the norm and the Roman and Greek practices of having mistresses would had been accepted in that culture. What Paul is saying is that such opposition to God's marriage standard of one man/one woman in marital covenant will grow worse and more pronounced as the time for Christ's return approaches. How so? By promoting alternative, man-made arrangements that when practiced, result in the decrease of rate of marriage and the increase of rate of practice of non-biblical relationships that are centered on man and not God. What would be some examples of non-biblical co-habiting relationships or any type of sexually-orientated arrangement outside of marriage? We could do an exhaustive listing, but for sake of time I will list a general heading and four specific examples:

Five-examples of non-Biblical relationships that work against marriage and thus hinder it in our culture. 

1. Fornication. Any sexual relationship between a man and woman before marriage (Deuteronomy 22:17-19), or any sexual act that occurs outside of marriage. (see 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:16; 10:8; Jude 1:7) The term "fornication" is a general umbrella term that, in the original languages of both Old and New Testaments, refers to being unfaithful to God's covenant and one's covenant spouse in marriage.  

2. Adultery. This act is a specific expression of fornication that has to do with any sex-act performed with one person of the opposite sex while married to another person of the opposite sex. We know that "adultery" is a specific expression of fornication from texts that mention both terms as distinct sins. (Mark 7:21; Galatians 5:19). Exodus 20:14 is the first mention of the term "adultery" and the seventh commandment. According to Proverbs 6:32, a person lacks sense when they commit this act. Think of how much adultery destroys marriages, undoubtedly creating an environment that can cause people to doubt the validity of marriage, and thus hindering it. 

3. Pornography. This is a visual act of fornication that primarily entails one person attempting to gratify themselves outside of marriage and without anyone else. Jesus not only condemned adultery, but also condemned the looking upon another woman (or if a woman, looking upon a man) with lust as tantamount to committing adultery in Matthew 5:28. Why? Because the attempt to gratify one's God-given appetite through an unbiblical method pollutes that gift and leads to moral and spiritual ruin. Addiction to pornography wrecks havok on marriages, leading to physical, emotional and spiritual distance between spouses. 

4. Pre-marital sex. In passages such as Exodus 22:16,17 and Deuteronomy 22:28-29, we see commands forbidding pre-marital sex, which is often-times also called by the more general term "fornication". Paul tells people in 1 Corinthians 7:2-4 that if a man and a woman, who have expressed the desire to spend the rest of their lives together, are to avoid falling into sexual sin, "let every man have his own wife and every wife her own husband." 1 Corinthians 7:9 plainly states: "it is better to marry than to burn." Since the 1970's, premarital "live-in" co-habitation has increased over 500%, resulting in a slowing of rate of marriages and/or people getting married far later in life. Either way, pre-marital sex hinders marriage.

5. Same-sex unions. 
This particular matter is introducing the most radical alteration of the marriage definition in all of human history. Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., President of the The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has noted that up until 20 years ago, no nation on earth had ever had such a thing as same-sex marriage. Christians must realize that the terms "same-sex" and "marriage" would by definition cancel each other out Biblically and by the meaning of marriage clearly defined by scripture. Even radical authors and speakers like Rob Bell, who advocates same-sex unions, has concluded that for the church to be relevant, they have to abandon their reliance upon the Bible. As shocking as Bell's statement is, his point affirms that even non-Christian advocates of same-sex unions recognize the impoosiblity of holding to the Bible and the idea of same-sex marriage. The Bible in no way affirms that same-sex sexual activity is within the bounds of God's known will. To elevate same-sex unions to the category of marriage is to discard the Divine design and make anew a relationship that derives from the heart of sinful man. 

 Author and Pastor Dr. Timothy Keller makes this powerful point in his DVD series - "The Reason for God": "The Bible says sex is for a man and a woman inside marriage to nurture and maintain a long-term, permanent relationship of marriage, which means polygamy, which means sex outside marriage and homosexuality are considered violations of God's will and are violations and violations of our own design. So the Bible is saying that you are missing out when you do those things. The Bible's teaching on homosexuality would be then that you are going against your own design and are missing out on the best that God has for you." 

Any form of sexual sin outside of Biblical defined marriage hurts deep down due to the fact that anyone who commits any of the above acts "sins against his own body". (1 Corinthians 6:18). Moreover, fornication, if peristed as a full-time lifestyle (whether adultery, pre-marital sex, pornography or same-sex unions), could indicate an unregenerate heart, which in turn would mean that the person would suffer eternal torment with other unbelievers. (1 Corinthians 6:9) 

Is there hope and forgiveness for those who are either tempted by sexual sin or who commit any form of sexual sin?
It is vital when dealing with difficult subjects such as this that we end with the hope of the Gospel. The Gospel is for sinners in need of the Savior and Lord and for saints who need power to continually turn from sin and to their Savior and Lord. What happens when someone struggles with temptation with pornography or even same-sex attraction? 1 Corinthians 10:13 states: "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." James 1:13-16 also reminds us that temptation itself is not sin, but only when we give into it by yielding to our cravings does it then become a sin. Oftentimes our fleshly side as believers will take on the trappings of the overall bent of the culture. Thus this is why sins of the flesh are often connected to whatever is going on in the world and the Kingdom of darkness energizing this world system. (1 John 2:15-17)   


But now what happens if someone falls into any type of fornication? As Christians, we have the power from the Holy Spirit to turn away from such sins, as we see in Galatians 5:16 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry outthe desire of the flesh." Romans 13:14 is very helpful to memorize - "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." But if someone does fall into such sins, 1 John 1:9 states -  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 2 Timothy 2:24-25 urges - "The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth." Scripture actually records the restoration of a repentant church member who had fallen into gross immorality. (1 Corinthians 5; 2 Corinthians 2). So even though all the various sorts of fornication can lead to broken hearts, lives and severely crippled faith, yet the true Christian will turn away from such sin and not persist in it. 

Closing Thoughts
Living as a Christian in this 21st century culture is far from easy. Thankfully, God has laid out His will for believers who live out their daily lives for Him as men and women, married or unmarried in a culture that needs the light of Jesus. We can praise God that we not only have clear direction from His word on how we ought to live in His will, but that He is living out and working out His will in us. (Coolossians 1:27; Philippians 2:12-13). There is hope and forgiveness in Jesus Christ, and as with anyone falling into any sin, we all need to look to Jesus, the Author and Perfector of Faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

P2 God's will on Men, Women, The Church, Marriage and Culture - 1 Timothy 2:1-4:6

1 Timothy 3:1 "It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do."

1 Timothy 3:14-15 "I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; 15 but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself inthe household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth."

1 Timothy 4:6 "In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following."

Introduction:
Yesterday we considered what God's will is on men, women and the church, with some mention of His will on marriage. We concluded yesterday's post with the fact that much of the qualifications for Pastors and Deacons in 1 Timothy 3:1-13 cetner around their marriages and home lives. This is not incidental but intentional, since God's design of his church not only includes all individual believers whom He loved and called unto salvation, but also for the church to be a place that promotes the proclamation of His intentions for marriage. Pastoral leadership functions to set examples before the people of God, since truth is more often reinforced by example and word. Today we consider God's will on marriage, since it is spoken of so prominently in the qualifications of pastors and deacons in 1 Timothy 3:1-13, is used elsewhere to describe the risen Christ and His church that are referenced explicitly in 1 Timothy 3:14-16 and which is predicted to be opposed by unbelieving culture in these last days as warned in 1 Timothy 4:1-6.

God's will for marriage
We noted yesterday that marriage is a big deal to God in his church, and He wants men and families of pastors and deacons to champion and model before the congregation and ultimately the culture what sound marriages and homelives look like in a world where disfunction is unfortunately, but in reality, the norm. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit and the cross can pastors, deacons and the church body live out God's will for men, women and the church. But now the question is: what is marriage? How does God spell it out in His word?

The sacred covenant of marriage 
When we note the sacred covenant that is marriage (i.e the sanctity of marriage), we are recognizing it being a sacred, holy institution ordained by God that must be protected and promoted in the culture. Why? The God-given standard of marriage functions in concert with two other God-given institutions: government and God's people. In the scriptures three institutions are ordained by God in the following order: Marriage (or family), Government and God's people (Israel Old Testament and the Church New Testament). God's people in both parts of our Bibles function to proclaim the light of God's truth from His word and to be testimony of God's redemptive work. (Genesis 12:1-7; Matthew 28:18-20)

The Biblical teaching on the role of government is explained in the following quote from the Baptist Faith & Message 2000: "God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or not contained in it. Church and state should be separate. The state owes to every church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritual ends." Government then serves the needs of people in general and should provide a level playing field for all institutions so that the church can freely practice and promote the Gospel.  

What makes marriage so vital to the service of the other two institutions is what we noted earlier: marriage maintains a righteous standard in our culture and a powerful picture of the Gospel in both the culture and our churches. So what else should we declare about this standard? 

Specific definition of marriage: one man, one woman, for life 
The Bible knows of no other biological definition for marriage than that of one man, one woman, for life. (Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 2:24-25; Matthew 19:4-6). Marriage as described biologically, is a covenant made before God between one man and one woman. (Genesis 1:26-28) The main point of marriage, at least in the biological sense, is to propagate the human species and to produce Godly offspring. (Malachi 2:15) The Southern Baptist Entity: "The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission" writes: "Beyond the clear scriptural statements regarding fornication, cohabitation presents another breach of biblical ethics. God established the sexual relationship between a man and a woman in Genesis 2 as a sign of the covenant of marriage." Not only does such a statement apply to the unbiblical practices of fornication (sex outside of marriage) and co-habitation, but also other un-biblical practices such as same-sex unions. The SBC position statement on contrasting God's marriage standard to that of same-sex unions states: "We affirm God's plan for marriage and sexual intimacy – one man, and one woman, for life. Homosexuality is not a "valid alternative lifestyle." The Bible condemns it as sin. It is not, however, unforgivable sin. The same redemption available to all sinners is available to homosexuals. They, too, may become new creations in Christ." Thus biologically, the Bible's definition of true marriage has been and still remains exclusive: one man and one woman in covenant with one another and with God in a lifetime commitment to one another in holy matrimony.

Spiritual Christian marriage is one Christian man, one Christian woman, for life. 

Ephesians 5:31-33 gives us the clearest doctrinal and thus spiritual meaning of marriage found in scripture: "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband."  The other two ways of describing marriage (sacred covenant and specific to one man, one woman, for life) covers the general definition of marriage for all mankind, whether believer or unbeliever. However, when we talk about Christians and how marriage is to function in the church, scripture stresses this third truth of the spiritual siginficance of Christian marriage. 

In short, when two people are contemplating getting married, if they so-desire the marriage to be a Christian one, it makes sense logically and moreso Biblically for them both to be converted. Consider for example 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; And I will be their God, and they shall be My people." 

Now what happens if after two people have gotten married, one becomes a Christian? Passages such as 1 Corinthians 7:12 and 1 Peter 3:7 command the believer to remain faithful to their unbelieving spouse and to shine the light of Jesus. Undoubtedly that is a completely different situation versus the purposeful courting or contemplation of marriage that goes on so frequently between Christians and non-Christians. Certainly if someone finds out they are courting an unbeliever, they ought to share the Gospel with them and urge them to trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord. However, to practice so-called "missionary dating" or committing oneself to an unbeliever for the sake of evangelizing them is not only ill-advised but dishonest. To mix the proclamation of the Gospel with any sort of emotional coercion, even if well-intended, is at worst disasterous. If the choice comes down to between heeding God's Word and keeping that relationship, Jesus must be chosen over anyone, at anytime. Living as a Christian is not easy, however faithfulness to the Lord is always necessary. 

Closing thoughts for today
The ultimate meaning of marriage intended by God from the beginning was meant to picture His relationship with His people. When it comes to understanding God's will on marriage, in general terms we saw two truths:

1. Sacred covenant ordained by God
2. Specifically one man, one woman, united for life.

Then in regards to the specific context of marriage among Christians, we added a third distinguishing mark to the other two marks as constituting God's will for Christian marriage..

3. Spiritual Christian marriage: one Christian man, one Christian woman, united for life.

Marriage by its very nature carries much rich doctrinal truth: the Gospel message that Christ came to be the Savior of all men, especially believers. (1 Timothy 4:10) Jesus came to purchase His church, which is His bride ordained by His Father from before the foundation of the world. (Acts 20:28; Ephesians 5:22-33) To uphold any other standard than God's marriage standard of one man, one woman in covenant marital union with Him is to proclaim another message which is alien to the Gospel. These are the things Paul tells Timothy he is writing about (1 Timothy 3:14), and that all pastors are to point out (1 Timothy 4:6).