Oftentimes, the best thing a Christian couple can do for their church and their community is to model marriage as God intended it. Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Marriages should be honored by all of culture, not just the church, because marriage and the family are the basic building blocks of society. That's why our adversary has mounted a relentless attack against the biblical home and family.
Unfortunately, those of us who have been married haven't usually set a very positive example of what marriage is supposed to be. When singles and younger generations come to church, they hear sermons about what marriage is supposed to be, but they don't see very many examples of Christian couples who are fulfilled, loving, and happy. One of the best things we can do for our church and our community is to begin to demonstrate what God intended marriage to be.
This model of marriage is not a sickeningly sweet relationship that is so phony that it turns people off. Or a marriage that is based strictly on feelings of love. God never intended something as important as marriages to be based on uncontrollable, fluctuating feelings. The word used most often in the Greek for love in the Bible is the word agape, which means doing the right thing, regardless of your feelings at the moment. Lasting, God-honoring marriages are based around commitment, forgiveness, and unselfishness.
Discussion/Reflection Question: Who in your life can you think of that exemplifies this type of marriage that God intended?
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Joe Douthitt