Secularizing Your Home?

 

Secularizing Your Home?

Colossians 2:8-10

 

Clearly, we must stay alert against false ideas, guard against clever notions that are traps, mere human rules, and worldly systems so they do not take our minds hostage or steal our faith in the Lord Jesus. Genuine faith remains anchored in Christ, who holds all the fullness of God and complete authority.

The supposed “new morality” has led to a serious breakdown in traditional Judeo-Christian morality affecting the American family.  In fact, this moral shift has resulted in a tremendous increase in sexually transmitted diseases (STD), illegitimate births, and abortions.  No-fault divorces create millions of single-parent families that have inherent difficulties.  Mothers entered the workforce by the millions, and latchkey kids became a national concern. Homosexual behavior, palimony, family violence, date rape, pornography, sexual harassment, drug and alcohol addiction, alternative family lifestyles are some of the additional problems resulting from the disintegration of traditional morality. The ‘new morality’ has ushered in a age of deterioration throughout society.

The average person should be concerned about changes in the family because the family does not exist in a vacuum. It is interrelated with four other basic institutions of society: religious, economic, governmental, and educational institutions. Changes in the family will dramatically affect others in our society.

Many changes take place in the family when the wife enters the workplace.  The two-worker family is the most profound change in family life in the twentieth century.  This change is driven by materialism and industrialization. The result is pressure for changes in marital roles, the division of labor in the family, and child care, and it is creating new perceptions of self in both men and women. After the Industrial Age, our society shifted into the Information Age (or Digital Age) in the mid-to-late 20th century. This negatively impacts families by reducing meaningful face-to-face communication, blurring the boundaries between work and home life, and contributing to behavioral or sleep issues in children.

Geographical mobility has also affected the American family.  Immigration from northern and southern Europe not only populated the industrialized cities of America, but they also brought their own customs, traditions, values of family life in their homeland and tried to preserve these as much as possible.  The same could be said for the people groups immigration from Asia and Latin America, thus shaping the landscape of the ‘American family’ across the country. There has also been a significant amount of internal migration in America during times like the Great Depression, and post WWII which accelerated the urbanization of America.  But this also left children without the knowledge of relatives, lasting friendships with neighbors and peers.  Thus, producing a “generation without roots;” many young people have very little sense of belonging to a close knit kin group with whom they can identify.

What is secular humanism?  How does it differ from humanitarianism?  From the humanities? A good working definition of secular humanism by quoting Webster, “a system of doctrines and practices that reject any form of religious faith and worship.”  The term secular humanists have been used to identify those who would remove religious influence from the institutions of American society.   In addition, others describe humanists thusly, “In their self-definition God does not exist, and it is a destructive illusion to believe in him.  They promote a way of life that systematically excludes God and all religion in the traditional sense.”

It is also interesting to note that humanist masquerade as humanitarians, but their belief is actually anti-human and they are the number one enemy of the traditional family. A true humanitarian will promote human welfare and social reform, but secular humanism inspires destructive relativistic value systems, divorce, remarriage, serial polygamy, rejection of biblical authority, situation ethics, hedonism, and extremes forms of women’s liberation, legalizing abortion, and the elimination of marriage.  There are four basic convictions that distinguish secular humanism from Christian humanism, “confidence in God in Christ; supernatural worldview; the power of Christ acting through the church; and incarnational humanitarianism.”  Francis Schaeffer insisted that the conflict is between the Judeo-Christian view of God with absolute values of right and wrong and a humanistic system “with only personal, arbitrary, relative values.”  The current conflict between Christianity and humanism is the age-old struggle between God and Satan, right and wrong, darkness verses light, sin against righteousness.

We may wonder about the impact of television viewing on the American family, and how it contributes to the violence in American culture…. The impact of television on the American family is a net negative.  Since television programming is largely influenced by secular humanism, it is a moral descent from filth, smut, and innuendo into serious depravity. It is their aim to destroy the country’s moral fiber and with it the traditional family. They manipulate this communication tool to control the way people think and over exposure to secular input is “dangerous.”  Many parents use the television as a babysitting method, but this exposes the children to sex, profanity, and violence.  This is one of the leading causes of aggressive behavior in preschool children according to the National Institute of Mental Health.  In addition, the violence viewed on television is being carried out in the homes, schools, and streets of the nation.  Generally, young people are desensitized to violence; this is presently a cultural reality in America.

There are several noteworthy advantages of the home computer in changing the way the American family operate.  They can be used in record keeping, storing recipes, and keeping weekly schedules.  They are also used in home-based businesses and home entertainment in the form of video games.  Word processing is a common usage also; an individual can work at home and transmit his finished product via phone line to another state or even around the world. This development allows women to be with their young children as they earn a living while staying home. Computers are also being used in modern education to prepare young people for their place in the information age.

There are some disadvantages to using the home computer we must be aware of.  It may permit one to come home from the office at a decent hour, but only to spend several hours working projects from work. With regards to entertainment, personal computers can be a source of anything available on the worldwide web.  This further exacerbate the problems with television viewing: exposure to sex, violence, pornography, and profanity.  Children can become vulnerable to sexual predators on the internet posing as young people on youth connection sights.  Any tool or technology that can be used for good could potentially be manipulated for dark purposes also. 

Christians should be concerned about governmental family policies because such social policies affect the home.  These policies help set the rules of the game—the stakes, the risks, the payoffs, the tradeoffs, and the strategies for making a living, and raising a family.  Laws, regulations, and restrictions will affect the family from birth to death; therefore, social policy must be of great interest to the Christian. 

Governmental family policies do affect my family as with other Americans.  Proposition 8 in the state of California was passed to define marriage in a traditional manner; that is as between a man and a woman. On Election Day, the voters spoke with great clarity and rejected the notion of same sex marriage in the state. This affects my family because it signified that Americans generally still regard marriage in a traditional manner.  Even in the very liberal state of California this is true; the people do not want to redefine marriage in radical secular progressive terms. These developments basically reinforce what I have expressed time and again in the context of my family and church.  It was encouraging to see the general populous in California still hold heterosexual marriage as the natural, legal, and legitimate union and nucleus of the family and society by extension.  Historically, we understand that California’s policies can eventually influence the rest of the nation.  In the past this has been more negative than positive, but this time it’s clearly good.

The government’s policies regarding Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security have been greatly beneficial to my family also.  Both my wife’s and my parents are retired and dependent on these services. There have been instances when we have assisted them financially because of special needs, but they retain their independence largely because of these programs.  Our financial gifts to them for the most part are for birthdays and anniversaries; they are acts of love and generosity and not necessity.  In addition, we have peace of mind that our parents’ medical needs were/are being adequately addressed. 

Is there a contrast between the secular home and the Christian home?  Which term describes your home? The secular home can be defined as the one which leaves God out of their lives.  Their values are humanistic and materialistic and there is never a need for God in any facet of their life. The same can be said for the nominal Christian family. They may attend church and use some Christian terms, but essentially, they too exclude God from every other facet of their existence.  A Christian home, however, is an entirely different creature because it gladly welcomes God and the Bible into every aspect of their lives. They cherish a relationship and warm fellowship with the Lord and they freely interact with each other in a manner that is pleasing to God and chose the Bible as the source of their values.  A truly Christian family does have distinguishing features.  It is where the Lord Jesus Christ is loved by all members and is overtly demonstrated to each other.  This bond of love manifests itself in various ways: harmonious relationships, family worship, regular church attendance, active witnessing to friends and neighbors, service to the Lord in the local church and in the community.

Lastly, we want to honestly say that our homes are Christian homes because we do embrace Judeo-Christian values and cherish a relationship with God through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.  We do have private and family devotions and regularly attend church when the doors are open.  We sustain an active witness to unsaved family members, colleagues, friends, and strangers. The Bible is not only respected but followed with good application in many facets of our family life.  While there certainly are numerous areas where we need to improve, we can recognize good progress over the years.  

God presents the home as a spiritual foundation centered on Him, contrasting a faithful household with secular or ungodly residences.

• Psalm 127:1, says that “except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it,” meaning a home lacking a spiritual foundation with God fails to endure in a true sense.
• Matthew 7:24-27, contrasts a wise man who builds his house upon a rock (hearing and doing Christ’s sayings) with a foolish man who builds his house upon the sand, representing secular or unstable foundations that collapse under pressure.
• Joshua 24:15, famously declares, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” establishing the intentional choice required by believers to reject secular alignment in their domestic lives.
• Romans 12:2 instructs us believers not to be conformed to this world, which extends to maintaining a household culture distinct from secular ideas.
• Colossians 2:8, reminds us, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

We are warned to avoid being captured or cheated by false teachings, human traditions, and worldly ways of thinking that pull us away from the complete sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Child of God, we must test every cultural trend, worldview, and spiritual idea against the truth of the gospel. We are warned that in Christ “dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” reminding us that we already have everything we need in Jesus and do not need worldly ideas. Therefore,

·                 Remain Rooted in Christ: we grow strong by staying close to Jesus anchored in loving obedience to Him every day.

·                 Trust Him for All Fullness: Christ gives us everything we need to live a complete life for His honor and glory.

·                 Regard Jesus Who Has All Authority: Jesus Christ holds supreme power and absolute rule over everything—complete right to rule and absolute jurisdiction over all domains. His supreme rule extends both to spiritual and physical realms, as affirmed in Matthew 28:18! Beloved, intentionally submit to Jesus!

This supreme status was formally affirmed and given after Christ’s victory over death and the grave. God the Father granted such honor because Jesus lived a sinless life and atoned for our sin. Beloved, knowing his power and authority removes doubt and provides God’s constant presence throughout each day. Beloved, genuine faith remains anchored in Christ, who holds all the fullness of God and complete authority. It is clearly alright to trust Him with your home and future!

Awakened by Holy Stimuli

1 Peter 1:17-21

                   Spiritual Stimulation Involves Holy Considerations.

A fear of God is largely missing in our society, but that is not the saddest reality. Far too many Believers have little to no measurable respect for God as Father or Judge. From the appearance of things not many Christians cherish deeply the extraordinary price paid for our redemption. The result is a generation of professing Believers who have little or no desire to sustain holy and godly lifestyles. Immorality, sex outside of marriage, lying, cheating, coveting, and materialism are more a part of Believers’ lives then the Word of God and walking in the Spirit. We need a special blend of holy stimulation to awaken godly desires deep within the recesses of our souls. Here are some helpful considerations:

A.     Consider how God is the Father and the Impartial Judge; continue your journey with the utmost respect for Him (17).

                                                   i.      Get Serious About Combating Sin.  Interactivity with a father and a judge demands respect! As God’s children, we need to respect Him by being serious about refusing sin and pursuing holiness. Our Heavenly Father is a holy (John 17:11) and righteous Father (John 17:25). He will not compromise with sin. He is merciful and forgiving, but He is also a loving disciplinarian who cannot permit His children to enjoy sin. After all, it was sin that sent His Son to the cross. If we call God “Father,” then we should reflect His nature.

                                                 ii.      Don’t Worry About Punishment for Sins. 

1.      What is this judgment that Peter wrote about? It is the judgment of a believer’s works. It has nothing to do with salvation, except that salvation ought to produce good works (Titus 1:16; 2:7, 12). When we trusted Christ, God forgave our sins and declared us righteous in His Son (Rom. 5:1–10; 8:1–4; Col. 2:13). Our sins have already been judged on the cross (1 Peter 2:24), and therefore they cannot be held against us (Heb. 10:10–18).

2.      The Fathers judgment of His own in this life is chastening and corrective, not eternal punishment; He has committed the judgment of sinners to the Lord Jesus (John 5:22). The prospect of God’s corrective measures should awaken holy respect in the heart of God’s people.

3.      Lincoln writes: “He is looking on, taking notice of all, whether there is integrity of purpose, intelligence of mind, and desire of heart to please Him.”

                                                iii.      Prepare for the Judgment Seat of Christ.  But when the Lord returns, there will be a time of judgment called “the Judgment Seat of Christ” (Rom. 14:10–12; 2 Cor. 5:9–10). Each of us will give an account of his works, and each will receive the appropriate reward. This is a “family judgment,” the Father dealing with His beloved children. The Greek word translated judgeth carries the meaning “to judge in order to find something good.” God will search into the motives for our ministry; He will examine our hearts. But He assures us that His purpose is to glorify Himself in our lives and ministries, “and then shall every man have praise of God” (1 Cor. 4:5). What an encouragement! –Wiersbe: The Bible Exposition Commentary

                                               iv.      Live Daily with a Healthy Fear of God.

1.      We are to pass the time of our stay on earth in fear. As we realize the extent of His knowledge and the accuracy of His judgment, we should live with a wholesome fear of displeasing Him.

2.      Christians are not at home in this world. We are living in a foreign country, exiled from heaven. We should not settle down as if this were our permanent dwelling. Neither should we imitate the behavior of the earth-dwellers. We should always remember our heavenly destiny and behave ourselves as citizens of heaven (MacDonald, W.).

B.     Consider how Christ is our Redemption Sacrifice; place your faith and hope in God (18-21).

                                                   i.      Remember Your Bondage (1:18).  Redeem means to buy back someone from bondage by the payment of a price; to set free by paying a ransom. “Redemption” was a technical term for money paid to buy back a prisoner of war. Here it is used of the price paid to buy the freedom of one in the bondage of sin and under the curse of the law (i.e., eternal death, cf. Gal. 3:13). The price paid to a holy God was the shed blood of His own Son (cf. Ex. 12:1–13; 15:13; Ps. 78:35; Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:24; Gal. 4:4, 5; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:11–17).

                                                 ii.      Do Not Lead a Full, But Empty Life (1:18).  We were not redeemed with perishable money (18).

1.      Before our conversion, we were the same as the rest of the world (1:18). Our talk and walk were as empty and trivial as everyone else around us. Our unconverted days are described as vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers. Peter’s focus is not on any specific action, but on the way of life that we inherited from our ancestors. Those old ways were futile, empty of power and incapable of securing salvation. Like Peter’s readers we all needed to be snatched from our hopeless condition. 

2.      But now we have been ransomed from that futile existence by a tremendous transaction. We have been rescued from the slavery of world-conformity by the payment of an infinite ransom. No, it was not with silver or gold that we kidnap victims have been freed (see Ex. 30:15)!

                                                iii.      Note the Cost of Your Redemption (1:19-21).  We were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ (19-21). Peter describes Christ as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb, who is offered in our place to pay the price for our sins. God’s way of salvation is contrasted to human attempts at gaining salvation through the use of earthly means (v. 18).

1.      Nothing Compares To His Perfection (19).  Christ is a lamb without blemish or spot, that is, He is absolutely perfect, inwardly and outwardly.

a.       Precious blood: a lamb: The analogy here may be a reference either to the Passover lamb (see Ex. 12:3–6) or to the many lambs without blemish that were offered as part of the Old Testament sacrificial system (see Lev. 23:12; Num. 6:14; 28:3).

b.      If a believer is ever tempted to return to worldly pleasures and amusements, to adopt worldly modes and patterns, to become like the world in its false ways, he should remember that Christ shed His blood to deliver him from that kind of life. To go back to the world is to re-cross the great gulf that was bridged for us at staggering cost. But even more—it is positive disloyalty to the Savior.

c.       “Reason back from the greatness of the sacrifice to the greatness of the sin. Then determine to be done forever with that which cost God’s Son His life.” –MacDonald: Believer's Bible Commentary

2.      Nothing Compares To His Predestination (20). “Foreordained” indicates that God has known (v. 2) the One who would bring salvation, even as He has known those to whom that salvation is offered and secured (see Rom. 11:2).  Christ’s death was planned, not and accident or unexpected turn of events.  God designed it with us in mind!

3.      Nothing Compares To His Manifestation (20b).  “But was manifest,” this phrase contrasts with the first half of the verse. What was known only to God before the creation of the world is now made known to us. The payment for sin was planned before the Creation of the world and revealed for people’s sake through the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. (The present Age is these last times [1:20] whereas the coming Age is “the last time” [v. 5].)

4.      Nothing Compares To His Resurrection (21). 

a.       Peter made it clear that Christ’s death was an appointment, not an accident; for it was ordained by God before the foundation of the world (Acts 2:23). From the human perspective, our Lord was cruelly murdered; but from the divine perspective, He laid down His life for sinners (John 10:17–18). But He was raised from the dead! Now, anyone who trusts Him will be saved for eternity.

b.      When you and I meditate on the sacrifice of Christ for us, certainly we should want to obey God and live holy lives for His glory.

5.      Nothing Compares To His Glorification (21). The Father indicated His complete satisfaction with Christ’s redeeming work by raising Him out from among the dead ones and honoring Him with the place of highest glory in heaven. The result of all this is that our faith and hope might be in God. It is in Him, not in the present evil world system, that we live and move and have our being.

a.       That our faith and hope might be in God (21).  It is through Christ, whom the Father resurrected (1:3) and glorified in His Ascension (John 17:5; Heb. 1:3) that people may come to know and trust in God. As a result of God’s eternal plan and priceless payment for sin, faith and hope can be placed in Him.

b.      Loyalty to the Lord Jesus is further demanded by the fact that it is through Him we have come to believe in God. He is the One who has revealed the Father’s heart to us. As W. T. P. Wolston says: “it is not by creation nor providence nor law that man knows God, but by Christ.” 

Conclusion:

We can cultivate stronger desires to live holy by believing, embracing, and acting on strong biblical and theological truths. Allow the holiness of God and the price of redemption to deeply impress your innermost being! Find stimulating hope in the Revelation of Jesus Christ! Make a point of living holy in practical ways each day of life. Christ died for you and me that we should live for Him! Is your desire to live holy spiritually strong, or is it beginning to weaken under the pressure of worldly appeals to conform? Are you fully persuaded to lead a devoted life? Is it your defining aim to please Christ? Have you prepared for living differently by placing the grace of Christ return before you?  Have you decided to be an obedient child living holy because God, your Father, is holy?  Can you think deeply upon the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ and still harbor casual attitudes toward sin? Allow these questions to awaken and alert you to where you are presently in your walk with the Lord. While you are at it, have a large mug of God’s holy java!

The Plan for Marriage

 

The Plan for Marriage

GENESIS 2:18-25

SUBJECT: THE FOUNDATION OF MARRIAGE

THEME: We must Return to the Lord’s Plan and Design for the Help of Our Marriages and the Preservation of Our Culture. 

RELEVANCE: 

God’s Enduring Plan for Married Life shines like a beacon of hope to every couple and single alike. The preservation of the institution of Marriage can only be realized in our culture as we submit to God’s enduring plan.  It’s time for Christian marriages and families to demonstrate a way of living that is rewarding, meaningful, and fulfilling. God’s Plan for couples should be evident to the world as it looks at Christian marriages and families.  As we realize God’s plan in our lives, we supply hope to the many others who need direction, counsel, and hope.

INTRODUCTION:

When God joined the first couple in marriage, he also gave them a plan for fulfillment and happiness.  This same plan is very much applicable to us today.

LESSON:

I.        A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE ACCEPTS GOD’S PLAN FOR MARRIAGE.  Gen. 2:18-25. 

A.    Married Life Is God’s Idea. Genesis 2:18, And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.  (See also Gen. 2:21-23) Marriage is not an institution of human origin, in fact it was God’s idea and design even from the very beginning. Since He created this institution, it would be wise to follow His plan and design for the couple.  Social engineers and sociologists may have some valuable insights on rare occasions, but we desperately need to get back to THE authority on marriage and family life– the Lord God himself.  What did God have in mind when He designed and created marriage?

1.      God Created Marriage For the Purpose of Procreation.

                                          i.     One basic purpose is procreation—to bring children into the world. God created man in His own image for this expressed purpose.

                                        ii.     Genesis 1:28,  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.   (See also Psalm 127:3-5; Prov. 22:6).

                                       iii.     But there is much more to marriage than the procreation, care for and training of children.

2.      God Created Marriage For the Purpose of Companionship.  Genesis 2:18

                                          i.     God created marriage for companionship.  Loneliness was the first thing God's declared “not good.” Loneliness and isolation are not a part of God’s purpose for the human experience.  God made man to live with others, and the first "other" was woman– his wife.

                                        ii.     This is the primary obligation of marriage that underlines all other obligations and purposes for marriage—companionship. When a couple takes there marriage vows, whether they realize it or not, they are vowing to provide companionship for one another for the rest of their lives; that is what their vows amount to.

                                       iii.     Notice a couple does not vow to receive companionship, but to provide it for one another. Marriage itself is an act of love in which one person vows to meet another’s need for life unconditionally. This means that when a husband or wife complains, “I am not getting what I want out of marriage,” he or she or he is making a ridiculous statement. But the truth is you did not enter marriage in order to get something for yourself, but to provide companionship unconditionally for your spouse. You made a vow to give intimate company to your spouse whether you get anything in return or not.  As an act of love marriage is a commitment to giving and not getting and demanding!

3.      God Created Marriage For the Purpose of Completion (Genesis 2:18). God also created marriage for completeness. The woman was to be ... “an help meet for him” (Gen. 2:18).

                                          i.     Completion Through a Help Meet. The term “help meet” does not mean “identical to” or even “similar to.” It means “corresponding to.”

1.      Corresponding is the Idea. The woman was created to be a complement or counterpart, suitable for the man.  The idea of a “help meet” carries no implication of inferiority, but means the wife is the completer of the man.  Eve was Adam’s other half!   Thus,  the woman’s purpose to be a companion and helper to the man is clearly established.

2.      ILLUSTRATION:  If you tear a one hundred dollar bill in half, the two pieces are not identical, but they belong together. The features on each half are quite different but clearly related to a larger design than either depicts alone.

Along the edges that mark the torn sides, the two halves are most different and most corresponding because each of those edges complements every in and out of the other. In marriage,  male and female personalities, strengths, peculiarities, as well as bodies, are to correspond and complete one another in the same way. Franklin's image is on the one the hundred dollar bill. God's is on the man and woman in marriage.

3.      Completion is the Goal. Therefore, the woman assists man in making his life (and hers, too) complete. She fills up the empty places. She shares his life with him, draws him out of himself and into a wider area of contact through the involvement they have with one another. She is one who can enter into responsible companionship. The partners in a marriage relationship are actually fulfilling God's purpose of completeness to life.

                                        ii.     Completion Through Communication. The companionship and completeness that God intended for marriage grow out of communication as two people share each day and the meaning of their lives.

1.      QUOTE:  Dwight Small says, "The heart of marriage is its communication system. . . . But no couple begins marriage with highly developed communication. It is not something they bring into marriage ready made but something to be continually cultivated through all of the experiences of their shared life."

2.      Satisfying companionship and a sense of completeness develop as husband and wife learn to communicate with openness and understanding.

B.     Married Life Is God’s Plan.  Gen. 2:24-25

1.      God Presented a Four Part Plan for a Fulfilling Marriage.

a.      God Gave His Plan for Married Life in the Garden of Eden With Adam and Eve.  Gen. 2:24-25

                                               i.     “Leave.”  Vs. 24  — Severance: Separation from the old family.

                                             ii.     “Cleave.”   Vs. 24   — Permanence: Cementing two individuals together.

                                           iii.     “One Flesh.”   Vs. 24   — Unity: Sex, Physical Union of Husband and Wife.

                                            iv.     “Not Ashamed.”  Vs. 25  — Intimacy: Open, transparent, Intimacy, and Vulnerability in the relationship.

b.      The Fall of Man and Sin in the World Does Not Alter this Basic Plan. Yes, sin did throw every part of God’s creation into chaos and disorder– this includes marriage (Gen. 3:12).  God had to adjust the plan to maintain order in the home.  This is where the two distinct roles of the husband and wife within marriage can from. The roles were introduced for the purpose of securing order, but the plan and goals of marriage remain the same.

                                               i.     Genesis 3:16,  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

                                             ii.     Bear also in mind that there is no idea of inferiority or superiority nor dictatorship and enslavement!  The idea is order, authority, and responsibility.

c.      God’s Plan is Timeless and Enduring for Every Generation, and Certainly for Us Today! Gen. 2:24 is repeated several times in the New Testament for the Christian to observe and obey today. 

          1.  The Lord Jesus Restated Its Significance to Christian Marriages.

Matthew 19:5-6, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? [6] Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Mark 10:8, And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

           2.  The Apostle Paul Also Re-Issued These Principles for Christian Marriages.

1 Cor. 6:16, What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 

Ephes. 5:31, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

We will spend some time exploring the depth of meaning for this divine plan for a fulfilling marriage.  There are related truths and principles that we will share as they are clearly implied in these verses.  The thing we need to realize at this point is that there is hope for a Christian couple, single, or family to survive the social chaos around us and literally thrive in the plan and grace of God in our lives.

   2.  Don’t Look to Our Society for The Answers for Married Life.

Society is only contributing to the confusion.  But how do you go about trying improving married life? It will do little good to look to society for help. Society struggles with the crisis but continues to become hopelessly entangled in its own web of conflicting values and ideas. Society seeks answers but only provides more and more questions.

          A.  Our Society and Culture is Witnessing Some Extremely Serious Problems. 

Our view of Marriage and Family have greatly departed from God’s original plan. Our generation is watching the death of marriage and the family as we know it. Our society has produced a number of answers, but no real positive results or developments.

               1.  The Contributing Factors.

Among the many factors contributing to its destruction are immorality, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, abortion, sterilization, women’s liberation, delinquency, and sexual rebellion. All those things are like strands in a cord that is strangling the Christian home.  This is what society gave us, I really do not want them instructing or guiding me in anything!

                 2.  The Confusion of Society.

There are many opinions about the restructuring of the family. Some sociologists say marriages need to change. They say we need “open marriages” or “non-marriages” and that it really doesn’t matter whether marriages continue as they have in the past. People are groping, without any base of authority, to try to find out how to make meaningful relationships in a disintegrating society.  Clearly, there is little or no hope in turning to mere human beings to fix the problems facing our culture.  Man can only recognize that we have a problem, and study the damaging effects on the culture, while speculating on the long term effects.  But we are powerless to do anything in our own wisdom and strength.

          B.  God Offers Proof That His Plan Works Through Faithful Christians Who Take His Plan Seriously. The Preservation of Marriage and Family can be realized in our culture as we submit to God’s enduring plan. 

                 1.  Christians Have a Great Opportunity to Impact Our Culture.

It’s time for Christians to reiterate the divine pattern. Our marriages and families should demonstrate a way of living that is rewarding, meaningful, and fulfilling. That divine pattern should be evident to the world as it looks at Christian marriages and families.

                 2.  Christians Marriages Are Failing Instead of Effecting Positive Changes.

Unfortunately, the world’s problem of divorce has also become a problem of the church. But God has the divine standard that can make marriage and the family what they ought to be.  In His plan is hope, promise, and wonderful potential for the faithful adherents.

          C.   Marriage and Family Issues are a Priority With God and the Bible.

It we don’t preserve the marriages and family, society will crumble. The family is the basic building block of society. When it goes, everything goes.  Clearly God is interested in this as a matter of priority and not as a secondary issue. The ability to pass on meaningful advice to the next generation is lost when there is no communication, family order, and discipline. Every society becomes an end in itself, and those who are richest, strongest, loudest, influential, and most vocal will dominate stirring the culture into further chaos.  Its time for believers to look to the Lord and His Enduring Plan for married life.

CONCLUSION: God’s Plan Is over 6, 000 Years Old, but it Still Holds out the Light of Hope and Fulfillment in this Age Darkened by Family Confusion and Social Corrosion. 

Finally, God says that we all are sinners. Unless God, pure and righteous, take our place and suffer the penalty for our sin, we would have to bear that ‘death’ penalty ourselves. The Apostle Paul explained this in Romans 3:10–18: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: [11] There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. [12] They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. [13] Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: [14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: [15] Their feet are swift to shed blood: [16] Destruction and misery are in their ways: [17] And the way of peace have they not known: [18] There is no fear of God before their eyes.  Clearly…we are in great trouble with God because of our guiltiness and sin. We have sinned against God. 

Jesus died in our stead though, and his death on the cross for us never needs to be repeated, and neither does anyone else ever have to suffer and die as He did. He is the sacrificial, substitutionary, all-sufficient atonement (Romans 5:20-21; 6:10-11). Yes, Christ died for us. Jesus came from the Father so that you and I might transfer our guilt to Him, and accept, by faith, that He is the risen guiltless Savior who has received our sin and taken it to Himself.

So, the only thing you need to do is literally receive God’s forgiveness. And when you do, you truly have made a choice for real life. Here is how you accept God’s salvation. We must believe the Son of God, Jesus Christ, died for our sins, was buried, and God raised Him up again from among the remaining dead people the third day for our acceptance before The Father (see 1 Cor. 15:1-4 and Rom 3:21-31). It is a matter of placing your faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel that is the power of God that saves us…that grant us eternal life through Christ (Rom. 1:14-17). Again, receive God’s salvation even now. Yes, you can experience God’s spiritual new birth right now!