Tag Archives: marriage

A NEW START

02 Sunday Jan 2022

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            As one enters a marriage, both parties begin a new life. In John 2, the marriage in Cana was exactly that, a new life for the male and female becoming a husband and wife, family, a home. A problem arose, however, that generated in Mary quickly turning and looking to her Son for relief. It was customary for the wedding host to provide for their guests. If there was a failing in this area, not only was there a social embarrassment, but, according to some, legal action could have been taken. Imagine Mary’s concern over this. Turning to her Son, she enlists His help. 

            Jesus’ initial response was not a reluctance or denial on His part, but a teaching point to His mother. Perhaps, at His age of 30, He wanted her to understand that He now must focus on His mission of teaching; He will help but let her be reminded about that which she already knew. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:32-33, ASV). 

            With Jesus’ turning water into wine, He turned a festive marriage occasion from a sorrowful beginning to a fresh start. There is a great lesson in this: When people marry, as a family unit, they start anew. The grow together in maturity and in the size of the family. As they do this, they should also give attention to their destiny. Where is the family going, and how will it get there? Those who turn from the Lord think they know where they are going. When they arrive, they quickly realize what they thought was not their desire.

            On the other hand, those who start with Jesus, know where they are going, how to get there, and are sure of their desired destination. Their marriage and family is long lasting. When the years come and go, when the body with its tight skin and no blemishes begins to be less tight and with a few more scars, even beyond the grey hairs, wrinkly skin, and bent-over postures with time, those who started with Jesus always have a fresh and new start. RT

Some Thoughts on First Timothy (9)

14 Tuesday Dec 2021

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Some will fall away from the faith, the Holy Spirit said. How does this happen? 4:1-3 gives clarity to how this happens. First, those who fall pay attention to a source not of God. How can one know what is of God? Everything taught must be measured by the words of the Holy Spirit, just as the apostles John and Paul said (1 John 4:1, 6; Gal. 1:6-9). If something that is taught is not in accordance with the will of God, then it needs to be set to the side, laid on the shelf, then burned. Secondly, those doing the teaching are not genuinely motivated to know and teach the will of God. Earlier in this letter (1:6-7), Paul said many people think they understand when, in fact, they understand little. Third, some forbid marriage, teach the importance of staying away from some food. There is a context to this in Paul’s letter, for sure. Yet, though the context may be easily determined, there is an application for us today, as realized in the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). Sadly, to circumvent the clear teaching, apologists of the RCC, say something like this: “When we condemn priests for marrying, it is for breaking their vows and promises made to God of living unmarried, and of leading a more perfect life; we condemn them with the Scripture, which teaches us that vows made are to be kept; with St. Paul, who in the next chap. (ver. 12) teaches us, that they who break such vows incur their damnation” (Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary).

“Priests” in the New Testament church refers to all Christian, not select people. The Holy Spirit’s teaching applies to the whole of any group or ethnicity, even if that group is relatively small in comparison with a larger group. A second point for consideration is the abuse of Scripture applied by this commentary. In chapter 5, this was a voluntary commitment of the individual widow, not a compulsion action of a larger entity, such as the RCC.

Independence Day (but not what you think)

03 Friday Jul 2015

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This was posted in a briefer form on TFR.

Happy Marriage Equality Day!

We are happy to be one of the Christian denominations who blesses same-sex marriage and respects the identities of LGBT people.

Love always wins. We are thankful the Supreme Court ruled on the side of love. Blessings to all of the loving couples who can now legally affirm the love God already affirms.

There will be more posts from UCC officials and the UCC newsroom today. Until then, enjoy your Pride and marriage equality celebrations!

This tweet from the United Church of Christ (UCC) was posted today (6.26.2015). There are some certain things to be said about it. 1) The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) having made a decision in favor of same-sex marriage is certainly NOT Christian. Thus, that which the UCC supports is not Christian either. Moreover, the fact they are self-identified as a “Christian denomination” is not something that is God-ordained. 2) Love most certainly did NOT win. Love seeks that which is best for the other person, and the perfect standard of love is only that which resides in God. God did not and does not sanction same-sex marriages (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11).  3) The attribution of a man-made definition of love to God is as egregious and ignorant (unlearned) as one who as a self-identified atheist who says he believes in God!

The UCC think they are of God, but they (and others similar to them) are far from God in support of same-sex marriage, or even homosexual behavior that does not warrant marriage status. When Justice Kennedy wrote: “Under the Constitution, same sex couples seek in marriage the same legal treatment as opposite sex couples, and it would disparage their choices and diminish their personhood to deny them this right” (as copied from Special Report on Fox News, 6.26.2015). Thus, under the Constitution they are given dignity to their personhood because they felt, evidently, they did not have it. Under God, however, while human dignity is still in place, the Lord’s judgment standard is not the Constitution of the United States.

This weekend is Independence Weekend, with the 4th of July being tomorrow. One might say that the homosexual community has gained their independence when the SCOTUS favored their position, albeit narrowly. That which they think was gain in a form of independence is still a matter of bondage. It is bondage to sin. The Scriptures speak strongly against homosexual behavior, and one can read this in Romans 1:26-27. Those who are still in sinful (sexual) bondage have yet to receive their independence from the Lord, before whom they will stand on Judgment Day (Acts 17:30-31).

We have no idea!

22 Friday May 2015

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We live in a world that has no objective moral compass. By the word “objective” I mean a moral compass that says there is such a thing as right and wrong—and that there is always such a thing that is right or wrong. For instance, from the Lord’s perspective it is always wrong to murder; this is seen as far back as Genesis 4, and reaffirmed in Genesis 9 (to say nothing of passages after these two). Moreover, there is something that is always right, such as obeying the Lord.

We live in a society that hardly recognizes the Lord even exists! If there is a recognition there is hardly any acknowledgement of Him, and even more so His Word. This failure has brought us to this point wherein we, as a society, have no real idea about what is right or wrong.

In one area of life that is ever so confusing is that area of marriage. When the Lord established His institution in the Garden of Eden, He set forth the guidelines pertaining to it. The Lord Jesus had to address this matter on more than one occasion while He walked on this earth. For instance, in Matthew 19, the religious leaders actually sought to entrap the Lord in a moral/spiritual/legal trap (Matthew 19:3-9). This was recognized rather quickly by Jesus and He addressed their effort by taking them back to what was firmly established in the Garden a long time ago. Those who compromise that, the Lord said, have greater problems than is realized.

Marriage is God’s ordained institution that is the bedrock of the community. When that bedrock is compromised, then the moral force undergirding it becomes weakened in a person’s life. In other words, if one refuses to accept what the Lord said on that topic, how much more will there be a refusal with regard to what he has said on other topics? We have no idea how serious these matters are, and when we learn, it might very well be on Judgment Day. It will be too late!

A reply to me in the form of a letter to editor

31 Friday Oct 2014

Posted by in Behavior, Bulletin Article, Editor, Morality

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Not long ago there was a letter to the editor that took exception to that which I wrote. It was not a particularly strong exception, but one that was present just the same. In fact, one could read the letter and think it was but a “slap on the hands” given me.

I was grateful to read it and had hoped that others would give response to what I wrote more than just the one I have seen.

In any case, the gist of the letter was that 1) The “Catholic Church has and will continue to maintain that Holy Matrimony is indissoluble between one man and one woman,” and 2) “[e]very effort must be undertaken in these contemporary times to engage those who profess perfectly or imperfectly their faith in Christ.”

Without dealing with the first point, let me address the second. It is true that the Lord’s church should seek to make a positive difference in the lives of those who struggle with sin. This approach not only applies to those outside of Christ, but those in Christ who continue to struggle. The nature of the sin is immaterial, struggling with whatever it is – people need an answer and a spiritual place where others can assist. Who of us can’t relate with such a sentiment?

Being able to relate is tremendously important, but no saint should even entertain the thought, much less speak it, that it is okay to compromise the Lord’s way for the benefit of making oneself acceptable to a larger number of people. Frankly put, there is no way we can improve upon the Lord’s message and method, so we ought not to try. Yes, it may be true, that more flies will be caught with honey than with some other trap – but a trap is all that it is. It is a feigned effort with a disguise that will fall off.

A New Groom

29 Monday Sep 2014

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In Romans 7, the Lord’s apostle expounds on the significance of the Law of Moses in relation to the Lord’s New Covenant. In this exposition, he speak of marriage and adultery. To the Jew, to obey a law other than the Law of Moses, one was guilty of adultery, and adultery is punishable by death (cf. Deut. 17:1-5). In fact, this theme is seen throughout the writings of the prophets.

To those of Jewish persuasion, Paul knew he had a case to make. This he does in his letter to the church at Rome, just as he did when went into the synagogues each Sabbath day when the local Jewish community gathered for study of the Torah and Prophets (cf. Acts 17:3).

As long as the Law of Moses was sanctioned by God and in active force, for one who was a Jew, to obey something that was different than the Law of Moses was to be liable to punishment. However, if the Law of Moses was no longer sanctioned by God and in active force, to obey the New Covenant not only relieved one from the punishment of death, but actually liberated those who obeyed from the heart (6:16-18) from sin, something they could not be relieved from by the Law of Moses (Acts 13:39).

Using the illustration of marriage, Paul makes his point. A woman is married, but when her husband dies she is no longer married (but a widow). According to the Lord, the Law of Moses died (Colossians 2:14); thus, those who “marry” the New Covenant, now live life with a new groom.

WOMEN IN FIRST CORINTHIANS (3)

21 Sunday Sep 2014

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This is a third article on women in Corinthians; the second is here.

I want to revert back to a chapter that I did not address; I think this is a good place to do so. The questions the Corinthians asked Paul in chapter 7 needs some attention in my estimation (that is, in this context of “Women in….” series).

It is in this chapter that Paul addresses intimacy, marriage, and a particular circumstance, about which we know nothing. Each one deals with the roles of the male and female, but since I am addressing the female, I want to give some attention to the points.

With regard to intimacy, the Holy Spirit instructs (through Paul) the obligations the male has toward the female, and the other way around. Marriage is a relationship of people, their personalities, hopes, insecurities, and anything else that might be involved. Marriage is also an intimate setting for the husband and wife. There is no with-holding of conjugal obligations of one from the other.

There is also a marriage perplexity Paul dealt with that troubled some. What if a spouse who is not Christian no longer wants to be married; what should the Christian spouse do? The answer is to “hold on to the Lord.” Don’t hold on to the marriage, and give up the Lord. A disastrous decision to be sure!

Later in the chapter Paul addressed a problem concerning some circumstance that might cause a problem in the desires of a male and female to be married (7:25-40). While the male takes the lead in the decision making, it is reasonable that the female has a role in this also. Ultimately, however, due to the assigned roles by the Holy Spirit, the female is to submit to his leadership in this case.

The church of which I am a member…. opposes God with regard to marriage!

11 Wednesday Jul 2012

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That is the approach of the Episcopal Church. Their regard for things sacred hangs on only because some of its members try themselves to hang on. I doubt, however, these members are all that well-informed concerning things biblical for if they were why would they stay as members?

Biblically speaking, the Episcopal Church is not the church one will read about in the pages of the New Testament; it is not, and never has been. This is made all the more apparent when they look at God’s stand on marriage and thumb their noses at Him who is creator of all. The church that one will read about on the pages of the New Testament, the one that belongs to the Lord (Matthew 16:13-19), will stay with the Lord and not compromise His ideals for the benefit of any community.

With regard to marriage, what is the Lord’s ideal? The answer is seen in Genesis 2:21-24 and Matthew 19:3-9.

Changing Attitudes

30 Monday Apr 2012

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According to the Pew Research Firm there is an attitude change with regard to gay marriage. In 2001 the percentage of people opposing gay marriage was only 57%, while 35% supported it. In 2012 the percentage of people that oppose gay marriage is even worse; it now stands at 43%, while those who support it are at 47%. Why the change?

In a context dealing with religious false teachers Paul said this, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, ESV).

Earlier in the same letter he told the church in Corinth that he was fully aware of the schemes of the devil, and those not aware will surely fall into his trap (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:11). Why the change? When the god of this world seeks whom he may devour (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Peter 5:8), those who are uninformed in eternal matters as revealed by God will surely play into the hands of Satan. This is why the changes have occurred.

When people lay aside the Lord God and his way of thinking and living it is a mere matter of time before changing attitudes begin to occur.  Have any of you prayed in accordance with 1 Corinthians 16:22?

Social Castrophe

04 Sunday Mar 2012

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Rich Lowery’s recent commentary in the March 5th issue of TIME Magazine on the plague of the out-of-wedlock births and its “productivity” on society. His concluding remark sums up well his piece:

For now, the decline of marriage is our most ignored national crisis. As it continues to slide away, our country will become less just and less mobile.

His remarks are on target.

The Scriptures are clear that when the Lord created both the male and female He created the institution of marriage. Some degrade the word “institution”, but it is a perfectly acceptable word that ought not to be minimized. When it is, the sanctity of marriage is also minimized.

Children that come from these immoral unions can be loved and taught things that are proper for not only decent society, but a society that is also to be moral. Unfortunately, many of these unions are the result of a society that has nothing of a moral code but that which is called hedonism.

I say many (rather than all) because there are some horrific circumstances that have resulted in some unions that are only one-sided.

Unions that result from consent of two do what they can to destroy a moral society. Unions that result from force is as evil as a thing can be – speaking strictly from a human perspective.

In both cases we have a social catastrophe.