The prophet Malachi is quite direct (as were most of Israel's prophets) as he challenges God's people to live up to what they know. On the topic of marriage he gets right to the point. Apparently a number of these men who believed in God and believed the Torah were being unfaithful "to the wife of your youth".
God reminds them (through Malachi) that when they married, they had not simply made a contract that could be torn up when they wished. In God's eyes, marriage was - and is - much more than that. They were sealed with a marriage covenant and God had made them one flesh. 2:14
"I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel." 2:16 We might answer, "Yes, Lord, but in our day, divorce is rampant, common, justified, accepted and for many Christian couples, very tempting." God's view has not changed and neither should ours. Divorce dishonours God and damages all who are involved.
One positive, practical, preventative word is given; helpful for all of us who are married. "So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth." (2:15 NIV) "So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth." (New Living Translation)
Unfaithfulness starts in a person's spirit, heart, mind. Remember the old saying "Sow a thought, reap an action."? I can be certain to remain faithful and loyal if with the power of God's Spirit, my mind and heart remain faithful to God and my marriage partner.
If I expose my mind and spirit to temptation; if I allow my mind to wander into "what if" and enjoy thinking about "wouldn't it be nice if", I am on the road toward unfaithfulness. That is the danger posed by much of the entertainment industry, including romance novels. They place in our minds, hearts and spirits thoughts and feelings of betrayal. If then we begin a friendship with someone who also finds us attractive, if we have not "guarded our heart", we are vulnerable to breaking our marriage covenant.
We need to "spur one another on to love and good works" as the Hebrews author says. One way to do that is to keep reminding each other to run from temptation; that we have a spiritual enemy who is like a hungry lion on the prowl; that the power of sex can bring amazing pleasure; and it can bring terrible heartache if not contained within the covenant of marriage.
May we who follow Christ, guard our mind, heart and spirit, and model godly faithful marriages - which model the marriage of Christ and His Church.
God reminds them (through Malachi) that when they married, they had not simply made a contract that could be torn up when they wished. In God's eyes, marriage was - and is - much more than that. They were sealed with a marriage covenant and God had made them one flesh. 2:14
"I hate divorce," says the Lord God of Israel." 2:16 We might answer, "Yes, Lord, but in our day, divorce is rampant, common, justified, accepted and for many Christian couples, very tempting." God's view has not changed and neither should ours. Divorce dishonours God and damages all who are involved.
One positive, practical, preventative word is given; helpful for all of us who are married. "So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth." (2:15 NIV) "So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth." (New Living Translation)
Unfaithfulness starts in a person's spirit, heart, mind. Remember the old saying "Sow a thought, reap an action."? I can be certain to remain faithful and loyal if with the power of God's Spirit, my mind and heart remain faithful to God and my marriage partner.
If I expose my mind and spirit to temptation; if I allow my mind to wander into "what if" and enjoy thinking about "wouldn't it be nice if", I am on the road toward unfaithfulness. That is the danger posed by much of the entertainment industry, including romance novels. They place in our minds, hearts and spirits thoughts and feelings of betrayal. If then we begin a friendship with someone who also finds us attractive, if we have not "guarded our heart", we are vulnerable to breaking our marriage covenant.
We need to "spur one another on to love and good works" as the Hebrews author says. One way to do that is to keep reminding each other to run from temptation; that we have a spiritual enemy who is like a hungry lion on the prowl; that the power of sex can bring amazing pleasure; and it can bring terrible heartache if not contained within the covenant of marriage.
May we who follow Christ, guard our mind, heart and spirit, and model godly faithful marriages - which model the marriage of Christ and His Church.
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