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Marriage Is God'sd Relationship Design

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. (NIVUK)

Marriage, in the Bible, is the lifelong union of a man and woman. That exclusive relationship is designed to enable children to be brought up in a loving home. Marriage is a unique mixture of love and commitment, the contentment of being known, the joy of sex and the responsibility of parenting. Physical intimacy is the glue which affirms love and cements mutual security. It is God's idea to make two people into one (Genesis 2:24).

For the Lord's sake, those in marriage should honour one other (Ephesians 5:22-28) and not look outside the marriage for intimacy (1 Corinthians 7:1-5). Those outside of the marriage have no right to invade or disturb the exclusive relationship; for that is the route to destruction (Proverbs 5:1-6). Paul urged the Corinthians to run away from sexual immorality: "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honour God with your bodies." (1 Corinthians 6:18-20)

God has the right to call everybody to account, and as He sees everything and everybody, He will judge justly. And yet He will pardon the repentant with the same vigour that He will punish the unrepentant. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says, "Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

Everybody in the church has come from habitual rebellion against God and His well-designed plans. That is why we have no reason to be judgemental over the sins of others. But even Jesus, who never sinned, was compassionate towards the sinful rejects of society because He loved them and had come to die for them. But He did not want them to continue in their life of sin (John 8:1-11). The gospel is transforming at a personal level, as the Lord changes our desires. Reconsider your marriage and your effect on the marriages of others; repent where you dishonour the Lord and choose to obey His design for intimacy.

Prayer 
God of love. Thank You for designing marriage as a way to provide a safe place for men and women to relate together according to Your plan. Forgive me for the times when I have failed You and others and restore me. Please help me to honour Your revealed design for marriage and in so doing gain Your approval and the joy of godly relationships. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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© Dr Paul Adams