Rev. what about gay marriage, a man married his dog the other day. What does God say about this stuff?
Pete R. Birmingham, Ala.
Bible Answer:
Holy Matrimony
The American Heritage Dictionary says the definition of marriage is the following: “The legal union of a man and a woman as husband and wife.”
Well what is the origin of marriage and what was its original definition?
Marriage was first defined in Moses writings in the book of Genesis, and there we read of its origin.
God created mankind...
Genesis 1:27 “...God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.”
God created the first man, Adam.
Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Genesis 2:18 “And the Lord God said, it is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.”
Genesis 2:21-24 “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 22. And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 23. And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man. 24. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
This is God's definition of marriage, the union of man and woman, Adam and Eve.
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 fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Proverbs 18:22 “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord.”
Well, what was the purpose of this union?
Adam would now have a helpmate.
Eve was Adam's emotional and sexual complement.
Eve: mother of children, loving, tender and caring.
Adam: the intellectual and physically strong, hunter gatherer, provider for the family.
Genesis 1:27 “male and female created He them.”
Children: Genesis 1:28 “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.”
This was God's original blessed union of man and woman, the first marriage.
The Apostle Paul told the Corinthian believers....
II Corinthians 11:2 “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused (spiritually-married) you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ.”
The relationship between man and Savior is likened to that of the marriage of a man and his wife, Bridegroom and his Bride.
Christ is the Bridegroom and the Church is His Bride.
Isaiah 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a Bridegroom decketh Himself with ornaments, and as a Bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
Isaiah 62:5 “...as the Bridegroom rejoiceth over the Bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.”
Matthew 9:15 “(And other places such as Matthew 25) Jesus referred to Himself as the Bridegroom.
“And Jesus said unto them, can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.”
Revelation 22:17 A picture of the Church-the-Bride of Christ speaking from heaven:
“And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
Physically or Spiritually, Marriage speaks of one's Holy Commitment to the Lord.
When we as Christian people are “espoused,” (married) to the Lord, spiritually our union will produce the spiritual birth of others into the Kingdom of God.
The question today is, “Are you, One With The Lord?” Have you been Born-Again?
John 3:3 Jesus said...”Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be Born Again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:5 And again He said...”Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
What must we do?
Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”
This Heavenly Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus, has promised that He will one day secretly return to take away His Bride (A Heavenly Elopement).
Matthew 24:42-44 “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.”
