Tuesday, May 8, 2007

All Things Marriage

This is a blog about marriage. More importantly, this is a blog about God. The reason for this is simple. Marriage cannot be divorced from God. God created marriage. God determined what significance marriage would have within the rest of his creation. Marriage isn't a plastic social experiment, pliable to the whims of culture. Marriage is what God says it is.

In saying this, I'm not being nearsighted. Marriage has been and always will be hijacked from God and twisted to suit the idolatrous desires of man, while we live on fallen earth. Man will deny God's authority over marriage. Man will deny God himself. And man will continue to try to force marriage to accomplish things that God never intended it to accomplish. However, the words of the apostle Paul in Galatians 6:7 loom large over the whole rebellious affair: "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap."

Some couples reap the dreadful consequences of idolatrous marriage early, and end in divorce. Others hold on to idolatrous marriage with gritted teeth and sweaty brow, determined to not be a statistic. They reap chaos and conflict, always hoping tomorrow will somehow be better. Still others build a happy little life together in their idolatrous marriage, remaining joyfully married for five or six decades. It will take the return of the King to finally manifest the folly of the "golden" idolatrous marriage.

No marriage mocks God. God is not the fool when couples wrestle control of their marriage from the King of the world. It would be foolish to try to cook dinner on the television set. It would be foolish to watch the microwave, desperately hoping American Idol comes on. It's also foolish to go into marriage, and remain in marriage, desperately hoping that we can finally get it to deliver what God won't allow. Marriage cannot replace God. God won't let it.

Fortunately, we aren't doomed to an unhappy life of idolatrous marriage. God sent Jesus Christ to pay for our idolatry. As a result of the gospel, we are free to enjoy God forever, in spite of our fallen past. And as a result of the gospel, we are free to enjoy marriage out of the overflow of our joy in God. Marriage doesn't have to replace God. Marriage is free to serve God.

This blog is dedicated to a gospel-centered perspective of marriage - which is the only perspective that corresponds to reality. I look forward to discussing many different aspects of marriage. It's my prayer that God would use this blog as a forum for Christ-exalting reflection on one of God's most redemptive gifts.

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