The Sunday Conversation | 17. 07. 2022
What is marriage?
Ephesians 4:22-32. Philippians 2:3-8.
2 Corinthians 5:17.
Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4.
Today, in our Conversation, we shall take a Christian view of what marriage is. In doing so, we are persuaded to note also that the parties involved in the marriage should be believers in the Gospel of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. We say so because when one is not a believer, it’s difficult to keep to the tenets or demands of proper marriage, as we are going to discuss in this Conversation . Indeed there are basic or minimum character or attitudinal requirements in marriage without which it can hardly succeed. These character requirements can only be met when a man or woman is a child of God. That is why Jesus came to give us life in its abundance. Anybody that doesn’t have His Life cannot benefit from His nature. John 3:36; 10:10. Jesus’ nature in the life of a believer takes away:
1. Lying : In every shade or color of it.
2. Cheating: Any kind of it. Cheating is a devaluation of truth. A compromised integrity. Marital fidelity is sacrosanct.
3, Anger: Only fools get angry that damages relationships and good reputation.
4. Jealousy: There’s no place for Jealousy in the heart of the man or woman who has encountered Jesus. The jealous leaves out God in their calculation of kindness and progress. . And rather than appreciate what God has done, would rather envy others, even wanting to covet them . Such a person is greedy, and lacks contentment.
5. Pride: God hates pride. And He looks at the proud afar off. He also resists the proud. Such a life is useless before God
6. Arrogance: Looking down on others. Assuming superiority over others. And treating others with disdain, belittlement and total disregard of the humanity of others. This is an aristocratic kind of pride. Those caught in this trap are hubristic, and can hardly think of the good of others until they are fully satisfied. Any such person is dangerous to deal with, more so, in a marriage relationship (that is a marathon of over 40 years , plus or minus five years. A fully consummated marriage is between 45 years to 45 years. Very few last more. )
7. Foul Speaking: Useless talks, unguarded speeches, Caricatures and sinful jokes. Curses and evil insinuations. Divisive words and statements meant to reduce another in character and social standing among or before others.
8. Violence: The art of violence violates righteousness and Godliness. The violent person is not a reasonable person to deal with. Such a person can harm another person in the slightest provocation. The Bible says you should not have anything to do with the violent man or woman. In fact, we should pray to be delivered from such people .Psalms 140:1-5.
9. Laziness: A lazy person, whether man or woman is not an offspring of Jesus, who teaches His disciples to labor while it’s day. John 9:4. Wise king Solomon tells the lazy man to go and learn from the ANTS, and be wise. Proverbs 6:6-7.
Let me reaffirm that anybody in a marriage partner with any, yes, any with these character flaws, may reasonably regard the partnership as hanging on the edges of the precipice. This is why every believer, especially our sisters must shine their EYES before going into MARRIAGE relationship. Many false men pretentiously come to church to snatching our sisters away. Let our sisters be properly advised.
What then is marriage?
MARRIAGE is the state of being husband and wife, that confers on the parties involved conjugal rights; Connubiality or wedlock or matrimony.
Marriage can also be the art or ceremony by which two people – a man and a woman become husband and wife amidst bridal, nuptial and espousal rights. A wedding of a man and woman as husband and wife before family and friends as witnesses to the event. .
Marriage is publicly conducted. This explains why the statute books demand that the marriage announcement be made for at least 21 days before the formal and legal joining of the parties as husband and wife. It’s indeed after the 21-day announcement and subsequent joining of the parties together, that the couple is declared married , and so recognized in the eyes of the law. The marriage is also gazetted with the registry after the 21- day public announcement.
For the Church, Marriage is carried out in the glare of many worshippers, amidst pump and ceremony. Whereas, we denigrate the wasteful nature of the marriage ceremonies in recent times its public acknowledgement is the acceptable way to go as our LORD Jesus Christ and His disciples attended one at Cana of Galilee in John 2. :1-11.
Marriage confers the couple the legit to be seen as one. To have conjugal bliss without let or fear. And the right to live together till death part them. They have the right to bear and to raise children under their roof and home. This is the designed method by God to perpetuate the human race. Before God and man, marriage makes love making very pleasant and shameless. Those who sodomize this order are satanic, wicked and laboriously dangerous. They operate under shut heavens and a curse in perpetuity.
Such people don’t live long; they incur the wrath of God; suffer public shame and ridicule, as well as the afflictions of sicknesses and diseases , beyond eternal damnation awaiting them on the DAY of judgement. Hebrews 4:13; 9:27. Happy Sunday.
(To be continued).
ABOUT THE PREACHER
Pastor Okoro, a revivalist, and marriage counselor, can be reached on:
08051000462.
July 17, 2022.
•All references are from KJV.
