Marriage – Word for the Soul

At Last!

September 8, 2024September 3, 2024 Loring Schultz

‘“At last!’ the man exclaimed. ‘This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” Genesis 2:23-24 NLT

God’s design and purposes for us are always perfect. They are just the right fit for us to live comfortably in this world. There may be times we do not see God’s design for our lives as we struggle in the confusion of our current day. But God’s way and purposes are right. He does not make mistakes, especially when it comes to His creation.

Adam may have felt God make a mistake after he was given the task to name all the animals God created and found none he could relate to or even have a conversation with. Unknowingly to Adam, God had a plan for an equal partner for him. He will create the perfect helper for him, a woman. “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; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” (Gen.2:21-22 nlt) Adam was blessed and encouraged by God’s provision and perfect plan in providing him a helper by establishing marriage and the way to populate the earth.

We share the same blessing today. It is still God’s perfect design of male and female created in His image. “In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.’” (Gen.1:27-28b nlt) God’s design for marriage is naturally between one man and one woman, and it is the only way to populate the earth. No wonder Adam was excited and exclaimed, “At last!”

A Christian Perspective

Male and Female: God’s Perfect Design

June 15, 2024June 12, 2024 Loring Schultz

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.'” Genesis 1:27-28a NLT

God’s Word to us begins with His acts of creation. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” (Gen.1:1,31a nlt) God made everything good and we could say even perfect. That includes Adam and Eve, our first parents. They were perfect in every way before they fell into sin when tempted by Satan. Although they now had a sin nature which is passed down to us, what remained perfect in them and us is God’s perfect design of creating them male and female.

Through God’s perfect design the world has been populated for thousands of years. God told them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.’ and they have. Populating the earth only happens when males and females get together having children. A very undeniable fact is that our very existence as a human race depends on heterosexuality. We would cease to exist if this were not the case. God’s perfect design for life itself.

The saying ‘opposites attract’ is seen in the wisdom of God. What is more opposite and different than a male and a female. Many married couples are direct opposites of one another. My wife would testify to that, but we complement each other. We are help mates for each other, although I think men need more help, for God has said concerning Adam “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” (Gen.2:18 nlt) God’s perfect design for marriage, male and female.

Our world today is in chaos and becoming more depraved everyday due to sin. When God was finished with His entire creation, He said it was very good! Sin entered the picture and has distorted our view of God’s original design ever since. Don’t get caught up and fooled with the thinking of the world today but remember God’s original intent especially ‘male and female he created them.’ God’s perfect design!

A Christian Perspective

As Long As We Both Shall Live, or As Long As Our Love Shall Last

October 7, 2023October 6, 2023 Loring Schultz

“Jesus replied, ‘Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.’” Matthew 19:8 NIV

Marriage vows have been a part of wedding ceremonies for centuries. Today many couples write their own vows to each other to show their commitment to their intending spouse and to the marriage. So sacred are these vows that they are usually presented in a church setting. The commitment to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, in however it is expressed is summed up by ‘as long as we both shall live.’ Sadly that expression is also being rewritten to ‘as long as our love shall last.’

Sadly today marriage is not seen as God ordained, a commitment for life, and the means of starting a family. It has come down to an arrangement when convenient and with pre-conditions. Where there is no lifetime commitment and when hard times come, the marriage is doomed to fail. The previously established exit plan is ready to be implemented. This is the way of the world system, but Christians are not of the world, so how are we to act?

During Jesus’s ministry on earth He was forever being tested by the religious rulers to entrap Him in going against the Law of Moses. One such occasion concerned whether a man can divorce his wife for any reason. There was division even among the rulers, those who held to a strict view of marriage and divorce and those who permitted divorce misinterpreting Moses’s instruction on divorce. Jesus always being aware of their deception, Charles R. Erdman writes, “Jesus avoids their snare and lays down a principle fundamental to the stability of human society. Not only does he agree with those who hold the stricter view of marriage, he insists that the bond was designed to be indissoluble. He refers to the law of marriage as divinely established at creation.”

As Christians we are to adhere to the teachings of Scripture in all areas of our lives, especially when it comes to marriage. You will not find the traditional marriage vows in the Bible, but they are seen all throughout the Word of God. God is the one who has established marriage, and it is before Him we say our vows to our intending spouse. Jesus also said, “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” (Mt. 19:6), as long as they both shall live.

Devotionals

At Last

September 13, 2023September 12, 2023 Loring Schultz

Adam may have felt God make a mistake after he was given the task to name all the animals God created and found none he could relate to or even have a conversation with. Unknowingly to Adam, God had a plan for an equal partner for him. He will create the perfect helper for him, a woman. “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; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” (Gen. 2:21-22) Adam was blessed and encouraged by God’s provision and perfect plan in providing him a helper by establishing marriage and the way to populate the earth.

We share the same blessing today. It is still God’s perfect design of male and female created in His image. “In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.’” (Gen. 1:27a-28b) God’s design for marriage is naturally between one man and one woman, and it is the only way to populate the earth. No wonder Adam was excited and exclaimed, “At last!”