THE IMPORTANCE OF MARRIAGE

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF MARRIAGE.

We are now at the peak of summer, July and August, the time for the lovely thought of marriage.  This morning, I want to speak on the importance of marriage.

Turn to some verses from the Old Testament in the book of Genesis, God said, ‘ it is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper for him. So the Lord God caused man to fall into a deep sleep. Then the Lord God made a woman,. and brought her to the man. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and they shall become one flesh.

Marriage was the first institution God created, before Church or anything else, From time immemorial, in every nation in the world, in every way of life and belief, the normal way of life was the joining of a man and woman, in a sacred service of matrimony before God, a once for all union, which would raise a family, and this has been the practice through the ages.

This should be the high spot of life, when men and women who have met and fallen in love, decide to share their lives and commit a partnership which transcends all other human situation.

They belong to each other and  meant to cleave, join together in an unbreakable way. They will grow in love together, share their likes and dislikes, and whilst there will be slight differences, each should help the other . They will find they can know each other’s feelings, and anticipate what the other is thinking. They need to trust each other, and have no secrets. The wife is now the one in the man’s life, who takes ,precedence over all others.

  .They appear together at Church for the wedding service, and pledge their faithfulness to each other, and there is the giving of a ring(s). The ring has no break, no ending, signifying unending love. The ring is made of gold, precious and for longevity. This is what God intended. They make vows to be true to each other, pledging to stay together until death, not as the modern way of until we get fed up with each other.

Marriage is a gift of God, and needs to be respected. There needs to be time spent getting to know the everyday ways of the other, the irritations there may be. Billy Graham used to advise young people, who are Christians, to ask God to guide them, and He would lead them to the right man or woman.  The husband and the wife will have a happier and stronger marriage if both are Christians, because it was the way God planned for us,  Christian couples find it easier to share all in their lives, leading to peace and fullness in the home, which God intended.

He made two people, man and woman, the perfect answer, someone who could complement man in every way, physically and mentally in a way other men could not, and men throughout the ages have appreciated and recognised this. God wanted to supply what was lacking in man’s life, and together they could have children and create the ideal family. He made men and women to have a natural attraction, opposites attracting. God planned the human heart to love, marry and have children. Most men if honest would concede how their wife has been of much help.

So we have two people, equal yet different, no question of superiority or inferiority. They were not meant to be identical, men are generally stronger physically, more aggressive, with a greater propensity for leadership, women softer and sensitive and caring, specially equipped to be mothers. In all ways of life, men and women can however perform the same tasks, but God did give special gifts to each.

In the film ‘my fair lady’, Rex Harrison playing a professor of phonetics asks, ‘why can’t a woman be like a man, and gets the answer, ‘because she wasn’t created to be’. We are a mixture that complements one another.

Marriage is the bedrock of society, yet now long held beliefs are being challenged. Marriage lends stability to society and builds a framework, which is held in high esteem. It is one of the most important aspects of our culture. Jesus highly valued marriage, and performed His first miracle at a wedding.

Marriage is a solid foundation for the bringing up of children, who are a key factor in God’s intention for marriage. I worked in a big city, with a lot of different districts, and I once remarked to a Jewish Rabbi, that I had never known a Jewish boy (or girl) get into trouble for anti-social or violent behavior. I asked him what he attributed this to, and he said ‘the Jewish Mama, she keeps control of her family.’ I am sure that is true, but there are many Christian mamas too, perhaps not as many as hitherto.

God has laid down total disapproval of divorce, which for many years was not a practice the majority of people sought, they were more respectful of their vows, and tried to be reconciled. The Bible does in the New Testament allow divorce, if one partner in a marriage is unfaithful and commits adultery, leaving the innocent party to be free of blame. To obtain a divorce, it was necessary to show some worthy cause to justify. How different now, that the government have made it so easy, that man or woman can obtain a divorce without reason, or even seeking the other partner’s agreement.

For centuries down the ages, marriage was expected to be the natural course of men/women and people expected and prepared for getting married. it was only in the latter part of the last century, that people began to change their way. We have now reached the stage, where the whole of God's original plan for men and women has been widely abandoned. just as in the days of Malachi described in the Old Testament, there is a spiritual decline with people forsaking God, and an alarming breakdown in family life.

First there was the phase of feminism, which some (few)women saw marriage was some form of restriction of women.  Ideologies were formed to discourage women,  but the only concern for women’s rights seemed justified.  Most men of any intelligence, especially those with love of their wives, would never need to be told about equality.

In the period of 1960s, when there was a government which destroyed several traditional

Beliefs, there was the proposed suggestion of same sex marriage and the LGBT was formed in America in 1969, and it was subsequently formed in the United Kingdom with the purpose of legalising the suggestion.  Stonewall was an organisation created to pursue this issue, and  have forcefully done so in a very efficient way.

Civil unions were legally formed, which had all the rights of marriage, but inevitably that was not enough, marriage was demanded.  A new government (falsely)called Conservative was elected, and the Prime Minister’s first law, was to grant legalisation to marriage.

Most people are not interested in the manner of other people’s lives, and rightly take the

View that other people can take what action they wish. We do not judge, only God can do that which He will, when we face judgement.  But true Christians are bound to follow the teaching of the Bible, the very Word of God, which confirms only man and woman can marry. This is especially the course all clergy have to take, but as in many cases you have those men who take vows but dishonorably break them.

God’s plan for marriage is not followed, there are so many failed ones. We need to return to the Biblical pattern, where the secrets of a happy married life are laid out.

If two people want to live together, that is entirely their right to do so in a free society, and should be allowed to do so without interference from anyone else. but not for the Church to recognize.

God intended men and women should have children, which means having a father and mother. Children need both for a balanced upbringing, and to receive the benefit of both characters in their lives. Family meant husband, wife and children. This is the ideal, which cannot be attained by two people of the same sex..

Research after research, has resulted in being agreed that a home without a father and mother, leads to a child’s failure to rise to its ability. Children have fallen into Crime, and other misdeeds when devoid of the two parents. Many children have grown up in a lot of sadness, when their parents fall out and/or parting.. Grown- ups should act accordingly, and think of the children they created, and the responsibility they owe them.

To disagree with same sex marriage is not homophobic or bigotry, such opposition is not based against sexual orientation,  but Ministers of the Church are vowed to speak in the name of Jesus and on respect for tradition and biblical teaching.  The Marriage Service’s themes of love, hope, faithfulness,, sacrifice and trust are at the heart of the Christian gospel. 

.The newly appointed Pope Leo xiv, has made an impressive start, in the manner in which he is leading his clergy to follow the teaching of Christ in all matters, and has stated in one instance of saying  marriage should be celebrated in Church before God.

 A Minister is in the Church to represent Christ and speak for Jesus. We are called to preach the gospel that Jesus commanded and ordered His Apostles to teach, not the wishes of society. Has commitment and integrity been abandoned altogether in some Churches.

From my pleasant association with Christians in Africa, I see how the Christians in those nations shine so brightly, and are inspiring in their devotion to the faith, and find the lack of faith in Western nations disappointing. They found recent action of the bishops of the Church of England to follow a more casual approach, was one of disapproval for the violation of holy Scripture.

I close with the words used by the distinguished Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster in a pastoral letter, ‘we have a duty to married people today, and to those who come after us, to do all we can to ensure that the true meaning of marriage is not lost for future generations.’

 

We praise God for His Holy Gospel