| Introduction Things often do not always turn out the way we planed them to turn out. Is your life now what you envisioned it being when you were growing up? The Scriptures acknowledge the fact that stuff happens and that the ideal doesn't always take place. Yet, even then we are called to follow Christ. This passage before us today speaks of divorce: between Christians (10-11) and between a Christian and a non-Christian (12-16). But before we go into this passage, I would like briefly to present a theology of marriage to help us see the importance of this institution. I. A Brief Theology of MarriageA. Marriage is not a human invention. B. God established, instituted, and ordained marriage at the beginning of human history. C. Marriage was instituted before civil government and visible church; it is the oldest of God's institutions D. Since marriage was instituted by God, instead of man, he gets to make the rules. E. Marriage is foundational for society and for the church because the family (basic unit in Bible) is built around marriage. F. Therefore, an attack on marriage is an attack on the basic unit that forms the Church and society. G. Marriage is more than a sexual union H. A marriage is established when a man and a woman exchange vows before God and each other. I. Marriage is the best illustration of the Gospel truth of Christ's love for his Church II. Divorce among Christians, 7-11A. In these verses Paul is considering divorce among Christians. B. Divorce is always the result of sin, 10. C. Divorce is sin because Christ commands us not to divorce, 10. D. Paul is also a realist, knowing that some people will go ahead and divorce each other, 11a. E. Don't complicate the issue even more by marrying again, 11b. Conclusion God calls us to be faithful to him by being faithful to one another in our marriages. He gives us the grace to be so as the Spirit works in us. | |||
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Friday, February 22, 2013
Marriage & Divorce between Christians - 1 Cor. 7:8-11
