NUGGETS…from the WORD of GOD
A CHRISTIAN’S WEDDING
“Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.” —Deut. 7:3-4
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Truth is uncompromising. When attempts are made to compromise the truth, chaos is the inevitable result. That is the principle underlying the commandment here given to Israel to make no marriages with the heathen in the land God was giving them.
In the account of the flood that destroyed the world in Noah’s day, it is interesting that this issue is first on God’s list of reasons for His judgment. “The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took wives of all which they chose…There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.,” (Gen. 6:2, 4) In between these two verses is cited God’s determination to destroy the world.
The appeal for this compromise was the attraction of the flesh (“they were fair” [i.e., attractive, beautiful]). The result of the compromise was impressive (“mighty men…of renown”). But God’s assessment of it was catastrophic. The principle is thus laid down that God brooks no union between the holy and the profane! The significance of this is extensive and staggering, but can only be suggested here. Remember, the Savior said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the days of the coming of the Son of Man be [Mat. 24:37].”
Our approach to this “nugget” today will be rather confined to the specific declaration of the text. Believers are not to marry unbelievers. That is plain, simple and indisputable. “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” (II Cor. 6:14) Probably no decision a Christian makes, except for the fundamental decision to trust Christ for salvation, is more important than deciding whom to marry. Regardless of other circumstances that may enter our lives, a God blessed marriage is one’s greatest treasure this side of heaven. This implies the importance of committing the matter to the will of God. It will require prayer for the direction of God. It will demand conduct before marriage that keeps one pure for the choice of God. In short, it demands submission to the Lordship of Christ in one’s personal life.
That is the lesson for the believer contemplating marriage. There is another lesson here for Christian parents. If this is the will of God for believers, then our children must be instructed diligently regarding the divine order. This links to our text for last week: “Thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children, and talk of them when thou sittest in thine house (etc.).” It is the responsibility of believing parents to instruct their children in this vital matter; not just once, but on an ongoing basis. Few issues are more important in shaping the next generation of believers, or insuring the happiness and well being of our offspring, to say nothing of the testimony of Christ.
We wrote but recently about the Savior’s indictment of divorce, and how this evil has become increasingly prevalent in our churches. It is an indication of how far we have fallen from the revealed will of God. If there were more emphasis in church and home on God’s uncompromising demand for separation between the holy an the profane, there might be less of this insidious evil in contemporary Christian culture.
We are mindful, of course, that for most of our readers this emphasis comes after the fact. Thankfully, we live on this side of the “law.” There is mercy with the Lord. “IF we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [I John 1:9].” God is in the business of mending broken things, and as surely as He can inflict chaos when His will is defied, He can bring order out of chaos when we bring our wreckage to Him and ask for mercy.
“If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? “ —I Cor. 7:12-16
—"Pastor" Frasier
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8/25/12
These "Nuggets," including past issues, are now available online at
http://wmf14227.blogspot.com/ - or - http://pastorfrasier.blogspot.com/ prior to 4/1/12
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