Now He, answering, said, "Did you not read that the Maker from the beginning makes them male and female, and He said, "On this account a man shall be leaving father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh? So that no longer are they two, but one flesh. What God, then, yokes together, let not man be separating."
Matthews Account 19: 4-6, Concordant New Testament
I have very few memories of my own father engaging in what people would refer to as family time. The memories that I do have are of leaving home to spend time with my dad at his home, not our family home. See, my parents were divorced when I was young, so the memories I do have of my father are of time spent with him after the divorce. I was reminded of these memories in my own life this week as I had a conversation with a friend of mine. This man, who has been married to his wife for over thirty years, has been toying with the idea of going outside of his marriage to seek companionship. Yet, when I ask my friend if things are so bad that he needs to look for affection outside of his marriage, why doesn't he simply get a divorce? His response, "I married her for life." While I respect his adhering to the biblical idea of marriage, I believe that he himself also suffers from an illness which is far too common. That being the false impression of the independent self. The idea that we are individuals who are now separated from our creator. This false image is one that is spoken all too often from the pulpits of the mainstream church. That our sin has separated us from God. Well, nothing could be further from the truth. The very nature of our being is witness to the truth that we have been created in the very likeness of the Father {Genesis 1:27}. Not only that, but the apostle Paul speaks to the truth that we have perished and that our lives are no longer our own. The truth which speaks to our life now being IN Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}. Sadly, too many believers, including my friend, adhere to the false belief that they are independent from God. This is why I refer to this belief as the false image, for it is just that.
With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.
Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament
I look at these words of Paul, and I know that my life is not my own. For Paul speaks to that "Which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God" {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}. Paul knew, he had unwavering faith that he now lived his life within Christ Jesus. This truth of the evangel of Paul is contrary to the lie of the false image spoken by those within the mainstream church. Jesus Himself has spoken to the truth that the marriage relationship is not between two individuals, but that "The two shall be one flesh" {Mathews Account 19:6}. That what the Father has brought together, "Let man not be separating" {Matthews Account 19:6}. Now, many in the church would correctly see infidelity as a just cause for the ending of a marriage. Indeed, this is what doomed my own parents relationship. Yet I see the actions of my friend and I see a man in the process of separating that which the Father has brought together. Some may argue that it is only through infidelity that a marriage may be ended, but that is simply not true. For man has made it known that he will separate the marriage union for whatever reasons he deems necessary. My own father is a testament to this false belief. I believe that too many people do not look upon the marriage relationship as one flesh, but as two individuals. The lie spoken by the church rekindled. So it is that marriage is all too often till death do us part, but until our own individual needs do us part.
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment