Edification Company (Part of Edification Ministries)
Religion & Spirituality:Christianity
Date 12.03.2023
People of God GREETINGS!
It is another week and we thank and rejoice in the Living God, our Heavenly Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ, for His provision, love, care, and his indwelling peace in us by the Divine Person of the Holy Spirit.
Main Bible Scripture:
1 Corinthians 7 v 12-16
Other Associated Scriptures: Genesis 1 v 27, Genesis 5 v 2, 1 Corinthians 7 v 1-16, Mark 10 v 2-12, Matthew 22 v 29-30, Hebrews 13 v 4, Galatians 15 v 50, 1 Corinthians 15 v 50, Ephesians 5 v 22 – 33, 1Peter 3 v 1-7, Revelation 19 v 6-9 and so on.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for another week of divine health, divine peace, divine provision and divine wisdom and revelation of God, the Father of spirits. We come today, this very hour, in our own accord, to feed our born-again spirit-beings with the rich nutrient of God’s Holy Word. We agree that your Word is the truth. We trust the Holy Spirit to bring the light of God’s Word into our minds and the direction of that Word into our spirits. We trust you, the Lord Jesus Christ, that we will be doers of your Word and not hearers, readers or speakers only. In Jesus Name. Amen
Theme/Subject: Marriage, Divorce & Sex
Our theme or subject is “Marriage, Divorce & Sex.” This is series 03.
To get the most out of these teaching series, it is more important that you listen to or read the previous teachings on the subject.
In series 02, we covered in some detailed from God’s Word the marriage between the believing husband and his believing wife. This is the model of marriage God desires for His children.
However, just because God desires this marriage for His children does not mean that He forces it on them. Or does it mean that all of God’s children will choose to marry a born-again believer. God’s children, you and I, have our own freewill to choose and may decide to go against what God desires or wills for them. When that happens His children will have to live the consequences of their own decisions or choices but they still remain God’s children. God always leads His children or unbelievers to the truth and then allows them to make their own decisions whether or not to obey or practice the truth He leads them.
Jesus said “God’s Word is truth (see John 17 v 17).” It also important to note that in some cultural or traditional practices some people especially ladies have no choice in deciding who they marry to. But whatever, the natural situation, as a child of God in Christ Jesus, God is bigger and more powerful than any cultural or traditional practices and He is more than able to protect and rescue His children should they call up to Him in need. If you find yourself in such situation I pray in the Name of Jesus that you will be set free.
The marriage between the believing husband and his believing wife is beautiful and enjoyable if both the believing husband and his believing wife continue to grow and mature together in Christ. This is not the case even among many Christian couples but it can be should they choose to act on God’s Word. By their continuous growth in Christ through the feeding and practising on the Holy Word together, they are then sealed as ONE in the marriage by the Agape love of God which lives in both of them as God’s children and the ‘one flesh’ aspect begins to fade away. Marriage is beautiful, enjoyable and sweet when both the believing husband and his believing wife made it their goal to grow together in Christ Jesus.
In that process of growth, both the believing husband and his believing wife begin to understand, begin to know and begin to put into practice their respective divine roles and responsibilities as per God’s Word in the marriage. It is important to emphasise this point clear and loud. It does not mean that because the believing husband and his believing wife are growing together in Christ that every storm ceases in the marriage. No! Not at all. It is even then that Satan increases the pressure and his attacks but as this couple grows together in Christ, they begin to know their authority in Christ over Satan and his forces (see James 4 v 7, 1 Peter 5 v 8-9, Luke 10 v 19). And they don’t just know their authority in Christ over Satan and his forces but they begin to exercise this authority over Satan. Satan has no choice but to flee from them and their marriage. But a note of caution, Satan will come again at the opportune time through the marriage but as this couple maintains their growth in Christ; they will be able to stand together on God’s Word to resist and to rebuke Satan’s attacks.
It is also important to emphasise that even though the believing husband and his believing wife are born-again children of God alright yet should they fail or lag behind in their growth together in Christ Jesus, they will be overwhelmed. It is equally the case if just one of the believing person in the marriage is growing in Christ. The secret of having a beautiful, stable and sweet marriage in this natural life is enshrined in both the believing husband and his believing wife growing together in Christ Jesus.
Satan takes advantage of God’s children who do not grow in Christ. For the lack of knowledge and also the lack of practising that knowledge God’s people perished or are destroyed. For example, it will not do my marriage any good as a believing husband if I know from God’s Word to love my wife as Christ loved the church but fail to put what I know into practice. Knowledge acted upon brings results.
Sometimes you read or hear some Christians say, I married him or her because he or she is a member of this local church or that local church. Right there is where the problem originates in many marriages among children of God. As children of God we are encouraged by God’s Word to marry a person who is born-again in Christ Jesus not a person who is merely a church member. And not only that but this person is willing to grow in Christ together with you throughout the course of the marriage on earth. This will shock you but it is absolutely the truth, the fact that a person a member of particular church does not mean that he or she is a born-again child of God. And even if they are, many are not growing in Christ Jesus through the continuous feeding and acting on the Holy Word. We are to remain in Christ and to grow in Him as God’s children. It is commendable to attend church regularly but you need to know for sure in your spirit that you have been born-again in Christ Jesus and you are growing in Him.
There have been cases, where Christian parents pressure their children to marry a person who is a member of a local church and when they did they discovered that such a person is just a church member and had never been born-again in Christ and the marriage eventually dissolved or is tough going. If you are reading this teaching and perhaps you are planning to get marriage as a born-again child of God; I will encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you in your decision (see Romans 8 v 14). For He, the Holy Spirit, always leads children of God to the truth (see John 16 v 13). He will lead you to your true husband or wife in Christ Jesus. Do not yield to the external pressures and marry someone you know in your heart or spirit is not for you. Never say yes to marry a person because of wealth, status, education, natural family background but marry a person who is in Christ and a person you truly love and is willing to spend the rest of your life here on earth with.
As Christian parents do not encourage your child to marry someone who attends church but encourage them to marry someone who is born-again in Christ Jesus and is willing to grow in Him at all times. Please pause and reflect!
In series 03, we will allow the Holy Spirit to lead us through the Holy Written Word of God to discuss Hybrid Marriage.
Apart from the marriage between the believing husband and his believing wife, God’s Word also teaches about ‘Hybrid Marriage’. For the purpose of this teaching I have adopted the phrase “Hybrid Marriage” to mean ‘a believing husband and his unbelieving wife or an unbelieving husband and his believing wife’ (see 1 Corinthians 7 v 12-16).
The Holy Spirit through apostle Paul wrote this to the church in Corinth and he still through the same Holy Spirit writes to us from 1 Corinthians 7 v 12, 13,15 concerning Hybrid Marriage which reads “But to the rest I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. 13 And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. 15 But if the unbeliever departs or decides to leave, let him or her departs; a brother or a sister (the believer) is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace.”
I like you to note that the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul began the Scripture we just read with these words: But to the rest I, not the Lord, say. What does this mean in relation to the holy instruction given regarding Hybrid Marriage? It simply means that whilst Jesus was on earth He did not teach or preach about Hybrid Marriage or the marriage between the believer and the unbeliever. Why not? This is because whilst on earth, Jesus primarily taught and preached to the children of Israel (see John 1 v 12). But after Jesus had resurrected from the dead and God’s redemptive plan for the world was achieved not only for the children of Israel, but also for all gentiles who receive Christ Jesus and believe in His Name were or are born of God, the Father of spirits. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ or the body of Christ resulted. And the body of Christ became children of God and not children of Israel (see John 1 v 11-13). All of a sudden, the early disciples are faced with children of God and not just children of Israel as Jesus in His early ministry had primarily dealt with. Children of God consist of the gentiles and children of Israel who receive Jesus and believe in His Name. In particular, among the gentile Christians, some came to Christ already married as in some cases today. However, some of them their respective wives or husbands were still unbelievers. These gentile believers who found themselves in this situation wanted to know whether to keep their unbelieving husbands or wives now that they have become children of God in Christ Jesus. Jesus whilst on earth did not have to deal with this issue. Therefore, any born-again child of God who is growing in Christ will know that there were some things Jesus taught and preached in the four Gospels that were restricted for the children of Israel and not for the church or the body of Christ. And the Letters or the Epistles written to the church or the body of Christ teach and preach somethings that on face value seem contrary to what Jesus taught and preached in the Gospels. Those differences exist because Jesus in the Gospels taught and preached mainly to the children of Israel and the Letters or Epistles preach and teach to the church, the body of Christ.
Therefore, the hybrid marriage concerns were pertaining to the church and was not so much to the children of Israel Jesus primarily taught and preached to. However, the Holy Spirit through apostle Paul addressed those hybrid marriage concerns. The Living God has answer for every concern or situation. The instruction the Holy Spirit gave through apostle Paul was this: If you came to Christ already married and your husband or wife does not believe and the unbeliever is willing to stay in the marriage then let the believer not divorce the unbeliever in a Hybrid Marriage. However, if the unbeliever decides to leave, let him or her leave; a believer is not under bondage in such cases (See 1 Corinthians 7 v 12-15).
The believer in a Hybrid Marriage should fulfil his or her marital divine responsibilities as a dearly child of God in Christ Jesus to the unbeliever. For how do you know, O believing wife, whether you will save your unbelieving husband? For how do you know, O believing husband, whether you will save your unbelieving wife (see 1 Corinthians 7 v 16)?
The believer should never spiritualise Hybrid Marriage and use it as an excuse to deny the unbeliever his or her benefits in the marriage.
For example; the believing husband telling his unbelieving wife; I am fasting so do not come close to me regarding intercourse. The unbelieving person must consent to this first but the believer cannot impose. And many other areas in the marriage.
Unlike the marriage between the believing husband and his believing wife, the believer in a Hybrid Marriage cannot grow spiritually in Christ with his or her unbelieving husband or wife. This is key disadvantage in Hybrid Marriage. And the failure to grow in Christ together in any marriage yields DIVISIONS and HARVEST the desires of the one flesh.
The believer spirit is alive with the Father of spirits. The unbeliever’s spirit is separated from the Father of spirits, the Living God; meaning he or she is spiritually dead. Therefore, there cannot be spiritually agreement concerning God and His Word in Christ Jesus in a Hybrid Marriage.
This is the reason why God through His Word warns His children who are about to get marriage this, saying: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (see 2 Corinthians 6 v 14).” The Word of God calls the believer righteousness and light and it calls the unbeliever lawlessness and darkness. Meaning in hybrid marriage there is always going to be spiritual disagreements pertaining to the Father of spirits.
I can hear in my spirit this listener or reader saying brother Thomas: I am a believer and so is my husband or wife but there are divisions and instabilities in our marriage. If that is the case, then both of you as believers in the marriage are rather halted in Christ and not necessarily growing and maturing in Him together by continuous feeding and practising of the Holy Word. If that is the case, then both of you are either not practising your divine roles and responsibilities in the marriage as God’s Word teaches.
Always remember this as a child of God that in Hybrid Marriage, God’s Word teaches that the believer in that marriage came to Christ already married to the unbeliever. As a child of God who is planning to marry, I will encourage you to ask and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to your true born-again husband or wife in Jesus Name.
Next week, in series 04 we shall discuss divorce and sex in marriage as God’s Word teaches. I know some of our listeners and readers are eagerly wait for that teaching because they have been asking the question already.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father in Christ Jesus we thank you for your incorruptible living Word, that Word has come to us, help us to be doers thereof. In Jesus Name. Amen. To God be the glory forever and ever in Jesus Name by the power of the Holy Spirit. I know that you are blessed by these teachings, why don’t you share them with others to be blessed also? It is also important to get your feedback and how together, through these teachings we are growing in faith in God’s Holy Written Word. By: Bro Thomas Boakye
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