The Responsibility of Marriage
Responsibility to honor and esteem marriage
“Let marriage be held in honor among all…” (Hebrews 13:4)
The word “honor” in the Greek is the word “timios”
1 Peter 1:19 talks about how we have been redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ.”
1 Peter 2:4 talks about how Jesus is “chosen and precious” in the sight of the Father.
“For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name…” (Isaiah 54:5)
Clearly, from God’s perspective, marriage is a big deal.
Jesus’ very first miracle was done at a wedding. He was esteeming marriage.
Too many today hold marriage in low esteem.
Responsibility to fulfill the commitment that we made in marriage.
Background of the word “responsibility.”
There is a responsibility that is involved in marriage.
Marriage is “‘til death parts us,” not “until I’m tired of trying.”
Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death… Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised. (Song 8:6-7)
Clara Gantt story.
What does the commitment mean practically?
Genesis 1: “It was good.” Over and over.
Chapter 2: “It’s not good.” Something was wrong. And it was that fact that Adam was alone.
“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” (Proverbs 18:22)
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)
And we should recognize that there are multiple aspects to marriage.
Ruth Ryan, Covering Home -- My Life with Nolan Ryan.
Responsibility to continue to love unreservedly
Walking in love makes you vulnerable and puts you at risk.
That’s exactly what happened to Jesus.
Pastor Benjamin Karner quote from Unity in the Body.
Ideally, taking advantage of the other person shouldn’t happen in a Christian marriage relationship. Both partners should be trying to outlove, outgive the other.
If you’re married, you’re married to a person who has a sinful nature.
The tendency is to be less extreme in love.
When you make the decision to not love fully, there’s a part of you that begins to die.
Cyrus the Great and the Armenian prince and princess.
Responsibility to keep the physical relationship pure
As followers of Christ, there should be no crudeness or innuendo or revealing of intimate secrets in a public setting.
“It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret.” (Ephesians 5:12, NIV)
Lust is desiring what you don’t have. It is the opposite of contentment.
Rosaria Butterfield quote from The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert.
Only God can redeem sin.
Missing the mark.
“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled.” (Hebrews 13:4)
