Pastor Terry Cheek Th.D.

www.theinspiringword.org

February is a month famous for one thing, LOVE. I’m thinking Valentines Day! We set aside February 14^th every year to recognize our love and affection for husbands and wives. I realize there is no Valentines Day in the Bible, if you’re a student of God’s word you know that everyday should be Valentines Day for the husband and wife united by God.

I write specifically to husbands and wives because God ordained this relationship from creation. From Adam and Eve and throughout Gods word we find the relationship of a man and woman as husband and wife equally yoked as Gods plan for the family and procreation.

It is heartbreaking to see what man has done to marriage and human sexuality. Consider the book of Genesis and begin there. The fall of man in the Garden and Sodom and Gomorrah are both examples that took us down a dark path concerning sexuality. Today man tries to justify many things; same sex relationships, couples living together outside of marriage, adultery, pornography, bi-sexuality and even pedophilia as legitimate expressions of love. God calls these and more like them sin. For the Christian marriage, Valentines Day is not about sexual perversion, it is a celebration of godly love. There is no genuine love apart from the love God calls a man and woman into as husband and wife. For example, in Hebrews 13:4 we read “Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”

I want to take this time to honor biblical marriage. Not just marriage, but biblical marriage. There is a difference. In Deuteronomy God told Israel not to marry into the neighboring people. Not because of race, but because of idolatry. The neighboring people did not know the God of Israel, they worshipped false gods and images made by their hands. God did not want that influence in His people. From 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” This passage goes much deeper than marriage, it relates to every aspect of the believer’s life. Yet, it does include marriage. This is written to the believer. We are responsible for how we approach marriage.

Like many pastors, I counsel. Too often this counseling involves marriages. I have heard too many husbands and wives tell me if they only knew the other person was not saved. Before I marry anyone, I ask specifically if both are saved, are they born again. This is the foundation of a godly marriage. I will not marry a couple unless both have a testimony of being saved, and both have a home church to reference back too. I counsel singles to know the spiritual condition of the person your dating. Just claiming they are a Christian isn’t enough. There are too many definitions of a Christian floating around today. Ask pointed questions, where do they go to church, how long have they been going there, what work are they involved with, what is the pastors name, visit with them and listen to the conversations with others. If they are well known or not, the conversation will tell you quickly. I’m not trying to break up dating couples, I’m trying to save future marriages.

A man or woman with a lustful heart will tell you anything you want to hear so they may fulfill their fantasy. It may be sex, money, power, influence or even a quick escape from an unwanted home life. What ever the reason, if it isn’t a godly marriage or hasn’t become one through the salvation of husband and wife it has little chance of surviving. If the devil helped make it, he will destroy it. It is always Gods desire for a marriage to be successful. A Christian should never give up on their marriage, the Christian can be the testimony God uses to win the spouse. That doesn’t mean a Christian should live in dangerous conditions, separation and divorce are two different things.