The Plan God Gave and the Tremendous Blessings of Abiding Within It

Marriage and its Beauty

The Plan God gave and the tremendous blessings of abiding within it

I. Overview:

A. Practical matters, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, ______, ______, ______, ______. “…A threefold cord is not quickly ______.”

B. Paradigm, please! 2 Corinthians 8:1-7, the churches of ______were a great example.

C. Marriage begins: Genesis 2:21-25, God made woman from ______.

D. Importance to God, Deuteronomy 24:5 – Special consideration for the first year of marriage…by Law.

II. Wisdom from the Proverbs

A. Only ONE person fit this bill! Proverb 5:15 Immoral is as immoral does. A seductress seduces. Avoid them!

B. Defining terms: Hebrews 13:4 Fornicator – sex outside of marriage. Adulterer – One who is married but having relations with someone that is not their spouse.

C. Beyond understanding: Proverb 30:18-19, the way of a man with a young woman is hard to understand.

D. Your track record? Proverb 20:6-7, everyone SAYS they’re good, but you want to see it and know it.

E. This is NOT Accidental. Proverb 19:14 “… a prudent wife is from the Lord.” How? Result of obedience.

F. God’s favor, Proverb 18:22 He who finds a ______finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord.

G. Choices & ______. Proverb 12:4

H. And a Virtuous ______? Proverb 31:10-12 “…She does him ______and not evil all the days of her life.”

III. New Testament Direction A. Marriage / Divorce / Remarriage: Matthew 19:1-10 “…9 And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for ______, and marries another, commits ______; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." 10 His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to ______."

B. Matthew 19 Parallel; Mark 10:1-12

C. NT Rules: 1 Corinthians 7:1-16

a. Separation – v.5 Do not deprive one another except (1) with ______(2) for a ______, that you may give yourselves to ______and ______; and ______so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control

b. What applies? – v.10 Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to ______from her husband. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. And a husband is not to ______his wife.

D. Bound vs Married: Romans 7:1-3 “…For the woman who has a husband is ______by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is ______from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband lives, she ______another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has ______another man.

E. God’s Chain of Command - Colossians 3:18-19

F. See the Parallel: Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to ______... Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in ______.

G. Old Testament Child Rearing - Deuteronomy 6:6-9 "… You shall teach them ______to your children, and shall talk of them when you ______in your house, when you ______by the way, when you ______, and when you ______....”

H. New Testament Child Rearing - Ephesians 6:1-4 “…And you, ______, do not provoke your children to wrath, but ______in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

I. Strength in Family, Psalm 127:1-5 “…Behold, ______are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a ______. 4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth. 5 Happy is the man who has his quiver ______of them; they shall not be ashamed, but shall speak with their enemies in the gate.”

J. See the Context: Hebrews 13:4-7 Marriage is ______among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conduct be without ______; be ______with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" 7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the Word of God to you, whose faith ______, considering the outcome of their conduct. NKJV

IV. What Must I Do to be Saved?

Hear The Gospel (John 5:24; Romans 10:17) Believe the Word of God (John 3:16-18; John 8:24)

Repent Of Your Sins (Luke 13:1-5; Acts 2:38) Confess Jesus as Christ (Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:10)

Be Baptized (Acts 22:16; Galatians 3:27) Remain Faithful for Life (John 8:31; Rev. 2:10)

FOR THE ERRING CHILD OF GOD:

Repent (Acts 8:22), Confess (I John 1:9), Pray (Acts 8:22)

Greg Madden PO Box 1914 Soldotna, AK 99669-1914 Funny River Rd church of Christ www.frr-churchofchrist-ak.org