10.09.05
Random Thoughts
Is adultery a distortion of the gospel? As the following verse states, marriage symbolizes the bond between Christ and his chruch:
(Ephesians 5:22-33 KJV)
(22) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (24) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so {let} the wives {be} to their own husbands in every thing. (25) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (28) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (29) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (30) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (31) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (32) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (33) Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife {see} that she reverence {her} husband.
So there lies the question. Is adultrey distorting the gospel by taking the picture of Christ’s marriage to the church and suggesting He is unfaithful to his promises? Is divorce distorting the gospel by using the same imagery to claim that Christ can be seperated from his people that he has committed to?
Just something I have been thinking about.
Chris Poteet Said:
October 10, 2005 at 9:52 pm
Bro, great thoughts, and it is good that you are struggling with them; because honestly it is the most important thing to understand before and during marriage (lying on the presupposition that God created the insitution of marriage).
God does hate divorce (Mal 2:16), and it is becauase it is a symbol of the breaking of Christ and the church. The institution of marriage, illustrated by the passage you cited, helps us to understand the love Christ has for the Church (His redeemed). Divorce temporally (man and woman) symbolizes the break of Christ and His Church.
We know, although, from Rev 21 that no such separation will occur.
You’re right on the mark that it is almost saying that God is not faithful to His promises (by partaking of earthly divorce). And yes, I would say it distorts the gospel as well. When God lays His affection on someone, it will come to fruition (1 Peter 1:3-5).