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CHRISTADELPHIAN BIBLE POSTAL COURSE No. 54 |
CHOOSING A PARTNER
Reading : 1 Corinthians 7
When God created humanity he made the man first and then because it was not good that a man should be alone he created a fitting partner for him. Genesis chapter 2 verse 18. The divine design was therefore a man and a woman as natural partners. At first as companions in the glory of the garden but, after disobeying God and having been driven out, as sexual partners for the birth of children and the continuity of the human race. The bond existing between parents and children was to change naturally Genesis chapter 2 verse 24 and at maturity the young adults would form new male and female partners. Jesus taught that this bond between a man and a woman was to be a permanent one. God had declared that this should be the case. Look at Matthew € s gospel chapter 19 verses 4 to 6.
Divorce was only permitted because of humanity € s inability to obey God € s law. The freedom to divorce and marry again differs from country to country but in the western world it is a modern practice that is not permitted to the disciples of Jesus. The only exception being where the husband finds that the wife has been indulging in sex with other men. There is not even information to say whether this single permission existed the other way round; if a wife found that her husband was unfaithful. The apostle Paul reinforces this teaching by Jesus in his first letter to Corinth chapter 7 verses 1 and 2. Although Paul was unmarried and preferred to remain that way, he realised that most disciples of Jesus would want to marry and only a few would follow his example chapter 7 verses 8 and 9.
Once married the man and woman should remain so, 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verses 10 and 11. Look also at the letter to Romans chapter 7 verses 1 to 3. Only if one of the partners died was the other able to remarry.
The modern world ignores these instructions and permits not just one divorce but a continuous changing of partners. This is clearly against God € s original intentions and against the instructions given by Jesus to his followers. However, men and women who have no faith and deny the existence of God see no need to follow instructions that restrict their actions.
The natural outcome of this has been the breakdown of family life and increasing difficulties for those children deprived of the love of parents who love one another.
However, for those men and women who do believe in God and wish to be disciples of Jesus there is a very real need to be careful on the subject of marriage. The message of both Old and New Testaments is clear and repeated many times but Paul sums it up for us in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verses 9 and 10. There is no doubt about the message,
* Casual sex is forbidden
* Adultery is forbidden
* Being a homosexual or lesbian is forbidden
It is futile to protest against these very direct instructions because this is God € s will and if we wish to be part of the Kingdom of God on earth and want to be raised from death, if we have died before Jesus returns, if we wish to enjoy immortality and the wonder of being part of God € s purpose for this earth, we must abide by his laws.
We may twist the wording and complain that it does not really mean what it says but one day we will need to stand before the judgement seat of our Lord Jesus Christ. We dare not take the chance of disregarding these instructions.
All of this section of the lesson is very necessary because it shows us that when we come to the point in our lives when we want to choose a marriage partner we need to use much care. The prettiest girl or the handsome man may look just right but you will need to ask yourself will they share your faith in God? Will you be able to support one another in the Christian way to the Kingdom?
Paul realised that some married men and women would become baptised followers of Jesus whilst their partners would not also be converted. His advice to these people is kindly and wise, look at 1 Corinthians chapter 7 again, this time at verse 12 to 16. The essential point here is that the unbelieving husband or wife must be content that their partners have chosen to follow Jesus and they must not hinder them in their worship.
There is another problem for the baptised believer, what should they do if they cannot find a partner of their own age who is also a disciple of Jesus. There are two answers to this. The first is that marriage is such an essential part of ones future life, happiness and walk in faith that the individual should travel if necessary to another part of the country or even another country to find a partner. This is easier for a man than for a woman but there are beautiful examples in the Bible where this has happened in the past. Read Genesis chapter 24 and Ruth chapter 1 and 2. In the case of Ruth chapter 1 shows only her determination to stay with her mother-in-law Naomi but by the start of chapter 2 it is clear that Naomi has spoken to Ruth about this rich kinsman in Bethlehem who may just be interested in honouring the law and marrying his dead kinsman € s wife.
The other alternative is to seek a possible partner who is a reader of the Bible and who also wants to be a disciple of Jesus. By working together, it is not only possible to find a marriage partner but also have the joy of bringing another person to the knowledge of the future Kingdom on earth. This is after all just an extension of preaching the gospel that all followers of Jesus are commanded to do. Read Mark 16 verse 15 and 16.
There are very good reasons then for choosing the right partner in marriage. Even a disciple whose husband or wife has died must show the same care before thinking of marrying again. Look now at 1 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 39.
This subject of marriage was considered so important by the apostles that when Paul came to write his second letter to Corinth he repeats this commandment. Look at chapter 6 verses 14 to 16. Yoking two animals of the wrong size or temperament together to work on the land or to pull a cart can have disastrous consequences. The yoke, because it does not sit properly rubs away the hair and makes a painful wound and the two animals will pull away from one another or each will trip the other. This is a very accurate way of describing a bad marriage but it can also apply to a bad business partnership so Paul warns us against both possibilities.
There is great pleasure and great joy in sharing the same faith with one € s husband or wife, reading the Bible together and if there are children teaching them also to respect God € s laws and follow Jesus.
In his letter to Ephesus chapter 5 verses 22 to 33, Paul likens the relationship between husband and wife to that between Jesus Christ and his church. The sacrifice that Jesus was willing to suffer for his disciples so that they might be saved from everlasting death shows a kind of love that should exist between a husband and a wife. This symbol was not a new invention by Paul, for Jesus had used it many times during his preaching of the gospel. A good example is in Matthew € s gospel chapter 25 verses 1 to 13. Here Jesus speaks of his return to the earth as the € arrival of the bridegroom € , teaching us to always watch for his coming. However, he also teaches us to be careful what we are doing when he arrives. For those disciples who are married there is no better way of doing this than helping one another in a unity of faith and hope, to be ready for that wonderful day.