Good morning my friends. I am in a bit of a rush this morning but I do want you to consider something that may or may not open your eyes to a great mystery that Paul reminds us of in 1 Corinthians 6.
Much is said of marriage and divorce these days as if Adam and Eve had some sort of ceremony with a government license in hand and a minister to bless them. Of course there was no such thing. So what is marriage if Isaac simply took Rebekah into his tent and he was married? We assume that we must practice the law of the land but the fact is there is only one thing that makes the two become one:
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one flesh." vv. 15-16
Perhaps this is what we should be talking about when we educate our children about sex. We as Christians seek God as our witness to the covenants that we make with our partners, however it is that act of sexual intercourse that makes the marriage, that makes the two become one flesh. Why aren't we telling people this?
All those people who live in common-law marriages are married. They are one. They did not buy a lecense from the governemnt. They did not make a covenant before God as their witness. They did not promise anything to each other. But they are married. It is not a law that applies just to Christians who go through the blessing and covenant ceremony. This is a spiritual law that is applied to everyone. Good thing there is no marriage in heaven because I think it would be a very confusing place.
Maybe if we were to explain this to our teens, explain the mystery of it, that they are joining with that person for the rest of their life through sexual intercourse, perhaps they would not treat this thing so casually. And for those who ignore such a warning they would at least understand why they feel so strange afterward. Perhaps we don't explain it because we do not understand the mystery ourselves or perhaps we do not want to consider the permanent nature of our own past indiscretions. Paul points out the seriousness of this:
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. vv. 18-20
Sex is a wonderful mystery and something to be thoroughly enjoyed but understand it is also a spiritual and physical act that creates a bond for the rest of our lives. You can't break that bond. You can't destroy it. You will always be part of that person and that person will always be part of you. Now let's be honest with our kids and explain that to them and let's understand it ourselves. Let's honour and praise our God with everything we do, including everything we do with our body. No matter the size or shape, it is truly a temple.
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