This article is the last in the “Can the Gospel Wreck Your Marriage?” series. If you haven’t already, be sure and check out Part 1: Prayer and Part 2: Wrongly Handling God’s Word.
In the previous article we talked about how we wrongly handle God’s Word. So how do you correctly use it in your marriage?
1. Read it to transform YOU
The Bible was NOT written TO you, but FOR you (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11)! I have searched the Bible and have yet to find that it is addressed to me, my church or even the universal Catholic church! What I do find when I read it are letters, stories, illustrations, and parables that reveal who God is. I see common people like you and me who struggled with pain, suffering, hardships and everyday life challenges. Looking deeper, I see literary models of Hebrew parallelism, chiasms, metaphors, analogies, and hyperboles that teach me specific characteristics of God. I see a plethora of emotions: joy, sadness, mourning, love, hate, jealousy, faith, and trust. All of these things were written to reveal who the God of Creation is and to encourage me to rely more upon Him in my daily living.
As discussed in Part 2, the Bible is a sword that divides between soul and spirit. Let it do the job it was designed to do! Allow it to reveal areas of your life that need to be changed, modified or defeated. Let it soften your heart in areas where it’s been hardened. Pick up the Bible and let it perform surgery on your soul. Allow it to cut away areas of your life that hinder your walk with God. The process may be painful, but it brings joy in the long run.
Do you know why the Bible was compiled? The early church fathers (those who lived after the last apostle died) thought it was important to preserve the priceless writings and sayings of Jesus. They believed it was vital that future generations be exposed to the truth of the gospel so that they could experience a life of knowing about the God who loves them. It would be a shame for them to have sacrificed their lives for a future generation who had access to the Bible but never read it.
The Bible cannot change you if you don’t read it. Your task is to read it, glean from it, and allow it to transform you into the likeness of the One who died for our sins, Jesus. Read it to transform your thinking (Romans 12:2) and your life. You can’t do the will of God without the mind of Christ.
As you read the Bible you will discover the answer to the three questions every living soul ponders. The questions, along with the answers are:
- Who am I? I am a child of the living God
- Why am I here? I am here to know and serve the living God
- Where am I going? Upon my death, I will live eternally with the living God
2. Read it to draw closer to God
You are not a physical being with a spirit. You are a spiritual being encased in a physical body. God made you that way. God is Spirit and He wants to commune with your spirit. He desires for you to know Him, to commune with Him, and to worship Him. You know God by attaining knowledge of Him. How? One way is by reading His perfect Word.
“This is eternal life, that they may KNOW You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” – John 17:3
“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection…” – Philippians 3:10
God is not the God you think He is, He is the God who He says He is!
This is a very powerful statement. Many people think they know God based upon what they’ve heard and what they’ve experienced in life. I’ve witnessed people who believe God is like their physical fathers because that’s the only “father” figure they’ve ever experienced. I’ve met people who think that God is like a genie in a bottle waiting to serve their every whelm. These and other misconceived notions do nothing to build your relationship with God. All they do is give you a false sense of security that you know who God is when in reality you don’t. Pick up the Bible and discover who God really is. If you draw closer to Him He will draw closer to you (James 4:8)!
3. Read it to seek guidance in this life
The Bible is the greatest source of how-to-live-life available to mankind. It covers a vast array of subjects such as sex, finances, interpersonal relationships, parenting, meeting the needs of others, the real purpose of life, etc. Chances are good that whatever life experience you are presently going through, the Bible can guide you through it.
Do you think you’re the first one to experience financial strain? Look at Job and Nehemiah!
Do you think you’re the first one to have a difficult marriage? Look at how God put up with Israel!
Do you think you’re the only one who has felt depressed? Read about Moses, David, Elijah or Jonah!
Do you think you’re the only one whose spouse has cheated on you? Look at Hosea!
The goal of your marriage is NOT your happiness! I know that sounds contrary to common belief. Your goal in marriage, just like in all aspects of life, is to glorify God in all you do! Your source of joy is NOT your spouse! It’s Jesus! Covenant marriage is built upon the foundation of commitment, not feelings and emotions. Make it your aim to please the heart of God (2 Corinthians 5:9). If you find this difficult, you’re not alone. It may help to realize that you’re not a resident of this world, you are a sojourner so adopt that point of view. You have no rights in a foreign land. This world doesn’t affect you … you are superman and sin is your kryptonite! Adjust your point of view! “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed …” (Romans 12:2). Bear your cross while you await your crown!
Conclusion:
Your marriage should be an outward expression of God’s love towards mankind, a testimony of His grace, love, and forgiveness. It should be a picture of covenantal commitment and love. Jonsie’s parents recently celebrated 68 years of covenantal marriage which you can read about in this article. Their love and commitment to God and each other is a beautiful picture of God’s grace, love, and mercy. You cannot achieve that unless you are immersed in the Word of God.
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