Restoring God’s Most “Reflective” Relationship
Matthew 5:31-32
I. We will use our text as a springboard into seeking to understand this God ordained gift of marriage.
A. Our Lord starts with Moses in the law in Deut. 24:1-4. Verse 5 should be added for “balance”.
1. Matt. 19:3-10 is our Lord’s commentary on the issue of divorce. While the context is a test or trap from the Pharisee’s, they and the “certificate of divorce” reflects fallen humanity of whom God said “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh.” (Gen. 6:3) Flesh here is man’s motivating principle since the fall and the loss of the sustaining relationship with God. And flesh is never satisfied and it always looks for excuses for that dissatisfaction!
2. Vs 8 “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” They thought they had Him in a contradiction after his quoting the creative order, but the Lord shows that they are just like their fathers—hard hearted. 3. Vs 9 He gives the same instruction as in Matt. 5:32, no divorce except for adultery/sexual immorality.
4. Vs 10 Note the disciples (not the Pharisee’s) response. They apparently have a good grasp on the fickleness of the human heart, and jump to the only recourse flesh has—cut off the right hand, pluck out the right eye, or never get married. They apparently forgot the Lord’s “looking upon a woman” exhortation. Remember: There is forgiveness with the Lord, but never license. Most wrestling with this passage is trying to come up with some “out” other than what Jesus said. Flesh always wants comfort, not obedience.
II. Genesis 1&2 “But from the beginning it was not so!!!” Why God hates divorce!
A. The union of one man and one woman in marriage is not traditional!!! It is God designed and God ordained and is not based upon any tradition. It is God’s rule of nature!!!
1. Gen. 1:26&27 Note especially vs 27-- “So God created man (don’t think “gender” here, think “species”.) in His Own Image; in the Image of God created He him (singular); male and female he created them (plural).” Man in God’s Image requires male and female!
2. Gen. 2 is the revisiting the history (vs4) of creation.
Vs 5-7 The man created to manage the earth. Being a farmer doesn’t fulfill the image of God in man.
Vs 15-17 The man placed in the garden and given “dietary instructions”, the forbidden tree.
Vs 18-20 “It is not good that man should be alone” –the image incomplete! The need is stated for a companion fitting for Adam. (NAS margin-corresponding to him.)
Vs 21-22 God makes the woman “out of man”, but not same as man. She is not a clone or a duplicate. She is comparable to him, fitting for all those “alone parts” which God said was not good. This “fitting together” is to be in every thing that makes them Man/human. Notice vs 22, “and He
(God) brought her to the man.” She is God’s gift!!!
Vs 23-25 The reason for the union of “one flesh” is because God’s image is not reflected in aloneness, but in oneness! “and they shall become one flesh”, and note, “they were both naked….and were not ashamed.” They were so ONE that they never saw one another separately.
Gen. 3:6-11 Upon sinning, the first result is an awareness of nakedness—they saw that they were different and separate. The image is marred.
Even though it is marred, we see from Jesus’ words that marriage remains as God’s testimony to God’s relational being. And this being one is the subject of the most important prayer recorded in Scripture. John 17:20-26
III. Ephesians 5:22-33 In Christ Jesus, marriage takes on a new testimony. It points to, witnesses to the complete restoration of the Image of God in man through the Perfect Image Bearer, The Son of God (Heb. 1:1-3) by his redeeming His people to Himself. Marriage is all about Christ and the church Vs 32.
A. And here is where the Image is complete for singles—in Christ Jesus! Being united to Him will complete all the “alone parts”. But it requires intimate, dependent, devoted relationship with him. 15 minutes and a prayer won’t cut it! I Cor. 7:32-35 (We might call this “being like Paul”, a high and lofty aspiration and ideal!!)
IV. Matt. 22:23-30 Here is the marriage picture come to completion.
A. Vs 29 Our longing for marriage and family relationships to be like they are now is a mistake! The resurrection will take relationships to a whole new level. This is the actual fulfillment of Jesus’ Prayer in John 17. Any unity now can be only a glimmer of what will be when flesh and sin are no more. The entire body of Christ will be more like Adam and Eve—separateness won’t be and issue. Uniqueness will be in full measure, but it will fit perfectly into one body, the bride of Christ. And all to the praise of the Triune God Who is the One God, One in Essence, Unique in Three Distinct Persons.
That is why God hates divorce. It severs and mars the portrait of His Divine Relationship.
That is why God uses such strong words when addressing homosexuality. It destroys the portrait of God in Unique Roles, every Being One in the Love of the Spirit.
Matthew 5:31-32
I. We will use our text as a springboard into seeking to understand this God ordained gift of marriage.
A. Our Lord starts with Moses in the law in Deut. 24:1-4. Verse 5 should be added for “balance”.
1. Matt. 19:3-10 is our Lord’s commentary on the issue of divorce. While the context is a test or trap from the Pharisee’s, they and the “certificate of divorce” reflects fallen humanity of whom God said “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh.” (Gen. 6:3) Flesh here is man’s motivating principle since the fall and the loss of the sustaining relationship with God. And flesh is never satisfied and it always looks for excuses for that dissatisfaction!
2. Vs 8 “Moses because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” They thought they had Him in a contradiction after his quoting the creative order, but the Lord shows that they are just like their fathers—hard hearted. 3. Vs 9 He gives the same instruction as in Matt. 5:32, no divorce except for adultery/sexual immorality.
4. Vs 10 Note the disciples (not the Pharisee’s) response. They apparently have a good grasp on the fickleness of the human heart, and jump to the only recourse flesh has—cut off the right hand, pluck out the right eye, or never get married. They apparently forgot the Lord’s “looking upon a woman” exhortation. Remember: There is forgiveness with the Lord, but never license. Most wrestling with this passage is trying to come up with some “out” other than what Jesus said. Flesh always wants comfort, not obedience.
II. Genesis 1&2 “But from the beginning it was not so!!!” Why God hates divorce!
A. The union of one man and one woman in marriage is not traditional!!! It is God designed and God ordained and is not based upon any tradition. It is God’s rule of nature!!!
1. Gen. 1:26&27 Note especially vs 27-- “So God created man (don’t think “gender” here, think “species”.) in His Own Image; in the Image of God created He him (singular); male and female he created them (plural).” Man in God’s Image requires male and female!
2. Gen. 2 is the revisiting the history (vs4) of creation.
Vs 5-7 The man created to manage the earth. Being a farmer doesn’t fulfill the image of God in man.
Vs 15-17 The man placed in the garden and given “dietary instructions”, the forbidden tree.
Vs 18-20 “It is not good that man should be alone” –the image incomplete! The need is stated for a companion fitting for Adam. (NAS margin-corresponding to him.)
Vs 21-22 God makes the woman “out of man”, but not same as man. She is not a clone or a duplicate. She is comparable to him, fitting for all those “alone parts” which God said was not good. This “fitting together” is to be in every thing that makes them Man/human. Notice vs 22, “and He
(God) brought her to the man.” She is God’s gift!!!
Vs 23-25 The reason for the union of “one flesh” is because God’s image is not reflected in aloneness, but in oneness! “and they shall become one flesh”, and note, “they were both naked….and were not ashamed.” They were so ONE that they never saw one another separately.
Gen. 3:6-11 Upon sinning, the first result is an awareness of nakedness—they saw that they were different and separate. The image is marred.
Even though it is marred, we see from Jesus’ words that marriage remains as God’s testimony to God’s relational being. And this being one is the subject of the most important prayer recorded in Scripture. John 17:20-26
III. Ephesians 5:22-33 In Christ Jesus, marriage takes on a new testimony. It points to, witnesses to the complete restoration of the Image of God in man through the Perfect Image Bearer, The Son of God (Heb. 1:1-3) by his redeeming His people to Himself. Marriage is all about Christ and the church Vs 32.
A. And here is where the Image is complete for singles—in Christ Jesus! Being united to Him will complete all the “alone parts”. But it requires intimate, dependent, devoted relationship with him. 15 minutes and a prayer won’t cut it! I Cor. 7:32-35 (We might call this “being like Paul”, a high and lofty aspiration and ideal!!)
IV. Matt. 22:23-30 Here is the marriage picture come to completion.
A. Vs 29 Our longing for marriage and family relationships to be like they are now is a mistake! The resurrection will take relationships to a whole new level. This is the actual fulfillment of Jesus’ Prayer in John 17. Any unity now can be only a glimmer of what will be when flesh and sin are no more. The entire body of Christ will be more like Adam and Eve—separateness won’t be and issue. Uniqueness will be in full measure, but it will fit perfectly into one body, the bride of Christ. And all to the praise of the Triune God Who is the One God, One in Essence, Unique in Three Distinct Persons.
That is why God hates divorce. It severs and mars the portrait of His Divine Relationship.
That is why God uses such strong words when addressing homosexuality. It destroys the portrait of God in Unique Roles, every Being One in the Love of the Spirit.