Post on 14-Jan-2017
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God cares both about the life
you live and the legacy you
leave.
Malachi 2:10
Do we not all have one Father[a]?Did not one God create us? Whydo we profane the covenant ofour ancestors by being unfaithfulto one another?
He says two things about God. He’s
our Creator; he’s our Father.
Physically, he made us. Spiritually,
he saves us. That’s our God.
The Bible uses the language of
covenant a great deal, and this is that
we have a particular, unique
relationship with God through Jesus
Christ, and it is our highest
allegiance. And when we enter
covenants, we tend to make vows.
Similarly, in marriage, we covenant
to be together for the rest of our
lives, and we do so by exchanging
vows. So, covenants and vows tend
to go together.
Malachi 2:11-1211 Judah has been unfaithful. A detestablething has been committed in Israel and inJerusalem: Judah has desecrated thesanctuary the Lord loves by marryingwomen who worship a foreign god. 12 Asfor the man who does this, whoever hemay be, may the Lord remove him fromthe tents of Jacob[b]—even though hebrings an offering to the Lord Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:14
14 Do not be yoked together withunbelievers. For what dorighteousness and wickedness havein common? Or what fellowshipcan light have with darkness?
Your most important decision is,
who’s your God; your second most
important decision is,
who’s your spouse.
Jesus left a legacy. No one in the history of the world has left a legacy equal to Jesus Christ, yet he never
married and he never had children. His life was meaningful, his life was
valuable, his life was purposeful, and his life was single. The second most
important decision is whom to marry, and sometimes the best
decision is not to marry.
Malachi 2:13-15
13 Another thing you do: You floodthe Lord’s altar with tears. Youweep and wail because he no longerlooks with favor on your offerings oraccepts them with pleasure fromyour hands.
Malachi 2:13-15
14 You ask, “Why?” It is becausethe Lord is the witness between youand the wife of your youth. Youhave been unfaithful to her, thoughshe is your partner, the wife of yourmarriage covenant.
Malachi 2:13-15
15 Has not the one God made you?You belong to him in body andspirit. And what does the one Godseek? Godly offspring.[c] So be onyour guard, and do not be unfaithfulto the wife of your youth.
Christian marriage includes God. It’s
not just a husband and the wife; it’s
the Lord. Marriage is from God. It is
God’s gift for us. Marriage is Holy
God says, “I was witness to the
covenant.”
Malachi 2:10-17
10 Do we not all have one Father[a]?Did not one God create us? Whydo we profane the covenant of ourancestors by being unfaithful to oneanother?
11 Judah has been unfaithful. Adetestable thing has been committed inIsrael and in Jerusalem: Judah hasdesecrated the sanctuary the Lord lovesby marrying women who worship aforeign god.
Malachi 2:10-17
12 As for the man who does this,whoever he may be, may the Lordremove him from the tents ofJacob[b]—even though he brings anoffering to the Lord Almighty.
Malachi 2:10-17
13 Another thing you do: You floodthe Lord’s altar with tears. Youweep and wail because he no longerlooks with favor on your offerings oraccepts them with pleasure fromyour hands..
Malachi 2:10-17
14 You ask, “Why?” It is becausethe Lord is the witness between youand the wife of your youth. Youhave been unfaithful to her, thoughshe is your partner, the wife of yourmarriage covenant.
Malachi 2:10-17
15 Has not [the LORD] made themone? In flesh and spirit they are his.And why one? Because he wasseeking godly offspring. So guardyourself in your spirit, and do notbreak faith with the wife of youryouth.
Malachi 2:10-17
16 "I hate divorce," says the LORDGod of Israel, "and I hate a man'scovering himself with violence aswell as with his garment," says theLORD Almighty. So guard yourselfin your spirit, and do not breakfaith.
Malachi 2:10-17
17 You have wearied the LORD withyour words. "How have we weariedhim?" you ask. By saying, "All whodo evil are good in the eyes of theLORD, and he is pleased withthem" or "Where is the God ofjustice?”
Malachi 2:10-17
God says that this covenant is marked by three things here.
Sexually, they’re one. Relationally, they’re
companions
When they enter into the covenantof God, the Holy Spirit empowersand enables them to love oneanother with God’s love, to forgiveone another with God’s forgiveness,to take the work of Jesus and apply itto one another and their relationshipwith one another.
It’s also spiritual: God
knits your souls together,
and the Holy Spirit is in
and through both of you.
Covenantal marriage is
sexual, it’s relational, and
it’s spiritual.
Malachi 2:16
16 “The man who hates anddivorces his wife,” says the Lord,the God of Israel, “does violence tothe one he should protect,”[d] saysthe Lord Almighty. So be on yourguard, and do not be unfaithful.
Matthew 19:6
6 So they are no longer two, but oneflesh. Therefore what God hasjoined together, let no oneseparate.”
Death ends the
marriage covenant.
Malachi 2:15-17
15 Has not the one God made you? You belongto him in body and spirit. And what does theone God seek? Godly offspring.[c] So be onyour guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wifeof your youth. 16 “The man who hates anddivorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God ofIsrael, “does violence to the one he shouldprotect,”[d] says the Lord Almighty. So be onyour guard, and do not be unfaithful.
Malachi 2:15-17
17 You have wearied the Lord with your
words. “How have we wearied him?” you
ask. By saying, “All who do evil are good in
the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with
them” or “Where is the God of justice?”
It’s not about what you
want from your marriage.
You have wearied the
Lord with your words.
And God wants godly offspring.
He wants you to love the Lord,
your kids to love the Lord,
your grandkids to love the
Lord, your great-grandkids to
love the Lord.
You are the spiritual head of
household. You are the most
influential person in your family,
period. It starts with the adults,
right? You can’t hand off a legacy
of faith that you don’t have.
I will only date and marry those
of you who are single. I will only
date and marry someone who
loves Jesus and agrees with my
core biblical convictions.”
“We will make decisions for our
legacy and God’s glory, not for
selfishness and short-sightedness.”