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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 2:11-12

11 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?

Malachi 2:10-17

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?”

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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, andthe Holy Spirit is in and throughboth 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.”