The Sanctity of Marital Union

Throughout history there has been much confusion regarding the sanctity of marriage. “God created...male and female” (Gen. 1:27) and said, “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). 

Faithful marital love is one of the greatest expressions of God’s character through the believer. When this loving union is expressed in the home there is no greater example of Christ’s Life to be witnessed by family members. 

The home can and will be, a crucible of conflict at times. However, if your point of reference is not the “difficulty” but Christ, then the conflict is God’s loving occasion to experience His union-life and to express His love to those who are most dear to you. The marriage-union is one of the most powerful personal examples of union in Christ (Eph. 5:23-33). True loving marital union is only experienced and expressed by the indwelling presence of the Lord Jesus Christ as our life. It cannot be imitated only derived. 

Jesus said, speaking of this God ordained union, “...so they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate” (Matthew 19:4-6).  

Marriage is a covenant union made before God where one man and one woman (the only form of marriage union the Bible allows) are joined together and is therefore, honorable and to be respected. Marriage is a precious treasure (I Pet. 1:19), the highest and most glorious relationship between a man and a woman here on earth. 

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Are you a good person?

Religious rulers often refer to one another with titles such as “reverend,”  “most reverend,” or “The right revered doctor!”   

Jesus was once addressed as “good teacher, or good master.” 

"A ruler questioned Him, saying, 'Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?'  Jesus began his answer by asking the ruler, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone." (Luke 18:18-19)

This initial response went beyond the ruler's concern and straight to the heart of his confusion about himself.  It is obvious that the religious ruler did not understand that goodness and its resulting positive character qualities are derived from God instead of being independently produced by so-called "good" behavior. 

In asking the question of the ruler, Jesus was making a very important point about Himself. Yes, He was good because He was God. But, He had laid aside his divine prerogative to function as God in order to live as a man and walk among us. Consequently, He had no goodness that was not derived from God, with whom He was in union.  His own goodness, as a man, was not of His own doing but rather a result of His union with the Father.  In highlighting this truth, Jesus was pointing the ruler to the only Source of true goodness.   

People are still confused regarding the topic of goodness today.  We can trace this confusion all the way back to the forbidden choice of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” in the Garden of Eden. Satan suggested that man could “be like God knowing good and evil,” (Gen. 3:5), insinuating that man, independent of God, could be good.  Ever since the fall, in man’s natural condition (in Adam), “no good thing” (Rom. 7:18) dwells in man and there is “none good” (Rom. 3:12). 

That is because goodness is an attribute of God alone. The ruler, like many religious minded people today, did not understand the true source of goodness.  

Man is incapable of demonstrating any Godly character by what he does and always derives Godly character by God’s grace.  Religion, like the ruler, continues to engage in the hypocrisy of trying to do good “for God,” failing to recognize that man is unable to do so apart from God.  

Often, when people define what it means to be “good” (which encompasses morality and ethics), they do so in references to behavior: “good and evil,” “right and wrong.” In doing so, they begin with the wrong point of reference or source.  If we do not define “good” based on behavior, though, where do we begin?  What, or who determines what is "good" or "right?” Do goodness and righteousness exist in and of themselves? Does evil exist in and of itself? Is the goal of the Christian life to try to be good?  Is there such a thing as independent or autonomous goodness?

Christian thought asserts that God alone is autonomous and self-existent. Everything and everyone else is dependent and derivative.  These are two of the most important words of Christian thought in understanding man as God intended.

Goodness is not an independent standard or goal to be achieved. There is not a separate law of "right" behavior in contrast to "evil behavior" as so many have falsely believed.  It is this kind of erroneous thinking which has become a subtle replacement for God, what I call an "idolatrous goodness" of self-centeredness.  It is this kind of thinking that has caused society and religion to look to the morality of goodness as their god.  This idolatrous goodness takes comfort in good as defined by a moral majority.

Whenever "goodness" is falsely determined by what one does apart from God, it begins with the false premise of independence.  This is the lie of the sinful, self-centered thinking that forms the basis of secular humanism. Humanism can be either secular, known as “secular humanism” or religious, which has been referred to as “evangelical humanism” by Jim Fowler.  Regardless of whether it is secular or religious, it is built upon the lie of independence.

Independent thinking was first suggested by Satan to Adam and Eve,
Initially, Satan suggested that “good exists in itself.” In Gen. 3:4, when Satan said to Eve, “...has God said, You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?”

Next, Satan suggested that "good" was knowable, independent or apart from God.  Satan said in verse 4, “God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened."
Lastly, Satan suggested that "good" is do-able by oneself, v. 5 “...you will be like God knowing good and evil."

These three false premises are not only anti-Christian but stand opposite the gospel of grace.

Christianity denies all three lies that Satan spoke.
1) Man is never an independent self with some “self-inherent goodness.”
2) Man does not “self-determine” anything because he derives all that he does.
3) Man has no ability to “produce or generate” any character or behavior, good or evil.

As stated and contrary to popular opinion, there is no "natural goodness" inherent in man or anything else apart from God, who is good. "There is none good, no not one" (Rom. 3:12). "No one is good, except God alone" (Luke 18:19). When mankind thinks that he can know good and define good from his own perspective alone, he ends up calling evil "good", and good "evil" (Isa. 5:20).  Isaiah pronounces a woe upon those who are thus "wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight." (Isa. 5:21).

The man who uses so-called good intentions of morality and ethics, does so based on the fallen, sinful, and self-serving motivations of the devil. It is never man just on his own, doing his own thing. These falsely labeled good intentions are bound by social or religious standards of performance. Whether the goal is to be “socially acceptable” or to “be like God," they involve striving and struggling to be good by “good behavior,” believing the lie that if man can “do good,” then he is good.

The good news tells a much different story of what it means to “be good.”

First of all God says that He alone is Good.” The scripture declares that "God is good." "No one is good except God alone" (Mark 10:18). "There is One who is good" (Matt. 19:17). "Good" exists exclusively in the essence of who God is, as the only true independent self.  It is the character of God which defines what goodness is, for God is good.

Secondly, Goodness is only known as God reveals Himself to man.  Christians often find themselves trying to understand God, by what “they believe.” And where do they look for God’s exclusive revelation of God’s goodness...the good book, the Bible. As much as we thank God for the Bible it is not God’s greatest gift to man, Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift to mankind. Therefore, God’s ultimate revelation of Himself is not found in a book but in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

God’s goodness will never be understood or experienced by merely studying the historical or theological application of Jesus Christ. It is not a static historical event (incarnation) or simply an experience (conversion). We can only know what good is by knowing God through the indwelling presence of Jesus Christ as our life.  Knowing God is to experience a personal and intimate spiritual union, whereby, Christ reveals His goodness and expresses His goodness through the believer, as the Christian chooses to participate in loving relationship with Him.  This brings us to the third point of “goodness.”

Thirdly, Scriptures declare that, "The one who does good is of God" (III John 1:11). In the Greek it is “ek theous” which means “to derive out of” God. We only “do good” as the character of God is activated and expressed in human behavior by the grace of God. We do not produce goodness but participate with (goodness) which is the character of God. Only God can express His goodness because only God is good. As we are receptive to God’s activity, which is grace, we are energized by His goodness which is expressed through our behavior. God is always the source of goodness because, once again, only God is good. Human behavior is always dependent upon the god who has dominion. The believer derives from God, the character or activity of God (grace) and his receptivity to God’s activity is faith.

It is important to know that God is not good because He does good but rather that God does what He does because He is who He is! His doing originates from His being. His conduct flows out of His character, and He always acts consistently with who He is.  

Are you a good person? Why or why not? 

If you are a Christian, then you have been made good.  You have been made good “objectively.”  The only question that remains is, have you believed, “subjectively?” Have you “agreed with God,” saying the same thing that He has said about you?

Romans 5:19

For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made (good) righteous.  (emphasis added).

It’s not “what” you know but “WHO” you KNOW

“A Christian disciple is a follower who is learning from Another”

(This blog is being written to clarify my earlier blog entitled Disciples of Christ Are Made Not Educated.  A respected brother in Christ commented that he was concerned that what I had written might cause, an “imbalance to correct an imbalance.”  My response/clarification follows.)

Forgive me if it sounded like “learning was unnecessary or optional.” Quite the contrary, but I was attempting to emphasize that spiritual learning is always dependent on and reliant upon the personal interpretation of and indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.  “And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 16:17).”

My purpose in writing “Disciples of Christ Are Made Not “Educated” was that true learning is relationally dependent and derived from the presence of and participation with the person of Jesus Christ (John 15:5).  The Greek word for disciple, “mathetes,” implies both a "learner" and a "follower." The point that I was making is a "learner" can be both one who assimilates data, and/or a relational learner who is learning from Another in a personal context of relationship not just academic information. The New Testament concept of "follower" tends to have more of a personal emphasis that is more relational than informational.

I referenced the Apostle Paul statement in 2 Timothy 3:7, “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  Academic learning alone was never intended by God to be the sole of foremost means of knowing Him. 

My critics commented; “Recipients of the Letter to the Hebrews had neglected learning (education) in the fundamentals of the faith. This retarded their spiritual maturity and hindered their potential for disciple-making (Heb. 5:12-14).” I disagree. Let me explain why.  

Paul was admonishing believers in this passage of scripture that they had lost sight of personal participation with Christ, which was the focus of my blog, Disciples of Christ Are Made Not “Educated,   “Christianity is real and genuine Christian disciples share what they know through participation with Christ, not just what they know intellectually about Christ. We do not know simply through educational learning (2 Timothy 3:7), but through His abiding presence in us (cf. John 14:7), and this goes beyond ”the fundamentals of education.”

Paul’s admonishment in Heb. 5:12, is that a teacher is not just an informational professor who instructs others.  A true teacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ is one who is responsible and leads through example, sharing out of experiential knowing of Christ relationally, not just learned theological head knowledge.  A responsible Christian teacher has learned to “respond” to “Christ’s ability” which is what it means to be responsible.  A disciple is a relational learner who is learning from “Another,” referred to as a follower of Christ.  A Christian teacher is one who has been taught by God, “listening under” the Holy Spirit, which is the New Testament understanding of Obedience. 

Many Christian teachers today are teaching from a flawed theological premise due to the fact they have not understood New Testament grace and are endeavoring to present the Gospel through the “eyes” of an Old Covenant understanding.  Jesus reminds us in John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

Neither Paul writing to the Hebrews, nor Jesus quoted in John’s gospel are referring to a “book learning” or “educational learning” but rather a relational learning that can only be realized as we encounter God for ourselves and choose to rely on Him. Paul seems to chide the Jewish believers of Jerusalem saying, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God” Heb. 5:12.

Christians now and then had apparently gone backward into a novice spiritual mind-set which was hindering their spiritual maturity.  They were acting like immature students who were dependent on an instructor to tell them “what to believe” and “how to do it;” relying on hand-me-down information, or a secondary sense of “living by the book.”  Paul challenged them to press on into the obedience of faith (Rom. 16:26) rather than the hopeless reliance of legalistic, law-dependent instruction for which religion is famous.  Faith is always relationship-oriented, being dependent and receptive to what the Spirit of Christ is doing in us and acting in response to the direction of His Spirit, not just being psychologically focused on a written script or approved ecclesiastical belief system.

 The “first principles of the oracles of” (Heb.5:12) are not just elementary biblical information that we are taught from studying our bibles or listening to sermons, but are better understood as the foundational understanding of Christ as our life choosing to be relationally dependent on Him and Him only! 

Paul continues with a new analogy, but continues to chide their spiritually juvenile behavior,  “and you have come to need milk and not solid food” Heb. 5:12.  Mature Christians should be able to “digest” both “the pure milk of the word” as well as the “solid food” of spiritual “taste” which is based on the finished work of the cross.  Spiritual immaturity is largely due to the fact that believers have been malnourished relying on second-hand “spoon feeding” rather than “growing up and taking their place at the table” in Christ. This is largely due to the fact that believers then and now have been taught to rely on “book religion” or on what “clergy” has taught them and have not learned to be “followers of Christ” in an intimate relationship that is personal.  You have heard it said, “It’s not “what” you know but “who” you know.”  “A Christian disciple is a follower who is learning from Another.”

To Experience Grace Is To Experience God!

Reformation or Restoration – what say you? 
 

Often we hear of the need for a “new reformation of grace.”  If what is being referred to is the spiritual state of deadness of institutionalized religion, maybe so.  However, Christianity is not religion and grace is not dead.  Grace is not going to lead to a reformation because nothing is dead. When we talk about grace and, therefore, reformation is not necessary.   “Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace” Hebrews 13:9.

Grace is what distinguishes Christianity from all man-made religions. 

Grace is not a thing or goal to be achieved, but a person who is living and active, The Person - Jesus Christ - who is LIFE.  When we talk about God's grace, it is like trying to understand God, Himself.  Grace is as comprehensive as God Himself, His every expression. The good news of grace is that it is always consistent because it is the expression of God’s character, the manifestation of His being or essence. 

To experience Grace is to experience God! 

Grace is God at work or God’s activity and as we choose to experience grace, to obey, which is faith, (our receptivity to God’s activity). Our lives are then restored, sanctified or conformed to the image of Christ.  As we agree with the Spirit of Christ, we experience the expression of His life and character and the world sees the invisible living Lord Jesus in a visible, tangible way through us.  “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Religions talk about reformation. But, God is at work in restoration the activity of God in Christ allowed to function in us (spirit), as us (soul), and through us (body).

“With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, ‘AFTER THESE THINGS I will return, AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN, AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS, AND I WILL RESTORE IT, SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD, AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME” Acts 15:15-17.