Our passage says that the ideal of God is that marriage be held in respect. That is that people and society respect the boundaries of a husband marrying a wife- and that there is no openness in marriage. Marriage means forsaking all others- but it also entails that all others respect the marriage commitment and covenant, or face God's punishment for being destructive of something holy. So also, we dishonor marriage when we do not respect the borders not only of faithfulness, but of the design of God that one participant be male and the other female. Marriage involves two people- not just one and not more than two. it is a committed relationship that has large potential and intentions to last all lifetime long.
The marriage bed is to be kept pure. The sexual aspect of marriage is referred to here. Paul indicates (1 Cor. 7) that the husband and wife should not abstain from sexual relations without mutual consent. But on the other hand, the marriage bed becomes impure when we use the gift of sexuality that God has given us in ungodly ways. God protects marriage and society from physical, moral, and spiritual disease by limiting marriage to only two and that these two should be of opposite sex. The marriage bed becomes impure when we allow what God has forbidden- namely incest, adultery, fornication (sex before marriage),, bestiality, polygamy or polyamory, and homosexual acts. Marriage is a holy act, and sexuality in marriage is also a holy gift.
In the end the state nor the church is the judge of the sexually immoral. God is not just the judge tho performs the spiritual marriage- the knitting of hearts and lives- He is also the judge preserving marriage. God preserves marriage by his commands, but also by His own self. While both church and state should do all they can to protect marriage, many can find a way to hide the breaking of marriage and immorality. But God sees all. In the end, we must answer to God and Him only. Any efforts to fence or guard marriage will fall short. That does not mean that human efforts are useless- they are important, but they are not final. The adulterer may be able to hide from the faithful spouse, or the minister, or the neighborhood gossip. But the adulterer cannot hide from God who sees all including the heart. Letting our lust control us instead of being controlled by the Spirit of God turns sexuality into just biological satisfaction. But when God is involved, lust is replaced with a deep love that fosters a committed relationship. When holy marriage is honored love is honored. Counterfeit marriage that breaks the law of God will never be holy and will never foster the kind of love for which God designed us.
Prayer: In a world that does not honor marriage and does not honor your words, help me to honor you.
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