I have to admit that I had fun using Scott’s misunderstood announcement of his and Renee’s 20th anniversary as an intro to last Sunday’s sermon. I do, however, also have to admit that my sermon on Paul’s analogy of our relationship with Christ as our second marriage was probably preaching to the choir.
Sadly, many in today’s world do not understand marriage as we do, and our Sunday night study is giving us insight into what has happened. I am here quoting some of what we will be looking at this Sunday night as we begin the last chapter of Love Thy Body.
“In marriage, too, we see the deadly fruit of the atomistic, contractual view of society. To be sure marriage begins in consent—but it is consent to enter into a covenant, not a contract. In a covenant, we do not merely agree to perform specified services for a limited period of time. Instead we pledge our very selves, ‘for better or for worse, until death do us part.’ We promise to sacrificially care for any children that result from the marital union. When we enter into marriage, we accept a set of rights and obligations that pre-exist our personal choices.
By contrast, a contractual view of marriage turns each person into an independent transacting party seeking his or her own enlightened self-interest. Some pundits are even starting to express outright hostility toward marriage. An article in the New Republic says, ‘The current model of life- long, co-habiting, monogamous partnership has never been such an outdated ideal…I would rather retain my single status with a few rewarding lovers to fulfill different needs at different times of my life.’
Because marriage is being painted in such negative hues, not surprisingly, fewer people are getting married. A study from the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University found that many of today’s young adults are deciding that saying ‘I do’ has become too risky—that it’s not worth the trade-off involved in giving up their autonomy. ‘Today’s singles mating culture is not oriented to marriage,’ the study says. ‘Instead it is best described as a low- commitment culture of “sex without strings, relationships without rings.”’”
All the more reason for Christians to model their committed relationship with Christ in their marriages.
God Bless, Rick
Chatham Christian Church 