Just a few more words about the intimate side of marriage before I move on.
In this corrupt society it is almost, almost unusual to find a marriage with sexual purity. I don’t know if it is because we get the couples that are in trouble in their marriage but more often than not we are presented with issues of sexual sin- pornography, strip clubs, fornication, adultery, and self-gratification are all common problems couples come with.
I have written extensively about this in past blogs so I won’t go into much here, but it is very clear that this area God Himself designed is under tremendous attack by the enemy and our culture. One goal I have in marriage counseling is to teach the couple what the Bible says about the physical relationship.
This means that sex is limited to the marriage relationship- exclusively! Fornication, adultery, polygamy all violate the “one flesh” relationship and are forbidden by Scripture. Sadly, I routinely get cases in which all or some of these things have taken place or are currently taking place in the marriage. Some believe it is not ungodly to view pornography together, or even join swingers clubs, and go to strip clubs! There must be clear communication of the truth of Scripture regarding sexual purity-
Prov 5; 1 Cor 5:1; 6:13,18; Eph 5:3; Col 3:5 1Tim 4:12 all address this issue of purity.
The offending person must be willing to break off the sinful behavior, do a radical amputation of the behavior and then commit to heart change in that area.
In addition to these things, there is also confusion on the obligations of marriage. I said in a previous post that the intention of marriage is to meet the need for companionship. That is actually something a person being married is obligated to do! This is why you really must like the person you marry! You must want to spend time with them and be in their physical presence. Too many married couples become ships that pass in the night, rarely seeing each other. The death of a marriage is when either person becomes distant, not spending time in activities that the other enjoys. They make separate lives for each other, separate friends, and even take separate vacations! One of the worst things on a marriage is when they work opposite shifts where the couple doesn’t even sleep in the same bed.
This is so unbiblical! People who marry are expected to be each other’s companions! You had better be sure you like each other enough to want to spend time together, that you have common interests and enjoy each other’s company.
Forever is a long time, and so is till death do us part. Pre-marrieds need to realize that marriage vows make you companions for life.
To be continued...
Labels: Marriage