The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
March 7, 2004
In
This Issue:
Marriage
-- The Very Idea!
by
Steve Klein
One
of the Saddest Things I Have Ever Seen
by
Raymond Harris
Marriage -- The Very Idea!
It is not news that the institution of marriage is under attack. Divorces are processed through the courts with head-spinning speed -- over one million divorces are granted per year in the United States. As of 2002, there were 5.5 million couples living together without being married, with 9 out of 10 of those being male-female relationships. More and more we see children being born outside of marriage (the percentage of children born to unwed mothers in the U.S. increased from 11% in 1970 to 33% in 2001). And now, thousands of couples of the same sex are being allowed to wed in California. These facts and statistics clearly show an increasing degree of disrespect for marriage as an institution, and a growing disregard for the God-ordained rules that define and govern marriage.
The very idea of marriage belongs to God. It was He who said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him." (Genesis 2:18). It was He who made "the woman for the man" (1 Corinthians 11:9). God's plan was that "a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." (Genesis 2:24). So, when a man "finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the LORD" (Proverbs 18:22). It is not right for man to separate "what God has joined together" (Matthew 19:6). God "hates divorce" and He expects permanence and fidelity in marriage so as to create a wholesome environment for the rearing of "godly offspring" (Malachi 2:15-16).
Comparing the Biblical idea of marriage to what is going on in our society presents a stark contrast. At every point, our society is moving away from marriage as God designed it. The Bible is clear that the parties of a marriage are to be a man and a woman, yet some in our society are now shamefully allowing men with men, and women with women (cf. Romans 1:26-27). Marriage is to provide a loving and stable relationship for the fulfillment of sexual desires (Hebrews 13:4), yet in our culture those desires are increasingly exploited and satiated outside of the husband-wife relationship. Marriage is to be permanent, yet the divorce rate continues to soar. Marriage is to provide an environment for children to be born and nurtured, yet the rate of unwed births is skyrocketing. The very idea of marriage as God would have it is in danger of being lost in our culture. Even now, many do not understand the purpose, permanence and proper participants of marriage.
As Christians, we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-14). As Paul says, we are to "become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life" (Philippians 2:15-16, NIV). We are to exemplify and stand for what is right. By doing so, we influence the world for the better. At this hour in history, the world desperately needs clear light on the subject of marriage, and it is the obligation of God's children to provide it. Here's what we can do:
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Work to keep our own marriages strong. Only 5% of married couples make it to their fiftieth wedding anniversary still wed. This is due nearly as much to divorce as it is to death. By keeping our own marriages strong and stable "till death do us part" we provide to the world with impressive testimony for God's idea for marriage.
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Pray for our country and it's leaders. Paul instructed us to pray for those in authority "that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence" (1 Timothy 2:2). If our nation continues to move away from the will of God concerning marriage, both we and our descendants will find it extremely hard to live peaceable lives in godliness and reverence.
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Share the truth. Christians should always "hold out the word of life" to the world. As conversations at work, school, home or other social settings turn to the subject of marriage, we should make it our aim to make sure God's truth is clearly represented.
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Support efforts giving legal status to righteous marriage standards. Recently, it has been suggested that we need a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. Unless marriage is properly constitutionally defined, the courts are free to strike down state laws banning homosexual marriages. The courts have taken the first steps in that direction already by striking down state laws banning homosexuality. Certainly in a land whose government is of, for and by the people, Christians should feel free to encourage righteous principles of law.
I share with many who read these words a deepening concern for the direction our country is headed. The moral decay and tragic crumbling of a once great and good nation saddens us. Truly, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:4). The effects of current trends regarding marriage on the church and on the souls of men will not likely be positive. But even though the outlook is bleak, we're reminded that God is faithful. His saints will overcome. And although nations rise and fall, "those who trust in the Lord. . . abide forever" (Psalm 125:1).
by Steve Klein
Yes, I would like to share with you one of the most touching, saddest things I have ever seen. The occasion was the funeral of a young man twenty years of age. He was the son of a dear brother and sister in Christ. The young man had been struck by a car while riding a motorcycle. He lay critically injured for seven days and, finally, on the eighth day, his life slipped away.
The boy was an only child and the apple of his parents' eye. For twenty years they had heaped love and affection upon this, their beloved son.
The young man was evidently well-known and well-liked by his contemporaries, as a large percentage of those present for the funeral were young people.
As you might expect, I found the parents overwhelmed with grief. The father sat in a daze. He sat for long periods of time with his face buried in his hands. The mother had wept till the tears would no longer come. She sat limp, leaning on the shoulder of a loved one.
The funeral service proceeded in the usual way with a group from the church singing some songs, a reading, a prayer, and a short address by the local evangelist. At the conclusion of the service, those present were allowed to view the deceased one last time. In due time, I found myself moving toward the casket. As I stepped forward for one last look, the father, with a quiet but firm voice, called my name and motioned for me to come to him. I stopped before his chair and he said, "Raymond, when everyone but the family is out, I want to say a prayer at the casket." There were still a number of people solemnly and methodically making their way from the chapel. When the last row of non-relatives was being dismissed, I stepped back to the father's chair. I said, "Tell me again, exactly what you want to do." The father repeated, "When everyone but the relatives are out, I want to lead a prayer." I replied, "Do you think you can do it?" He answered, "I can."
I went directly to the undertaker and explained the father's request. With remarkable finesse and quickness he asked the pallbearers to step out of the room and called the family together before the casket. Of course, I cannot quote the prayer verbatim, but it was so vivid that the thought remains firm in my mind. The father stepped to the casket, folded his hands, bowed his head over the body of his dead son, and prayed thus:
Our Father, we thank you for letting us have this boy these twenty years. We thank you for all joy, happiness and pleasure that he has brought into our lives. We are so thankful, Dear God, for the love that he gave to us for all that we meant to each other. But now, Father, we can go no further, we can do no more. Oh Dear Father, we pray, we hope we did all that could be done&ldots;Father, we know he is in the hands of a just God&ldots;for our boy&ldots;He has gone from us and we can no longer see him&ldots;Oh, God, help him any way you can. And now, Father, forgive us of our sins. Give us the strength and courage to go on&ldots;And help us, Father, help us to walk in your way that we may overcome the world and be allowed to come and be with you eternally. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Three steps later his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. Three strong men lifted him back to his feet and assisted him to the car.
The mother, past crying, gasped for breath and could no longer stand alone.
As the last of the family passed out of the door, the undertaker swiftly closed the casket and gave directions for the removal of the flowers. I turned away and wept as I have not wept in a long, long time. Truly, it was one of the saddest things I have ever seen! You see, THE BOY WAS NOT A CHRISTIAN!
By Raymond E. Harris