The “Yahoo! Answers” writer “Dutchess V” (Level 1 with 150 points, a member since June 29, 2007) posted the following:
Bible verse He who finds a wife finds a good thing?
I don’t understand this verse because what’s the point in marriage when there’s so much divorce? Why get married anyway?
THE BATTLE AXE: To See With New Eyes (11/06/2012)—The developing Christian sees with new eyes when first thinking outside the box whose four sides are custom, popular culture, self-will and tradition, and then thinking exclusively within the box whose four sides are facts (Scripture), goals (Spirit), rules (Law), and truth (Gospel).
The Holy Spirit (also called the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, and the Spirit of Prophecy) generates discernment, insight, vision, and understanding. Even without a multitude of words, otherwise invisible connections, conflicting details and subtle differences become apparent, and reasonable. In the same way children acquire language (mama and dada) by repeated exposure, correction, and approval, right knowledge of salvation for mankind (and those in the heaven) comes through continuing proclamation, discovery, trial and error, and conclusive judgment. Thereby, the church of Jesus Christ instructs and transforms all within the kingdom of GOD (see 1st Peter 1: 10-12 and Revelation 1: 1-6, King James Version). The greater challenge to believers is that they grasp new truth when dealing with familiar and old things, and not that they encounter new things or things they’ve never seen before. For angelic beings supplied with a full measure of knowledge and understanding that does not include recognition of forgiveness, repentance and sin, and who can receive no added endowment of truth, there remains a capacity to focus discrete knowledge in new patterns that come forth as voluntary action, choice, obedience, service, submission and worship. The angels may not learn new things, yet, they may continually witness new things.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? (Proverbs 5: 15-20, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Women Ordained to Minister? (10/27/2012); Does Everyone Go To Heaven? (10/28/2012); Birth Control and Sexism? (03/16/2012); Many Forms of GOD? (03/17/2012); Monogamy? (11/29/2010); The Lost? (11/30/2010)
It is the faith of many mature believers who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Redeemer, Savior and Son of GOD that marriage is a sacred institution created by GOD, and is being used to accomplish divine, not human, purposes. Included are judgment, maturation (i.e., completing physical, emotional and psychological growth), perfection (i.e., bringing created beings to spiritual maturity), sanctification (i.e., cleansing and setting apart for divine service), revelation and salvation. When Adam and Eve were barred from the Garden of Eden, the pair carried three institutions with them, marriage, priesthood, and keeping the Sabbath.
Every married woman is not a “wife” just as every married man is not a “husband.” To be a wife a woman must be in the peculiar bond established through the Spirit of GOD that is visible as shared identity and union. Thereby she becomes a “life companion,” and is no longer an independent being. Copulation, intercourse, and other sexual joining only establishes an added spirit-presence within a woman or man that in fornication with multiple partners corrupts and defiles their inborn spirit.
Adam was a single entity before GOD, and the same name was given both the male and female (the male came up with “Eve” and “woman”). In holy matrimony, apart from the relationship to her mate, a wife does not exist alone before GOD, the two are one flesh. Besides marriage only adoption and birth create lifelong spiritual relationships (parents, siblings) that serve as primary social anchors to the living. Given there is so much more involved than simply voluntary commitment, desires and feelings, a man or woman’s place as life companion must be gradually discerned and discovered through spiritual growth.
While holy matrimony and divorce are both emblems of divinity belonging only to GOD (like the badge of authority worn by a police officer), society must regulate marriage through civil law as a social covenant, or contract for ownership of property. The spiritual bond of marriage is only established or dissolved by GOD. The principles of duty (things that must be done, like it, don’t like it, no matter what the cost) and faithfulness that express divine presence within the marriage cannot be annulled by judicial, or legislative acts. Thus, as when a mother loses her child in birth, years of separation alone are rarely enough to heal the wounds from divorce.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, the authority, benefit and respect due a wife is as great as that of a mother, and correctly understood, is no less than that of a husband. Equality within marriage is primarily a matter of oneness rather than sameness. Thus, a fifty/fifty arrangement is not automatically a better expression of balance than sixty/forty, seventy/thirty or ninety/ten. Like ones status as a believer begins before ones baptism, and a couple’s intimate relationship is in place before acknowledgment by family and friends, status as life companions begins before wedding ceremonies and other public acknowledgments.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
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