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Hebrews 13⁴ Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

The next area that we need to give attention to is the family. Especially the relationship of husband and wife. It is instituted by God. It is not the idea of man.

Among all relationships

People take their job very seriously. Some take their friends very seriously. Some their hobbies and pass times. Some the church and God’s work. All this is good, but next to our relationship with God, the most sacred and important human relationship should be that of husband and wife. We must be careful in all relationships, but we should give the marriage the top priority.

• It is the first...not mother and child etc.
• It is also the first institution not church or country.
• It is the most intimate where two become one Mt.19.5
• It is the permanent earthly relationship that is joined by God and only separated by death Mt.19: 5,6. even mother and child will be separated.
• It is the relationship God uses to symbolize His relationship in eternity with us Eph.5: 31,32.

Also among all people it should be held in honor:

• Husband and wife
• Children
• Young people
• Parents and in-laws

It is the neglect of this that is breaking down society and even the church.

Honorable ...the bed undefiled

How do we treat it as honorable in all? The bed should be undefiled. Especially to be pure and holy that husband be faithful to the wife and the wife do the same. Divorcing one and marrying another is not God’s will, unless for the cause of adultery i.e. the partner is unfaithful. But also to have a physical relationship with another than whom married to, in thought, look or act, is adultery and great evil in the sight of God. In a world where moral standards are being lowered and sin being justified, God’s Word tells us to keep marriage and its bed honorable and pure.

Matthew 5³¹ It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:  ³² But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

The reason is when to people are physically united they are no longer two but one in the sight of God. And when God has joined two to become one, no one including them should separate that bond.

Genesis 2 ²³ And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.  ²⁴ Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

It is the physical union that makes two one.

1 Corinthians 6¹⁶ What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

And therefore it is the  bed that should be kept undefiled.

In the fear of God

And Word of God tells us that God will be the judge for the unfaithfulness in marriage. Therefore the fear of God should be one of the first building materials in the family. God is the real witness in the marriage. The Christian marriage is a covenant made in the presence of God. Therefore we are told ‘God has joined them together’.

God is the witness in marriage

Malachi 2¹³ And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.  ¹⁴ Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.  ¹⁵ And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.  ¹⁶ For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

Ephesians 5²¹ Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

1 Thessalonians 4³ For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:  ⁴ That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;  ⁵ Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:  ⁶ That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.  ⁷ For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.  ⁸ He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

May we always be aware of God and walk in a way acceptable to Him. May all that we do in the marriage be acceptable to God. Every Christian couple should look at their actions in the light of God’s Word and His presence. Let us pray and ask God to help us live such a life. May we treat marriage as honorable in all.