The Body of Christ

Listen to song in the video embedded below. Then continue on to the Bible study below to gain some deeper understanding of it from the scriptures.

Romans 12:5 �So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.� This verse is telling us that ALL believers� all people who are saved by Jesus, are considered one body with each other, and are called the �Body of Christ.� In the next scripture we see how the word "members" means a body part.

1Corinthians 12:27 �Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.�

Let�s look at this verse this way: Can your foot kick a ball? Yes. Can your hand kick a ball? No. What about the hand, can it catch a ball? Yes. Can a foot catch a ball? No. We are members of Christ�s body� in other words we are one body part or another, but not all the body parts, and together with other believers we make up the whole entire body of Christ. Some people might be a foot, or a hand, or the heart, or the mouth, or the ears. Each body part has it�s own part to play. The feet walk, the hands do, the eyes see, the ears hear, the mouth speaks� you may not be as good at some things as other people are, but you will be good at something, and God will use you to do good things with the things you are good at. If you are good at comforting people, he might use you to do that. If you have a way with words, he might use you to spread the Gospel. If you have a talent in healing people, then he might use you to do that. So don�t worry if you�re not good at everything, you are a single body part of Christ, and what you aren�t good at, other body parts (other people) will be good at. It�s up to you to let God use you and what you�re good at for His will. In Romans 12:5 (above) we saw that we are all "members one of another." This would suggest that when we become part of Christ's body we also become part of other believer's bodies, and should then do our best to help them in whatever way we can with whatever talents or gifts we have. If we serve as their foot, then help them walk. If we serve as a hand, then help them do.

Philippians 1:20 �According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.�

Whatever we do we need to do it as if we are a part of Christ�s body� a hand, a foot, whatever, we need to do as Christ would do. Jesus would comfort people, heal people, help people, and give his time to people among other things, and we need to do these things too. We should never ever be ashamed of what we do in Christ, but be bold in Christ. Whatever we do that is right in God�s eyes gives glory to God, and �magnifies� God� it builds him up and puts the spotlight on him. If people see you doing good things in the name of the Lord, the spotlight will get put onto Jesus so he can do His work. If you let him, Jesus will do His work through you, but you have to open up your heart to him, and be willing to let him use you to help others.

Ephesians 4:11-12

�And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Remember how we just talked about the foot doing what a foot does best, and a hand doing what a hand does best? This scripture is talking about the same thing. God makes some people feet, some people hands, some people mouths� he makes some people apostles, some prophets, and some evangelists, some pastors, and some teachers, etc� all of it is for the work of the Ministry, and all of it is to edify Christ and the entire body of Christ. Even if you�re not doing the same thing as somebody else is doing, so long as you are doing God�s work, it will edify all believers� it will edify God. It will shine the spotlight on God and give God the glory. Remember, that you should be doing good things in God�s name. That means that if you go do some charity work for poor people, and they say thank you, you should shine the spotlight on God, and say, �This is what God wants me to do,� or, �I�m doing this for God because it�s what He would do,� or you could say anything like this that would give the glory to God. Even though you did the work, it was really God working through you, and therefore God should get the glory, not us.

To me, this song is asking us: If we as Christian's are the body of Christ, then why aren't we doing as Christ did, and continues to do? Why aren't we showing compassion, why aren't we spreading the Word of God, why aren't we helping others, even those who aren't Christians? Today an air of self-righteousness has come upon many Christians, making them believe they are better than everybody else, and should not spend their time helping others. Self-righteous Christians won't even sit by a poor person or be friends with an unsaved sinner. But Jesus loved the poor and spent his time with all manner of people, whether they believed or not. You can't spread the Word if you're not out among the unsaved.
-CBSB

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New Look

You may have noticed our little blog took on a new look recently.  Blogger has revamped it's design abilities and we have taken advantage to make our blog sleek and nice to look at.  We have also added many new studies and posts, and there are more to come!  For a while studies were getting posted on another blog, but I am beginning to upload them here for you to enjoy.

A Note to Commentors:
Please keep in mind that we like comments, but are not here to argue and do not want hate mail or spam listing your website.  All comments should be kept child friendly as we aim to have a child friendly site.  Any comments with spam, hate mail, or cussing will be deleted immediately.  Recently we have been bogged down with hate mail especially.  To those of you wish to leave hate mail, let me say this: I respect your right to disagree with my opinion, the Bible, or any other Christian values or beliefs I post here.  However, I do not need to hear your disagreement of my values, my God, or the things contained in the Bible.  If you don't want to read Christian articles, then please go to another site instead of coming around our blog aimed at Christians, and trying to sway our beliefs by telling us how wrong and ignorant we are.  I don't go to your blog and hate on your material and try to sway you.

Sorry that the rest of you had to read that bit about commenting, but it gets tiring trying to respond to hate mail every day.

I hope you all enjoy the new look and the new posts!  Many more articles will soon be on their way!

Have a blessed day!

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A Study in Marriage Part 2 - How It All Started

Sometimes people get a little confused knowing just what marriage is about. Since God started marriage, let�s look in the Bible to see just what marriage is and what the relationship between a married man and his wife ought to be like. (Note: All following scriptures taken out of the KJV).

1) Marriage started with Adam and Eve

Marriage was very different in the Bible. In the beginning, Marriage was solely between a man, a woman, and God. There was no ceremony preformed by a pastor or other government official, and there was no contract with any kind of government such as a �marriage license� which gives you rights to tax benefits, etc. How then were people considered married? In Genesis, God gives you His definition of marriage. Let�s take a look:

Genesis 2:24 �Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.� 

The key words in this passage are �cleave� and �one flesh�. First a man leaves his father and mother. Next he cleaves to his wife and they become one flesh. When the KJV was translated �cleave� meant: �To unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment,� (Websters 1828 Dictionary). �One flesh� is defined at the time as �intimate relations,� (Websters 1828 Dictionary under �Flesh�). So we see the Biblical version of marriage is also composed of three parts: 1) Leaving the father and mother. 2) Man and woman �cleaving� together, otherwise committing to stick together. 3) Man and woman becoming �one flesh� (or having intimate relations, aka sex.). There was no ceremony, there was no contract, there was no preacher there to marry them. Adam and Eve, the first man and woman were married, and there was no other human there to marry them. Instead God brought them together as husband and wife.

Gen 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.�
Gen 2:24 �Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.�
Gen 2:25 �And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.�

The above passage is clearly talking about Adam and Eve, and refers to them in Genesis 2:25 as �man and his wife,� after they have been �one flesh� in Genesis 2:24.

We also see how God performs the marriage ceremony himself in Matthew:

Matt. 19:6 �Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.�

�What therefore God hath joined together�� this is very important. When a man and woman become �one flesh� together, God joins them together. Essentially God is marrying them just as a pastor or justice of the peace would do today.

We also see the same thing in Mark 10:6-9:
"But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."

So now that we�ve established what �biblical� marriage is compared to today�s �government� marriage, let�s take a look at how marriage first started.

Genesis 2:18-25
�And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 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. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.�

God created Adam, the first human being. God said that it wasn�t good for Adam to be alone. God created all animals, and still, they weren�t good for keeping Adam company or being a �help meat� for him� in other words a �helper�. So God took one of Adam�s ribs and from that made a woman, Eve, the first woman in existence. Just as God gave Adam the right to name every living creature created, he also let Adam name the other sex �woman� which means �from man.� The fact that God gave man dominion over all animals in another passage, and that Adam named all animals, and then he named women, and Eve, tells us that Adam was given some kind of ownership over Eve. (Now, not to hear nasty comments over that remark, but this is how the Bible says it. Not to say that we women are pets, or anything of the like, but it�s like if we get a pet turtle and name it Joe� that pet turtle is ours, yes? This is how it was with Adam. Recall it says �the man and HIS wife�� Today the pastor marries people and says, �I now pronounce you husband and wife,� but in the Bible it was �man and his wife.�

So quick recap� Eve was made from Adam�s rib. Adam named her. Eve was created to be a �help meat� for Adam as his wife, and was created so that he wouldn�t be alone. Again, not to get any nasty comments from women out there, but this is how it is from God�s own word. And if any women out there feel demeaned by this in any way, think about it this way: God thought it so important that Adam have a helper and have company that he went to all the trouble of creating women. Therefore, women are very important. We have an important job to do, and play an important role in marriage. Remember, if it wasn�t all that important, God wouldn�t have gone to the trouble at all.

2) The Marriage Relationship

So now that we�ve established what a �biblical� marriage is, and how marriage started, let�s look at the marriage relationship itself. How are husband and wife supposed to act towards each other? It�s all in the scriptures:

1 Corinthians 7:3-5
"Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency."

Let�s start with that word benevolence. When the KJV was translated benevolence meant: �The disposition to do good; good will; kindness; charitableness; the love of mankind, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness,� (Webster�s 1828 Dictionary). We see the Bible telling us that the husband should promote the wife�s happiness, and the wife should promote the husband�s happiness.

We see that the wife doesn�t have power over her own body, but the husband does, and the husband doesn�t have power over his own body, but the wife does� this means, if one wants sex, the other shouldn�t go and say, �oh, I have a headache,� etc etc, among other things just to get out of it like you see on the sitcoms today. This also goes along with the next sentence: �Defraud ye not one the other�� from the Websters 1828 Dictionary �defraud� means: �To deprive of right, either by obtaining something by deception or artifice, or by taking something wrongfully without the knowledge or consent of the owner; to cheat; to cozen; followed by of before the thing taken; as, to defraud; a man of his right.� So don�t deprive each other, and don�t cheat each other of something� although I am positive this is talking about sex because of the rest of the sentence. The only time it says to withhold sex is if it�s for an agreed upon amount of time to engage in fasting in prayer, otherwise if you withhold from your spouse Satan will tempt your spouse.

Deuteronomy 24:5
�When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.�

This is kind of awesome ladies. The Bible commands men to take an entire year off after marriage just to bring cheer and happiness to their new wife. How cool is that? This is obviously a really important thing if God commands husbands to take an entire year off to do it. Making the spouse happy is very important in God�s eyes for a successful marriage.

Ecclesiastes 9:9
�Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life.�

Here we see the husband is told to �live joyfully� with his wife� not just to live joyfully with her sometimes, but�all the days of the life.� Joyfulness is happiness� not grief, sorrow, or misery. This goes right along with promoting your spouse�s happiness. You want to stay away from things that will promote unhappiness or grief or sorrow in the life of you and your spouse� why on earth would you want to do things to grieve your spouse anyway?

Proverbs 12:4
�A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband.�
�Virtuous: Being in conformity to the moral or divine law; as a virtuous action; a virtuous life,� (Webster�s 1828 Dictionary). So a wife who has good morals and follows the Bible �divine law� is a crown to her husband. A crown is like a precious jewel� more than that a crown is something a king wears on the top of his head to show off to everybody. If a wife is a crown to her husband, he�s going to not only love her, but want to show her off so to speak� he will be proud enough of her to not hide her away from the world. A crown isn�t something a king sticks in a closet under a pile of dirty socks, it�s something he wears where everybody can see it.

Malachi 2:14-15
"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. 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."

According to the Webster�s 1828 Dictionary, Treacherously means: �Violating allegiance or faith pledged; by betraying a trust; faithlessly; perfidiously; as, to surrender a fort to an enemy treacherously; to disclose a secret treacherously.� So to deal with his wife treacherously, he would have betrayed her, or been unfaithful, violating his pledge to be faithful to her. This passage tells us that GOD himself has been a witness of the commitment made between the husband and his wife. A man�s wife is his companion, and he has made a covenant (or a deal) with her, and should not break it.


Ok, so another quick recap: In all things, husband and wife should strive to make each other happy in the relationship. This is so important that it is repeated over and over in the Bible, and God even tells the man to take an entire year off to get the relationship stronger by making his wife happy, and visa versa (because obviously if he is there at home making her happy then she is going to be making him happy). A husband and wife should not �withhold� from each other, because after marriage they have become �one flesh� and are as one, and therefore do not have control over their own body, but of each other�s body. Spouses should strive to live�joyfully� together, rather than doing things intent on harming each other�s well being and living unhappily together. A �virtuous� wife will make her husband proud (this includes staying faithful), and a husband should not betray the covenant with his wife (this means he should stay faithful).

Just another quick note about the scripture taken from Malachi, it says the LORD was witness of the covenant between the man and wife, not another human being� just another indicator that there weren�t any ceremonies and government �witnesses� as there are today� marriage was all done by God.


3) Submitting

So here�s the part where most people (especially women) have a problem with the Bible. The part where it tells the wife to submit to her husband. Let�s talk about that for a minute after reading a couple of scriptures.


Ephesians 5:20-22
�Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.�

First we see �submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.� This includes the husband. Next we see �Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.� Not, wives submit yourselves to ALL men, just to your own husband, and you do it as you would submit yourself to God. Why? Why do we do this? Read on:

Ephesians 5:23-24
�For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.�

We submit ourselves to our husbands, because it is the place God has given us as women. Remember how Adam was allowed to name Eve, therefore being given some sort of ownership? It�s like, your parent�s name you when you are born, and you are your mother and father�s child� this is the same thing. God named Adam, Adam named Eve, etc. God has put us all in a hierarchy of order. This doesn�t make men better than women or visa versa, it is just the place we are given for now. God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of the church, which is head of the man, and man is head of the woman. Remember that women are made to be a help meat for man. We are given an important job to do. If it wasn�t important God wouldn�t have created us at all.

Let�s talk about something else for a minute too. The Biblical marriage between a man and a woman represents the marriage between Christ and the church later on after Chris�s return (and you�ll see that it represents that in a moment). �� even as Christ is the head of the church�� Jesus will be the husband and the church the wife (which we see in other scriptures throughout the Bible, but we won�t go into just now). If a Biblical marriage represents the marriage between Christ and the church (the body of believers), and Christ is over the church, and the church is submitting to Christ, then we can begin to make sense of why the husband is over the wife and why the wife submits to her husband. This is the Biblical order of things.

Lets look at some more from Ephesians.

Ephesians 5:24-30
"Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones."

This tells men to love their wives just as Christ loved the church (his future wife). Christ loved all people so much that he DIED for them. Literally, he was nailed to a cross and left there until he died. He knew what he was doing. He himself was blameless and without fault or sin, but he did it so that we could be found blameless and without sin� he took the place for OUR sins� he took our punishment because he loves us THAT much. The Bible tells man to love his wife THAT much, just like Christ loves us THAT much. Remember, a husband and wife are �one flesh� and it says that a man that loves his wife loves himself. Just as Jesus nourishes and cherishes the church (his future wife), so should a man do this for his wife. Just as a man and wife are �one flesh� like Adam and eve, all believers (the church) are members of Christ�s body, flesh, and bones. We can begin to see now how a biblical marriage is representative of the future marriage between Jesus and the church which He died for.

Let�s finish this chapter of Ephesians.

Ephesians 5:31-33
�For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.�

Again this speaks about the connection between a biblical marriage and the marriage of Christ and the church, and tells the man to love his wife as he loves himself. It also tells us though that a wife should �reverence� her husband. She should have respect and affection for him, and see him as an authority figure (taken from the definition from Webster�s 1828 Dictionary).


Collosians 3:18-19
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them."

�Fit� means: �Suitable; convenient; meet; becoming,� (Webster�s 1828 Dictionary). It is what God meant for wives to submit themselves to their husbands, and it is also �becoming.� Again husbands are told to love their wives and not be bitter to their wives.
�Bitter� means: �Cruel; severe; as bitter enmity. Sharp, as words, reproachful; sarcastic,� (Webster�s 1828 Dictionary).


So let�s do one last recap about what the Bible has to say about the subject of marriage (and keep in mind this is not ALL that the Bible has to say about it):

1)Marriage started with Adam and Eve.
2)Eve and women were made for man to be a help meat and to be company for them.
3)Biblical marriage did not consist of a ceremony, human witnesses, marriage licenses, or any other government contracts. There were no preachers or pastors to marry Adam and Eve, only God.
4)The three parts to a biblical marriage are: A) Man and woman leave their parents, B) Man and woman �cleave� together (aka commit to each other), and C) become one flesh with each other. After these things have taken place God �joins� them together.
5)In all things husband and wife should strive to make each other happy.
6)Spouses should not withhold from each other unless it is agreed upon to do so for a small amount of time for fasting and prayer.
7)Spouses should strive to live �joyfully� together, and should not try to do things to make each other unhappy.
8)Both husbands and wives should honor the �covenant� made with each other and remain faithful to one another.
9)Women are commanded to submit to their husband, not all men.
10) Women submit themselves to their husbands because it is the place God has given them. God is head over Jesus, Jesus is head over the church (his future wife), man is head over his wife.
11) Biblical marriage is a picture of the marriage of Christ and the body of believers (the church) when Christ returns.
12) Husbands are not to be �bitter� (cruel or sarcastic) to their wives.
13)Wives are to submit themselves to their husbands as they would to God.


This study has taken all scriptures from the Authorized KJV. All definitions are taken from Webster�s 1828 Dictionary because that particular dictionary has the correct definitions for words used during the translation of the KJV.

This study is meant to inform, not to offend.

Thanks,

-CBSB

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A Study in Marriage Part 1 - Marriage Then And Now

Today people get confused about what marriage really is, and don�t even know it. In the beginning, marriage meant something completely different than it does today. First let�s take a look at what marriage is today:

Today marriage is an agreed upon union between a man and a woman (or a man and a man, or a woman and a woman, although today this is still debatable in society), along with a contract between the man, woman, and government, finalized in a ceremony preformed by a preacher or justice of the peace. The �contract� is the marriage license. Without a marriage license the government does not recognize a couple as married and the couple can then not get government benefits for being married such as tax breaks. Often times without a marriage license a couple cannot even get insurance together with �married� benefits. The government contract has become such an important part of marriage today, that even most regular US citizens do not consider you and your spouse married if you do not have a marriage license. So the three parts of marriage today consist of: 1) A contract between the couple and the government. 2) An agreed upon union. 3) A ceremony preformed by a pastor or justice of the peace.

Now let�s take a look at marriage in the beginning according to the Bible (KJV of course). Marriage then was very different. In the beginning, Marriage was solely between a man, a woman, and God. There was no ceremony preformed by a pastor or other government official, and there was no contract with any kind of government. How then were people considered married? In Genesis, God gives you His definition of marriage. Let�s take a look:

Genesis 2:24 �Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.�

The key words in this passage are �cleave� and �one flesh�. First a man leaves his father and mother. Next he cleaves to his wife and they become one flesh. When the KJV was translated �cleave� meant: �To unite or be united closely in interest or affection; to adhere with strong attachment,� (Websters 1828 Dictionary).�One flesh� is defined at the time as �intimate relations,� (Websters 1828 Dictionary under �Flesh�). So we see the Biblical version of marriage is also composed of three parts: 1) Leaving the father and

mother. 2) Man and woman �cleaving� together, otherwise committing to stick together. 3) Man and woman becoming �one flesh� (or having intimate relations, aka sex.). There was no ceremony, there was no contract, there was no preacher there to marry them. Adam and Eve, the first man and woman were married, and there was no other human there to marry them. Instead God brought them together as husband and wife.

Gen 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.�

Gen 2:24 �Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.�

Gen 2:25 �And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.�

The above passage is clearly talking about Adam and Eve, and refers to them in Genesis 2:25 as �man and his wife,� after they have been �one flesh� in Genesis 2:24.

We also see how God performs the marriage ceremony himself in Matthew:

Matt. 19:6 �Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.�

�What therefore God hath joined together�� this is very important. When a man and woman become �one flesh� together, God joins them together. Essentially God is marrying them just as a pastor or justice of the peace would do today.

We see examples of this in the Bible:

Genesis 24:67 "And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death."

While Gen 24:67 doesn�t explicitly say that Isaac and Rebekah had sex, it does imply it by saying that he�took� her, together with the fact that he brought her into his mothter�s tent (a private place) to do so. This passage says that she became his wife after the fact of sex (�and took Rebekah, and she became his wife;�).

Today churches preach about not having �premarital sex,� and say that if you have ANY sex whatsoever before the traditional "man-made" wedding occurs, that it is "pre-marital." But if you look at the scriptures straight from the Bible and read them as is with no interpretation, you see that so long as you have left the parents, committed to one another, and had sex, you are married by God, even if you haven't been married by "man" in a man made ceremony. While what most churches teach about �premarital sex� is not Biblical at all, I can see why they started giving messages on it. Today you get the kids having sex without the commitment or without leaving the parents, or you get the adults who have left the parents, but have no comittment to their boyfriend/girlfriend. Sex has become a casual thing worldwide.

Marriage has changed into a sort of unholy union between a man, a woman, and the government rather than a man, a woman, and God. If the union was really between a man, his wife, and God, then the man and wife would forsake the government and not enter into a contract with it to declare their marriage valid.Unfortunately in the society we live in today, we must enter into this government contract to get the government benefits we deserve as a married couple.

Today marriages break up all the time and end in divorce. In Biblical times it wasn�t all that common to see divorce, but now divorce rates soar higher every year, not only because of problems in the marriage, but because of lack of commitment (cleaving together) on the couple�s part. Because marriage today is really only a contract with the government, people throw away marriages like a piece of trash and start over. Now don�t get me wrong, there are definitely reasons to divorce, but most couples in the US today enter into marriage thinking, �well, if it doesn�t work out I can always get divorced, no big deal.� In the Bible divorce was a very big deal and was only allowed under certain circumstances, because marriage was a union between man, woman, and God, and God put them together into marriage. Matt. 19:6 �Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.� What God has joined together, let no man put asunder� including the husband himself or the wife� it was a holy union not to be thrown away so lightly, even if there were major problems. It was also not entered into so lightly as it is today. Today people flock to Vegas to get married spur of the moment� young teens get married only because they got pregnant, not because they are truly willing to �cleave� to each other for better or for worse, and other times people get married because they are pressured to by society because it is the �normal� thing to do to get married at a certain age and settle down and start a family. All of these things along with other factors have contributed to high divorce rates (essentially man putting asunder what God has joined together).

Now I�m not saying that all divorces occur because of lack of commitment or lack of having a union between the man and wife and God, but the above factors I have described have definitely contributed to a large percent of the divorces in recent years in the US. In a country that continually strives to move away from God and toward unholy unions with the government, it does not surprise me that churches started preaching on not having sex before the �government� marriage, in an attempt to stem the flow of divorces.Again, when they teach about not having premarital sex, there is no such thing provided you have left the parents, cleaved to your spouse, and then joined to become one flesh, but because �marriage� has changed and is something different today to man, premarital sex would occur before the �contract� is entered into with the government.

In conclusion, there are definitely two different kinds of marriage: 1) God�s definition of marriage, and 2) Man�s definition of marriage. Straight from the Bible we see God�s definition of marriage is when two people have sex and become �one flesh� and God joins them together. Man�s definition of marriage is some sort of ceremony preformed by a justice of the peace or man of the cloth along with a government contract and a high likelihood of divorce somewhere down the road.

NOTE: This post was not meant to offend anybody (as I�m sure it will) but is instead meant to inform. I am in no way saying that if you got a divorce that it was because of lack of commitment, or that if you were married with a government contract that you did not mean the marriage to be between you, your spouse, and God. If you feel like commenting on my post feel free, but before you do I ask that you simply read the scriptures as is without �interpreting� them your own way. We believe in taking God�s Word literally with no interpretation. Why? Because God won�t try to confuse us. It makes no sense for God to write one thing, and then mean something different than He wrote. God wants us to understand and there are very few things in the Bible up to interpretation. (Revelation for example, because John himself said he didn�t understand the things he saw, and was only writing them down to the best of his ability describing the things he saw the best he could). Like I said, read it literally, and then post any comments you may have.

A NOTE ON THE DEFINITIONS: I have given you definitions from the Webster 1828 dictionary because some words mean different things now than they did when the KJV was translated. The 1828 dictionary tells us what most words in the KJV meant when it was translated. I have heard people interpret the above scriptures differently because they did not know or understand the meaning of some of the words, which is why I have provided definitions.

Thanks!

-CBSB

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New Recommended Reading

I've been reading a lot lately, mostly Christian novels, but also a few other things, and I have some new recommendations for you.

First we'll start with any book by Jane Kirkpatrick.  This is an inspiring Christian author who writes Christian novels, mostly centered around women, and marriage.  All have a historical basis, and most are set in the pioneer days.  Each book will leave you satisfied, and yet, craving more.  I recommend starting with "A Sweetness to the Soul."  Be sure to also read her Memoir "Homestead" as well.  You are sure to be touched and lifted up by all of her works.  You can view her website here: http://www.jkbooks.com/

Next we'll move on to "What Hath God Wrought?" by William P. Grady.  This is one of those wordy books that takes a little while to understand, but is well worth the effort!  This book gives a detailed history of America's beginnings and how the values America holds today, including the Constitution, are founded deeply in Christian beliefs and Biblical values.  This book takes us into the edgy world of the truth.  We learn about persecution of varying faiths, the values our founding fathers and pioneers held, what was once right in America, and what has gone wrong since then.  We have traveled a very slippery slope since the beginning of our country, and Grady takes us down a well documented path to the truth, one that you won't be likely to find in the history books of most public schools.

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