The Crystal Clear Truth About Marriage

This past Saturday we had Chris and Nelly's wedding at the Crystal Cathedral, home of the self-esteem "gospel" and the "Hour of Power" sermons that have been on TV for as long as I can remember (though I don't have any TV connection now so I might be outdated). The people there were very nice, in fact, were very helpful and even funny. The church was not as big as I thought it would be but the inside had an impressive Sony jumbotron and it really was a big glass castle like I thought it would be. The men's restroom was equally impressive, especially now after looking at blueprints for restrooms in consideration of our new facilities. I would have to say it was easily the most impressive wedding site I've presided over, with the dramatic rising of the sidewalls (though I didn't see it) and the fountain shooting high at the entry of the bride.

I was a little nervous as I anticipated the handoff from Pastor Bob as he was doing the introduction. I had written my notes word-for-word (if you didn't notice) because I often get nervous at weddings and don't want to just ramble. I also was told that we had to get everything done in 30 minutes, so there was a real time constraint that put a considerable amount of pressure. There is always one thing that I do try these days at weddings and that is to make sure that the gospel message is somehow integrated. With the passage from Ephesians 5:22-33, it was an easy transition to make since being married is all about glorifying Jesus Christ and to point people to the Savior at a wedding only makes sense since a Christian wedding is exactly about making Christ the focal point.

But it's one thing to think about how those who are of a different theological persuasion might think. In studying 1 John, the one thing that has been sticking out to me is how important it is to be discerning for the purpose of honoring Jesus, not just to win a debate. It's even more than being able to point out false teaching - it's about pointing to the One who is the authoritative teacher of truth as He is the Truth.

Getting married is more than just about a man and a woman getting together. It is about a man and a woman getting together so that Jesus Christ would be magnified in their lives being together as a reflection of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church. This really changes everything. It should remind the man that he is to love his wife like Christ loves the church. This is not just some cheap sappy love leeched off of movie scenes. This is about true, sacrificial love that seeks to sanctify and nurture and cherish someone day in and day out, regardless of the circumstances that might come. It is to look at Christ and in Him see the ultimate model of true love (not Princess Bride). For the woman it is to submit to her husband in a loving and respectful way that the church is to do before Christ. Admittedly this is not anywhere near what the world would see as desirable but because of Christ, it is not only the most profitable, it is the most glorifying to Christ. It is here that we must really ask ourselves if we really believe this to be true. Do we really value Christ so much that all things are done in reference to Him? Or do we still look, however subtly, for some kind of self-gratification at the expense of Christ receiving the firstfruits of our heart?

In anticipation of our DTR2 series which should come this fall, I want to remind those of you who read this (all 5 of you) to really think carefully about how you view marriage. I believe that there are too many people who still have worldly worldview when it comes to marriage and even though you might acknowledge what the Bible has to say, when it comes to the actual planning of a wedding and the preparation for a life time, there are sadly many who are still so very far away from having Jesus be Lord over their life in the practical things of life. While we might say that we adhere to true Biblical teaching, many people's lives would contradict that if examined carefully.

It is definitely one thing to combat false teaching with the truth of God's Word. It is another thing to confirm the preciousness of God's truth by abiding in it. Whether in marriage, whether in the work place, whether in friendships, whether in the local church, as believers we are called to make Christ the crown jewel which shines brightly for all the world to see.

This is the crystal clear truth. Don't look to a crystal buildling. Look to the precious treasure of Jesus Christ.