Divine Design: The Purpose of Marriage and Family

 

Summary

In this week's reflection, we delve into the foundational principles of marriage and family as ordained by God. The current societal discourse often misinterprets marriage as a political issue, but it is fundamentally a creation issue. God has defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and any deviation from this is not aligned with His design. Despite knowing this definition, many marriages today are in turmoil, with over 50% ending in divorce. This turmoil often stems from a misunderstanding of the purpose of marriage and family.

Marriage was not established for personal happiness, although that is a wonderful benefit. Instead, it was created for the advancement of God's Kingdom. The family is the foundational institution through which God intended to replicate His image and subdue the earth. When personal happiness becomes the primary focus, and the divine purpose is lost, marriages falter. Therefore, it is crucial to realign with the biblical purpose of family, which is to advance God's Kingdom through the union of a man and a woman.

Moreover, understanding the structure God has ordained for family is essential. Marriage is a covenant with a specific structure, and God's involvement is contingent upon adherence to this structure. The alignment of roles within the family is critical. For men, dominion comes through subordination to Christ. If a man is not properly aligned with Christ, he cannot effectively manage his domain. Similarly, the alignment of the woman is vital. The story of Eve in the Garden of Eden illustrates the chaos that ensues when God's order is disrupted.

It is important to distinguish between equality of being and inequality of function. While men and women are equal in their being, they have different roles within the family structure. This distinction is not about inequality but about fulfilling God's design for effective function. Just as Jesus, equal to God in being, submitted to the Father in function, so too should the roles within marriage be understood and respected.

Key Takeaways:

- Marriage is not a political issue but a creation issue, defined by God as a union between a man and a woman. This definition is crucial for understanding the divine purpose of marriage, which is to advance God's Kingdom, not merely to ensure personal happiness. [00:39]

- The high rate of divorce and marital dissatisfaction often results from a misalignment with the biblical purpose of marriage. When personal happiness becomes the primary focus, the divine purpose is lost, leading to instability. [02:35]

- God's structure for marriage is a covenant with specific roles. For men, dominion and effective leadership come through subordination to Christ. Without this alignment, the family structure cannot function as intended. [04:11]

- The story of Eve in the Garden of Eden highlights the chaos that ensues when God's order is disrupted. The alignment of roles within the family is crucial for maintaining divine order and preventing the devil's interference. [05:17]

- Equality of being does not equate to equality of function. Men and women are equal in their essence but have distinct roles within the family. This distinction is essential for fulfilling God's design and ensuring the effectiveness of the family unit. [06:51]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:17] - Defending Biblical Marriage
- [00:39] - God's Definition of Marriage
- [00:56] - Marital Turmoil and Divorce
- [01:17] - Misunderstanding Marriage's Purpose
- [01:34] - Kingdom Purpose of Family
- [02:02] - Advancing God's Kingdom
- [02:35] - Lost Purpose and Personal Happiness
- [03:04] - Biblical Family Structure
- [03:21] - Covenant and Structure
- [03:57] - Alignment of the Man
- [04:30] - Alignment of the Woman
- [05:02] - Disruption of God's Order
- [05:54] - Equality of Being vs. Function
- [06:32] - Role Distinctions in Marriage

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 1:27-28 - "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.'"
2. Ephesians 5:22-25 - "Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."

Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, what is the primary purpose of marriage and family as established by God? [01:34]
2. How does the sermon describe the consequences of misalignment with God's structure for family roles? [05:17]
3. What example from the Bible does the sermon use to illustrate the chaos that ensues when God's order is disrupted? [05:02]
4. How does the sermon differentiate between equality of being and inequality of function within marriage? [06:51]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the biblical purpose of marriage as advancing God's Kingdom challenge contemporary views of marriage focused on personal happiness? [02:35]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the alignment of roles within the family can prevent the devil's interference? [05:17]
3. How does the sermon use the relationship between Jesus and God the Father to explain the roles within marriage? [06:12]
4. What might be the implications for a family if the man is not properly aligned with Christ, according to the sermon? [04:11]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own understanding of marriage. How does it align with the biblical purpose of advancing God's Kingdom? What changes might you need to make in your perspective? [02:35]
2. Consider the roles within your family. Are there areas where God's order might be disrupted? How can you work towards realignment? [05:17]
3. How can you ensure that personal happiness does not overshadow the divine purpose of your marriage or family? [02:50]
4. In what ways can you, as a man or woman, better align yourself with Christ to fulfill your role within the family? [04:11]
5. How can you foster a deeper understanding of the distinction between equality of being and inequality of function in your relationships? [06:51]
6. Think of a time when roles were flipped in your family or community. What were the consequences, and how can you learn from that experience to maintain divine order? [05:02]
7. Identify one specific action you can take this week to advance God's Kingdom through your family. How will you hold yourself accountable to this commitment? [02:02]

Devotional

Day 1: Marriage as a Divine Creation, Not a Political Issue
Marriage is fundamentally a creation issue, not a political one. It is defined by God as a union between a man and a woman, intended to advance His Kingdom rather than merely ensure personal happiness. This divine definition is crucial for understanding the purpose of marriage. When society views marriage through a political lens, it often loses sight of its true, God-ordained purpose. By realigning with this biblical understanding, individuals can better appreciate the sacredness of marriage and its role in God's plan. [00:39]

Genesis 2:24 (ESV): "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

Reflection: How can you shift your perspective of marriage from a societal view to a divine creation view today?


Day 2: Misalignment with Biblical Purpose Leads to Marital Instability
The high rate of divorce and marital dissatisfaction often results from a misalignment with the biblical purpose of marriage. When personal happiness becomes the primary focus, the divine purpose is lost, leading to instability. Many marriages today suffer because they prioritize individual desires over God's intentions. By understanding that marriage is meant to advance God's Kingdom, couples can find deeper fulfillment and stability. This shift in focus can transform how partners relate to each other and their shared mission. [02:35]

Ephesians 5:31-32 (ESV): "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church."

Reflection: In what ways can you and your spouse refocus your marriage on advancing God's Kingdom rather than personal happiness?


Day 3: God's Covenant Structure for Marriage
God's structure for marriage is a covenant with specific roles. For men, dominion and effective leadership come through subordination to Christ. Without this alignment, the family structure cannot function as intended. This divine order is essential for maintaining harmony and fulfilling God's design for the family. By understanding and embracing these roles, individuals can contribute to a more stable and God-centered family life. [04:11]

Colossians 3:18-19 (ESV): "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them."

Reflection: How can you better align your role within your family to reflect God's covenant structure today?


Day 4: The Importance of Maintaining Divine Order
The story of Eve in the Garden of Eden highlights the chaos that ensues when God's order is disrupted. The alignment of roles within the family is crucial for maintaining divine order and preventing the devil's interference. When God's structure is respected, families can thrive and fulfill their purpose. By examining the biblical narrative, individuals can learn the importance of adhering to God's design and the consequences of deviating from it. [05:17]

1 Corinthians 11:3 (ESV): "But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God."

Reflection: What steps can you take to ensure that your family maintains divine order and resists chaos?


Day 5: Equality of Being vs. Function in Marriage
Equality of being does not equate to equality of function. Men and women are equal in their essence but have distinct roles within the family. This distinction is essential for fulfilling God's design and ensuring the effectiveness of the family unit. Just as Jesus, equal to God in being, submitted to the Father in function, so too should the roles within marriage be understood and respected. By embracing these roles, families can operate more effectively and in alignment with God's will. [06:51]

1 Peter 3:7 (ESV): "Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered."

Reflection: How can you honor the distinct roles within your marriage while maintaining equality of being?

Quotes


well needless to say this has been a very interesting week when it comes to the definition of marriage and the family I know a number of you saw me do interviews on CNN trying to defend the biblical definition of marriage it's not a political issue this is a creation issue and regardless of your political persuasion God only has one definition of marriage that's a man and a woman and uh any other definition is an illegitimate one [00:00:08]

but yet the reality is even though we know the definition so many marriages are in turmoil so many marriages are collapsing 50% plus now of all marriages ending divorce and much of the others that remain are not necessarily people who want to be there and that is because we have misdefined it first first of all and its purpose of marriage in the family [00:00:56]

when we started this series on Kingdom family we said that the purpose of marriage and the family is not your happiness that's a benefit it's a benefit it's a good benefit certainly something you don't want to be married to be miserable but that's not the reason that God established it he told them be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth and subdue it [00:01:34]

the Reason God created Family the foundational institution in society was for the advancement of its Kingdom in history it was a Kingdom Purpose and to subdue the earth that is oversee the Earth on his behalf through the family structure and its replication be fruitful and multiply throughout the Earth replicating the image of God everywhere children would establish new families so the advancement of God's kingdom through family [00:01:57]

therefore marriage the centerpiece of family was the reason God created it but because that purpose has been lost and personal happiness has become the driving force when people are no longer happy because they're not connected to the purpose then they want to no longer be part of the institution so my first concern is that we get back to the biblical purpose for family the advancement of God's kingdom and history through the marriage of a man and a woman [00:02:35]

but even if you have the biblical purpose of family you may not be organized according to God's structure for family if you've been following me you've known that he says marriage is a covenant and within that Covenant there is a structure and God always works through his ordained structure Ure in other words you cannot get God's involvement if you create your own structure [00:03:10]

so God has a structure by which this institution in history is to operate and as we said to the men last time because God always starts with the man is if the home is out of order we have to first ask is the man out of alignment is the man out of alignment when we talked to the men yesterday we we left one overriding point and that is Dominion comes through subordination [00:03:39]

if a man is not subordinated to Christ properly then Christ is not free to work to him through him and in him for the management and ruling of his domain so the alignment of the man is critical it's foundational and it's first but today we want to talk about the alignment of the woman the wife when Satan came into the garden he went to Eve not Adam on purpose [00:04:07]

he went to Eve because he flipped God's order instead of going to the man he went to the woman Eve became the leader of the House Adam became the p passive responder Rose got flipped or Hell broke loose whenever Rose get flipped you don't have to invite the devil he can invite himself when we are out of alignment with God when we're out of alignment in our roles the devil has freedom [00:04:30]

because he knows God only works inside of his alignment so he creates disconnections he creates alignment confusion so the man is not in his role or the wife is not in her role or both are not in their role fulfilling the alignment now let me make this point inextricably clear this has nothing to do with equality of persons Jesus is equal to God but it has has everything to do with effectiveness of function [00:05:17]

while Jesus is equal to God in his being he is not equal to God In His function Jesus said when he came to Earth I have come to do thy will oh God so what Jesus did was he submitted himself to the father to carry out his function on Earth while at the same time for Philippians 2 being equal to the father so every woman is equal to her husband in her being but she is not equal to her husband in her function [00:06:04]

now I know people get that mixed up and take function and make it inequality of being and so treat women like dogs or animals or dishonor them or disrespect them and all of that the Bible knows nothing of that that's why the Bible calls a wife a joint Heir an equal partner but without an equal function so please make the distinction between equality of being and inequality of function in other words everybody doesn't play the same role [00:06:32]

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Transcript
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