God's Design for Marriage and Christian Ethics

 

Summary

In this sermon, the focus is on the biblical understanding of marriage and Christian ethics, particularly the sin of partiality. Marriage, as discussed, is not a human invention but a divine institution created by God. It is meant to be a union between one man and one woman, reflecting God's design and purpose. The sermon addresses common misconceptions about marriage, such as the overly romanticized view that sees marriage as the ultimate fulfillment of life, and the pessimistic view that sees it as a burden. Instead, marriage is presented as a gift from God, requiring grace and the gospel of Jesus Christ to navigate its challenges.

The sermon also delves into Christian ethics, emphasizing the standard set by God in His Word. It highlights the importance of recognizing our sins, both of commission and omission, and the need for repentance and forgiveness through Christ. The sanctity of life is another key topic, urging Christians to uphold and defend the dignity of all human life, not just the unborn.

A significant portion of the sermon is dedicated to the sin of partiality, as discussed in James 2. Partiality, or favoritism, is condemned as it contradicts the gospel's message of grace and equality before God. The sermon challenges believers to see others through the lens of the gospel, recognizing that all are made in the image of God and deserving of love and respect. It calls for a lifestyle that reflects the royal law of loving one's neighbor as oneself, urging Christians to live gospel-shaped lives that exhibit mercy and grace to all, regardless of their social status or appearance.

Key Takeaways:

1. God's Design for Marriage: Marriage is a divine institution, not a human invention. It is a union between one man and one woman, reflecting God's purpose and design. Christians are called to view marriage through the lens of the gospel, recognizing it as a gift that requires grace and commitment. [50:57]

2. Christian Ethics and Repentance: Christian ethics are grounded in God's Word, setting a standard for how we live. Recognizing our sins, both of commission and omission, should lead us to repentance and reliance on God's grace. This process is essential for spiritual growth and alignment with God's will. [55:17]

3. Sanctity of Life: The sanctity of life extends beyond the unborn to all humanity. Christians are called to uphold and defend the dignity of every person, recognizing the biblical theme of life as sacred. This requires boldness and courage in proclaiming and living out these values. [57:28]

4. The Sin of Partiality: Partiality contradicts the gospel's message of grace and equality. Christians must avoid favoritism based on external appearances or social status, recognizing that all are made in God's image. This calls for a lifestyle that reflects the royal law of loving one's neighbor as oneself. [05:25]

5. Living Gospel-Shaped Lives: Believers are called to live lives that reflect the gospel, showing mercy and grace to all. This involves seeing others through the lens of Christ's love and acting in ways that honor God. Our identity in Christ should shape our interactions and relationships, demonstrating the transformative power of the gospel. [44:25]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [50:22] - Introduction to Christian Ethics and Marriage
- [50:35] - God's Design for Marriage
- [51:31] - Misconceptions About Marriage
- [52:20] - Advice for the Newly Engaged
- [53:04] - Advice for Newly Married Couples
- [54:13] - Understanding Christian Ethics
- [55:17] - Conviction and Repentance
- [57:28] - The Sanctity of Life
- [58:45] - Conference Overview
- [01:03:09] - Introduction to James 2
- [01:05:25] - The Sin of Partiality
- [01:09:16] - Personal Reflections on Partiality
- [01:13:23] - Identity in Christ
- [01:20:01] - Living Gospel-Shaped Lives
- [01:44:25] - Conclusion and Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- James 2:1-13

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Observation Questions:

1. What are the two extreme views of marriage that Christians might hold, as mentioned in the sermon? How do these views differ from the biblical perspective on marriage? [51:31]

2. According to the sermon, what is the role of the gospel in navigating the challenges of marriage? [52:10]

3. How does the sermon describe the sin of partiality, and what biblical example is used to illustrate this sin? [01:03:55]

4. What does the sermon suggest is the relationship between Christian ethics and the sanctity of life? [57:28]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon suggest that marriage reflects God's design and purpose, and why is it important for Christians to view marriage through the lens of the gospel? [50:57]

2. In what ways does the sermon challenge believers to recognize and repent of their sins of omission? How might this process lead to spiritual growth? [55:37]

3. How does the sermon connect the sin of partiality to the gospel's message of grace and equality? What implications does this have for how Christians should treat others? [01:05:25]

4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of living a gospel-shaped life, and how does this relate to one's identity in Christ? [01:44:25]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own views of marriage. Do you find yourself leaning towards an overly romanticized or pessimistic view? How can you align your perspective more closely with the biblical understanding of marriage as a divine institution? [51:31]

2. Consider a recent situation where you recognized a sin of omission in your life. How did you respond, and what steps can you take to ensure you are more proactive in living out your faith? [55:53]

3. Think about a time when you may have shown partiality or favoritism. How did this contradict the gospel's message of grace and equality? What changes can you make to ensure you treat others with love and respect, regardless of their social status or appearance? [01:05:25]

4. The sermon emphasizes the sanctity of life beyond just the unborn. How can you actively uphold and defend the dignity of all human life in your daily interactions and decisions? [57:28]

5. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to live a gospel-shaped life. What practical steps can you take to ensure your actions and interactions reflect the love and grace of Christ? [01:44:25]

6. How can you cultivate a deeper understanding of your identity in Christ, and how might this understanding influence your relationships and interactions with others? [01:13:23]

7. Reflect on the concept of the "royal law" of loving your neighbor as yourself. What is one tangible way you can demonstrate this love to someone in your community this week? [01:05:25]

Devotional

Day 1: Marriage as a Divine Institution
Marriage is not merely a social contract or a human invention; it is a divine institution established by God. This sacred union between one man and one woman is designed to reflect God's purpose and design. In a world where marriage is often misunderstood, either as the ultimate fulfillment of life or as a burdensome obligation, it is crucial to view it through the lens of the gospel. Marriage is a gift from God that requires grace, commitment, and the transformative power of the gospel of Jesus Christ to navigate its challenges. Understanding marriage in this way allows believers to appreciate its true value and purpose. [50:57]

"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined 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." (Ephesians 5:31-32, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively seek God's grace in your marriage or future marriage, viewing it as a divine gift rather than a human invention?


Day 2: The Call to Repentance and Ethical Living
Christian ethics are deeply rooted in God's Word, providing a standard for how believers are to live. Recognizing our sins, both those we commit and those we omit, is essential for spiritual growth. This recognition should lead us to repentance and a reliance on God's grace. Through this process, believers align themselves more closely with God's will, allowing for transformation and growth in their spiritual journey. Embracing this call to repentance is not just about acknowledging wrongdoing but about seeking a deeper relationship with God through His grace. [55:17]

"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work." (2 Timothy 2:21, ESV)

Reflection: What specific sin of omission or commission do you need to bring before God today, seeking His forgiveness and grace for transformation?


Day 3: Upholding the Sanctity of Life
The sanctity of life is a fundamental principle that extends beyond the unborn to encompass all humanity. Christians are called to uphold and defend the dignity of every person, recognizing that life is sacred and created in the image of God. This requires boldness and courage in proclaiming and living out these values, even in the face of societal pressures. By valuing all human life, believers demonstrate the love and respect that God has for each individual, reflecting His heart for humanity. [57:28]

"Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image." (Genesis 9:6, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively defend and uphold the dignity of all human life in your daily interactions and decisions?


Day 4: Rejecting Partiality and Embracing Equality
Partiality, or favoritism, is a sin that contradicts the gospel's message of grace and equality before God. Christians are called to avoid favoritism based on external appearances or social status, recognizing that all people are made in God's image. This understanding calls for a lifestyle that reflects the royal law of loving one's neighbor as oneself. By rejecting partiality, believers can live out the gospel's transformative power, showing mercy and grace to all, regardless of their background or status. [05:25]

"My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory." (James 2:1, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life might you be showing favoritism towards, and how can you begin to treat them with the equality and love that reflects God's image in them?


Day 5: Living a Gospel-Shaped Life
Believers are called to live lives that reflect the gospel, demonstrating mercy and grace to all. This involves seeing others through the lens of Christ's love and acting in ways that honor God. Our identity in Christ should shape our interactions and relationships, showcasing the transformative power of the gospel. By living gospel-shaped lives, Christians can be a testament to God's love and grace, impacting the world around them in meaningful ways. [44:25]

"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27, ESV)

Reflection: What specific action can you take today to ensure that your life reflects the gospel, demonstrating Christ's love and grace to those around you?

Quotes

"Marriage is a good, wonderful gift from God but at the same time it's fallen in a fallen world and we need to realize if we're going to deal with marriage we need to deal with it through the grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and so yeah I think Christians have mistaken views of marriage just like the world has mistaken views of marriage." [00:51:59]

"Marriage is ultimately not about us as an end point, it's ultimately about Christ and his church and how he loves the church and gave himself up for the church in other words marriage is about the gospel so what advice would I give to someone who's newly married is that you got to have the gospel message at the center of what you're doing." [00:53:26]

"Christian ethics we're of course speaking of the standard that God has set forth in his word as how we should govern our lives and all Affairs uh for human beings uh so it's a standard a standard set by God and it's a standard that is the underg guring foundational rubric for how we do what we do why we do what we do and ultimately not simply for the sake of humanity but for the sake of God and His glory." [00:54:25]

"I think a lot of a lot of us all Christians we need to be more deeply convicted by our sin and more more aware of the reality of where we are not meeting the mark either by sins of commission things that we're actively doing or by things that we're leaving undone sins of commission and I think that's actually one of the greatest sins that uh we have as Christians today is our sins of omission." [00:55:22]

"While I think that is entirely appropriate we also have to step back for a moment and consider the words themselves but more importantly than that the the biblical theme of the sanctity or the Dignity of life as it applies not only to children not yet born but to all Humanity so we'll be talking about that looking at several passages and really trying to help uh the church in our day particularly as we we really do need to declare and remind the whole world of evangelicalism really what the Bible does say." [00:57:48]

"James 2 and verse one my brothers show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the lord of Glory for if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say you sit here in a good place while you say to the poor man you stand over there or sit down at my feet have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts." [01:03:59]

"Listen my beloved Brothers has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and hes of the Kingdom which he has promised to those who love him but you have Dishonored the poor man are not the rich the ones who oppress you and the ones who drag you into court are they not the ones who blaspheme The Honorable name by which you were called." [01:04:55]

"James says in verse four you have become judges with evil thoughts well let's take a note of the way James um exposes this sin and in verses five and six and and and just the first half of verse six he points to the way that this goes against the attitude of God himself towards the poor and needy God is not like this our wonderful God is not like this." [01:17:00]

"God makes provision for the poor telling farmers in the extraordinary Book of Ruth for example telling Farmers uh to leave the edges of the crops so that they might glean and and survive famine conditions Mary uh in The Magnificat he has filled the Hungry with good things and the rich he has sent empty away God isn't like that it flies in the face of the very gospel itself because who is the gospel for well it's not for the rich it's not for those who who think that they're important in their own estimation or even in your estimation or my estimation." [01:18:59]

"James is saying that's the perspective that you must judge others by I don't view them I don't see them according to the Flesh and following that indicative he gives us the imperative the need to actively and purposefully walk in obedience to what he calls in verse 8 the Royal law the king's law Jesus's law and he cites from Leviticus 19:18 to love our neighbors as ourselves that Jesus says was the second half half of the greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourselves it's the king's law." [01:29:28]

"Your neighbor is whoever God brings into your life it may be a waiter at a restaurant it may be a person sitting next to you at a football game it may be the beggar at the stoplight with a cardboard and a message and I always think is that an angel testing me right now you know that awkward moment when you stopped and and he's just standing there with a card and you're trying don't make eye contact just don't make eye contact." [01:35:07]

"Live gospel El shaped lives in your conversations and actions with others whoever they are whoever they are exit the gospel to them in the manner in which you speak to them and in the manner in which you behave before them and all of us are condemned by that there isn't N A righteous person here who isn't Smitten by that Royal law of Christ but it is where he has brought us he has brought us down on our knees and to say nothing in my hands I bring I have no importance in myself my importance only lies in my union and communion with Jesus that is my essential identity." [01:44:51]

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Transcript
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