God's desire is that disappointment and suffering would turn individuals to Himself. But too often, well-meaning individuals use marriage as the fix. They offer sex as a solution. They hold out respect (biblical?) ....
marriage
The Wisdom of Solomon
Jesus is all for saving souls. If one party has no concern for the life and safety of another, especially at cost to himself, you are likely dealing with a corpse. That is not a marriage problem, but a personal problem that requires evangelism and practical consequences/training.
Faulty Theology
We must see marriage as a privilege instead of an entitlement. Marriage is not a rite of passage. It does not make anyone (man or woman) more valuable, more important, more wise, more capable, more....
The D Word: A Proper Focus
Many individuals, men, and churches fall off the wagon of biblical interpretation with the D word [divorce]. Take a moment to back out of cultural norms, fears, and misconceptions. I’m not promoting anything here except sound biblical thinking, so don’t raise your hackles (yet) or run in fear. Divorce is the exception. Marriage is the rule. God’s focus is marriage: His covenantal relationship with Israel, Christ’s sacrificial love for the church.
Headship: Preamble
If a woman’s application of Scripture is limited by submission to her husband, then he, not Jesus, is the measure of her sanctification.
When Sinned Against
The following is a recording of the second session as it relates to thinking/responding biblically when a wife is sinned against by her husband. Topics covered are biblical resistance, love covers a multitude of sin, forgive and forget, forgiveness and reconciliation, forgiveness and trust, anger, and marriage.
Hope
Where is your hope? If your hope is in an individual changing, that may never happen. If your hope is a healthy, thriving marriage with an abusive spouse, that is not in your realm of influence.
“Your Cross to Bear”
Jesus bore our sins. He is the theological (or Biblical) context for understanding this phrase. The historical context is punishment for breaking Roman law. Those who hung beside Jesus were guilty. "Bearing your cross" is carrying the weight, or living out the consequences, of your own guilt.
Marriage: the Magic Portal
Some view marriage as a magic portal--a golden ticket--to manhood. It's everything a juvenile boy could wish for: sex without cost, privilege without price, freedom from conflict or push-back.
Marriage: A Hill Worth Dying On?
Unfortunately, many of us make decisions based on short, biblical phrases without realizing we've missed something. We think of and apply them sinfully--because, well, that's how we roll. Here is an example that relates to domestic abuse: "God hates divorce" (Malachi 2:16). We've all heard it. This specific phrase drives many to worship marriage over … Continue reading Marriage: A Hill Worth Dying On?
Seeking Sanctuary 