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. [By Ron Halbrook]

2 I. In the Beginning A. Gen. 1:1, Man & Woman Unique: In God’s Image

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Gen. 1

4 B. Gen. 2:18-24 Woman: God’s Crowning Work— She Has No Equal in Her Role! I. In the Beginning

18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 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

6 I. In the Beginning C. Cultivate the Garden of Marriage!

7 A.Ps. 127:3-5 God Ordained Birth & Nurturing of Children in Marriage Home stronger, happier with children II. The Gift of Children

3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Ps. 127:3-5

9 II. Gift of Children B. Eccl. 4:9-12 God Blesses Father, Mother, & Child in This Intimate Relationship

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Eccl. 4:9-12

11 A. Song of Sol. 2:7 Song of Solomon Celebrates Steadfast Love from Courtship to Marriage. III. Friends in Love

7 Do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases. Song of Sol. 2:7

13 B. Song of Sol. 8:6-7 The Bride Extols the Value of True Love. III. Friends in Love

6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. 7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. Song of Sol. 8:6-7

15 C. Experiences of Friendship Deepen in Marriage. Prov. 18:22 Marriage God’s gift, celebacy not greater gift or higher calling III. Friends in Love

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. Prov. 18:22

17 C. Experiences of Friendship Deepen in Marriage. Prov. 18:24 “All weather” not “fair weather” friend III. Friends in Love

24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Prov. 18:24

19 C. Experiences of Friendship Deepen in Marriage. Prov. 13:20 Choose carefully: friends influence friends III. Friends in Love

20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Prov. 13:20

21 C. Experiences of Friendship Deepen in Marriage. Prov. 27:17 Share, test ideas— constructive criticism III. Friends in Love

17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Prov. 27:17

23 A. Mal. 2:13-16 God Hates Divorce. IV. Permanent

13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. 14 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. Mal. 2:13-16

15 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. Mal. 2:13-16

16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. Mal. 2:13-16

27 B. Lawful to Divorce for Every Cause? Annie’s Mailbox: Man With Dying Wife— Divorce Her, Marry Cora (Louisville Courier-Journal, ) Matt. 19:3-9 Jesus’ Answer Different IV. Permanent

4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. Matt. 19:3-9

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. Matt. 19:3-9

30 C. “Except It Be for Fornication” Porneia: Unlawful Sexual Intercourse in General Fornication Including:  Harlotry, Prostitution  Adultery  Incest  Homosexual Acts  Unlawful Marriages  All Such “‘sexual intercourse’ in gen. without more precise definition” (Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament VI:584, 587)

31 D. God’s Gift of Marriage Given to a Man & a Woman: If Never Before Married (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:4-5) IV. Permanent

4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Matt. 19:3-9

33 D. God’s Gift of Marriage Given to a Man & a Woman: If Mate Died (Rom. 7:2-3) IV. Permanent

2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. Rom. 7:2-3

35 D. God’s Gift of Marriage Given to a Man & a Woman: If Divorce Mate for Fornication (Matt. 19:9) IV. Permanent

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. Matt. 19:3-9

37 E. God Does Not Sanction Man’s Sinful Desires: Easy Divorce (Mal. 2:16; Matt. 19:3-9) IV. Permanent

16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. Mal. 2:16

9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. Matt. 19:9

40 E. God Does Not Sanction Man’s Sinful Desires: Homosexual Acts: Against Nature (Rom. 1:26-27) IV. Permanent

26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Rom. 1:26-27

42 A. Heb. 13:4 When God Joins a Man & a Woman, Marriage Is Holy, Honorable. V. Marriage Holy, Honorable

4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Heb. 13:4

44 B. Look to God for Guidance Eph. 5:22-33 Roles Given to Husband & Wife V. Marriage Holy, Honorable

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Eph. 5:22-33

46 B. Look to God for Guidance Col. 3:18-21 Duties of Parents & Children V. Marriage Holy, Honorable

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. 20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. Col. 3:18-21

48 V. Marriage Holy, Honorable C. Divine Law Overrules Human Law & Social Standards. God Gave Man & Woman Marriage:  NOT Bestiality  NOT Fornication Outside Marriage  NOT Adultery In Violation of Marriage Vows  NOT Homosexual Acts  NOT Incest  NOT Pedophilia  NOT Pornography  NOT Divorce on Demand

49 Conclusion: 1.It Is Time for Our Nation to Repent— Or Face God’s Judgment!

50 Conclusion: 2. It Is Time for Each Sinner to Repent & Obey the Gospel:  Jn. 3:16 Christ, Perfect Sacrifice for Our Sins

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Jn. 3:16

52 Conclusion: 2. It Is Time for Each Sinner to Repent & Obey the Gospel:  Acts 2:38 Repent & Be Baptized

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2:38

54 Conclusion: 2. It Is Time for Each Sinner to Repent & Obey the Gospel:  2 Thess. 1:7-9 Reject Gospel, Punished in Flaming Fire for Eternity

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 2 Thess. 1:7-9