1. and by him all things consist.” Thel’ēma: special purposes
Col 1:16-17 “… all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things,
and by him all things consist.”
Rev 4:11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power:
for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Thel’ēma: special purposes

2. Our culture is growing increasingly confused about foundational issues!
(Creation, Purpose, Marriage, Gender, Sexuality, etc.)
Ro 1:28 “as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind”

3. Instead of going to God for answers, we’ve looked to social engineers.
Their “experimental options” are producing confusion
and destruction!

4. Many are caught up in the confusion, Mt 7:13 “broad is the way that
And heading for destruction!
Mt 7:13 “broad is the way that
leads to destruction…
Apōl’eia: ruin, waste
many there be which go in thereat”
Satan is “Apollyon”
(The Destroyer)
In Rev. 9:2

5. He’s behind this social engineering;
With terrible results. (2 Cor 4:4)
(Jn. 10:10; 2 Cor 4:4; Eph. 2:2-3)

6. against whom thou hast dealt treacherously:
Israel “experimented” with their relationships. Mal. 2:11-16 “Judah hath dealt treacherously,
and an abomination is committed in Israel;
for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD,
and hath married the daughter of a strange god…
Yet ye say, Wherefore?
(Who, What, Why, How?)
Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth,
against whom thou hast dealt treacherously:

7. Relational confusion is not new!
When Jesus was asked about relational complexities,
He took us back God’s design (Eden).
“Have ye not read,
that he which made them at the beginning made them
male and female,
 And said,
Mt 19:4

8. For this cause shall a man leave father and mother,
and shall cleave to his wife:
and they twain shall be one flesh.
6   they are no more twain,
but one flesh.
What therefore God hath joined together,
let not man put asunder.”
Mt 19:5-7

9. If we want to restore a taste of “Eden” ‎
(עָדַן {ādan’} delightful, to live voluptuously)
we must understand God’s purposes for marriage.

11. but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
Mal. 2:15 “Did not He make one?..
why one?”
Partnership. Gen. 2:20
“Adam gave names to … every beast;
but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

12. Partnership. Gen 2:18 “It is not good that
Mal. 2:15 “Did not He make one?..
why one?”
Partnership. Gen 2:18 “It is not good that
the man should be alone…I will make an help meet…”
vs 24 “leave father and mother and cleave to his wife,
and the two shall be one“
(eḥād’: united)
Vs 23 “bone of my bones,
and flesh of my flesh”

13. Partnership. Mal. 2:14 why one?”
Mal. 2:15 “Did not He make one?..
why one?”
Partnership. Mal. 2:14
“She is thy companion (Ḥābēr: knit together)
And the wife of thy covenant” (Berît’)
from bārâ: to select, nourish, manifest.

14. Partnership. 1 Cor. 7:3,4 But We! We prize our autonomy & “rights”!
“Let the husband render to the wife
due benevolence:
and likewise also the wife unto the husband.”
Ophei’lō (owed) eu’noia (kind, conjugal duty)
We prize our autonomy & “rights”!
God calls us to mutual submission! Eph. 5:21
It’s No longer about Me…
But We!

15. 2. Protection. Gen. 2:18 “I will make him
Mal. 2:15 “Did not He make one?..
why one?”
2. Protection. Gen. 2:18 “I will make him
an help meet (ʿē’zer) for him.”
from ʿāzar’: to surround and protect!
A. From Who or What?

16. 1 Jn 5:19 “the whole world lieth Ponēros’: hurtful and diseased!
2. Protection From:
The World. 1 Jn 2:15-17
“the lust of the eyes…flesh…pride”
1 Jn 5:19 “the whole world lieth
in wickedness”
Ponēros’: hurtful and diseased!

17. 2. Protection From: 2) Our Flesh 1 Cor 7:1-4
“it is good for a man not to touch a woman.
To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
Let the husband… and wife render due benevolence:
The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.

18. 2. Protection From: 2) Ourselves (our flesh)
1 Cor. 7:5 “Defraud (deprive) ye not one the other,
except it be with consent for a time,
that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;
and come together again…”
See also Pr. 5:15-23

19. 2. Protection From: 3) The Devil
1 Cor. 7:5 “and come together again,
that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.”
1 Pt 5:8-9 “Be sober, vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  Whom resist stedfast in the faith,…”
The Devil is a divider! Lk 11:17; 1 Pt 3:7

20. 3. Procreation. Gen 1:27-28 “God created man
Mal. 2:15 “Did not He make one?..
why one?”
3. Procreation. Gen 1:27-28 “God created man
in his own image, … male and female…”
And God blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it”

21. 3. Procreation. Mal 2:15 “did not he make one? wherefore one?
why one?”
3. Procreation. Mal 2:15 “did not he make one? wherefore one?
That he might seek a godly seed.
Therefore take heed …, and let none deal treacherously”

22. 3. Procreation. Ps 127:3 why one?”
Mal. 2:15 “Did not He make one?..
why one?”
3. Procreation. Ps 127:3
“children are an heritage of the LORD:
and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”
4 “as arrows are in the hands of a mighty men, so are children…
5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:”

23. than a good marriage." (Martin Luther)
1525 Martin Luther married Katarina von Bora.
"There is no more lovely, friendly, and charming relationship, communion, or company
than a good marriage." (Martin Luther) 

24. but angels laugh every time a father changes a diaper;
God gave Katarina and Martin six children.
He told his seminary students that:
“angels smile every time a mother changes a diaper,
but angels laugh every time a father changes a diaper;
and angels love to laugh!”

25. I am come that they might have life, and that more abundantly”
Jn 10:10 “The thief comes to steal, kill, & destroy.
I am come that they might have life,
and that more abundantly”

26. Fortunately, we can still ask God how to rebuild the foundations of our relationships!
Jesus’ first Nazareth message quoted from Isaiah 61:1-3
4  And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
6  But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God:”
Luke 4:18-21

27. God designed marriage for
Partnership, Protection, and Procreation.
(as well as for Pleasure, Perfecting and a Picture.)
Will you allow the Designer (author) of life and love to become the Developer (architect) of yours?
Jn 10:10; 27,28