The Lord of the Ring

by Kent Heaton “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). During the wedding ceremony, the giving of rings symbolizes the token of pledges made to one another for purity, fidelity, and honor. The circular nature of…

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Who was the only man in the Bible forbidden to marry?

Question: Who was the only man in the Bible forbidden to marry? Answer: “The word of the LORD also came to me, saying, “You shall not take a wife, nor shall you have sons or daughters in this place.”” (Jeremiah 16:1-2). The reason for this is that Judah was going to face gruesome death and…

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Healing Sick Marriages

by Allen Dvorak via Gospel Power, Vol. 14, No. 33, Aug. 19, 2007 Any marriage which lasts for very long will experience some rough times. If the physical attraction which dominates the engagement period and the beginning of marriage for many couples is not accompanied by an abiding love, the relationship is on shaky ground.…

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Am I supposed to try to convince my husband to stay with me?

Question: We have been married for close to 20 years and my husband informed me around our second year that he married me mainly because I was pregnant. Ever since then his relationship with me has been based around the family and not us as a couple. The other day he announced to me that…

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Is it right to marry a non-Christian if she is willing to convert?

Question: Is it right to marry a non-Christian girl if she is willing to convert? And can we marry a girl who is divorced? Answer: It is not wrong for a Christian to be married to a non-Christian. “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the…

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My wife says she forgives me, but she doesn’t trust me. What do I do?

Question: I have written before regarding my and my wife’s relationship. You mentioned that she has issues with forgiveness and I agree. I tried to discuss this with her from a scriptural perspective. Stating that we are commanded to forgive as God forgives, Ephesians 4:32 and Colossians 3:13 emphasizing the word “as”. I said that when…

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Your statement that a husband can’t rape his wife really bothered me

Question: I am a 40-year-old Christian woman who was looking for a specific discussion on sleeveless shirts and modesty to present to my 17-year-old daughter. She wants to wear sleeveless shirts. I’m having a hard time phrasing my language strongly enough to be accurate about the male perspective. Thanks to Google, I found your book…

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What can I do about my wife’s friends telling her not to trust me?

Question: I wrote last week concerning my marriage relationship. I’ve just found something out that disturbs me greatly. I overheard my wife talking to a friend about being convinced that I have had a sexual relationship with the woman that I had an emotional relationship with. This could not be further from the truth. This never…

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Must a Christian wife obey her non-Christian husband?

Question: The Bible states that a woman should obey her husband, but what if he is not a Christian husband? He believes in Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit, but he does not set forth a Christian lifestyle. I know a woman can still be religious on her own and believe in the Lord and…

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Is it a sin to lust after your own wife or husband?

Question: I was reading your article on whether girls and boys should go swimming together and I picked up on something that I needed to ask you. Is it a sin to lust after your own wife or husband? Answer: The answer depends on the definition of “lust” that you use. Technically, the word means, in both Greek and…

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What are your thoughts on how bad my marriage is?

Question: I’ve been married for 23 years and I’m no longer in love with my husband and don’t desire to have sex with him. Because of this, he physically kicked me out of the bedroom a year ago and I’ve been sleeping on the couch.  We don’t even talk to one another. He also allowed…

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Should I get married now?

Question: I’m 20 years old Ethiopian boy. My question is: is it advisable if I married right now? Answer: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers” (Hebrews 13:4). Since you are above the minimum age of 18 required in…

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Am I married in the eyes of God?

Question: When I met my husband, he was going through a divorce from his former wife. She had been unfaithful. He moved out and the other man moved in with her. Before I met him, he had already begun the divorce papers. Because of his first wife’s unfaithfulness, I understand he had a right to…

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Can a married man have a female friend whom he prefers over his wife?

Question: My husband has a new “friend” (female) that he constantly chooses over me. He lies to me in order to be with this friend. He tells this friend things that I told him in confidence about her, such as that I am uncomfortable with their new relationship. He puts me down to this new…

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Should I marry the girl I got pregnant or the girl that I love?

Question: Needing some scriptural advice.  I got a girl pregnant, or so she claims.  I know that was a sin and have sought forgiveness with God.  My confusion is here:  I don’t feel like she’s the best Christian woman for me, actually, she and I fight often.  I have a life long friend who I…

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Do you think a Protestant and Catholic can marry?

Question: Suppose there are a Protestant man and a Catholic woman. They like each other, enjoy exchanging ideas, and have long-established a good relationship. Do you see any problem if they fall in love? What is the biblical concern over the matter? Traditionally there is opposition to the engagement, but is there a biblical reason…

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Wedded Bliss

by Wes Seeliger Our wedding was on October 14, 1966. But our marriage began three weeks later. We were dressed up and on our way to the swankiest restaurant in town. We had saved all week for the big splurge. One problem – my bride was wearing the most horrible perfume ever manufactured. Smelled like…

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Are engagements required before a marriage can take place?

Question: I see the Scripture and proof that sex does not make the marriage and that there is fornication without marriages being made in the act.  However, I was reading the other day and came across a person who said that we are to let the Bible define marriage.  He pointed out that God’s definition in the…

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The Unbelieving Companion

Author Unknown via Gospel Digest. Thousands of Christians are married to non-Christians. The result, of course, is a divided home and a divided home is not the happiest in the world. Regardless of how happy that home may seem to be, it would be even happier were it not divided. Naturally, the thing uppermost in…

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Do you think God created one special person for you?

Question: Hello, I am sure you get this question all of the time, but do you think God really created that one special person for you? Or, are you just out on a playing field and whoever you meet you meet? I know I have a girl who I am very fond of, but sadly…

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Did God approve of concubines?

Question: An issue came up during a Bible class and several members would like me to approach the issue in a sermon. I am trying to figure out an approach. You may already have a sermon that hits or touches on the issue, in which case just tell me which one. If not, maybe you…

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Can a man divorce his wife for not having sex with him?

Question: If a woman denies sex to her husband, is this unlawful sex and, therefore, fornication? If a twenty-year-old wife refuses to have sex with her twenty-one-year-old husband, does he have any grounds to divorce? Answer: As stated in a prior answer, when a person wants to do something, such as divorce their spouse in order…

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Since I had unmarried sex, should I remain single?

Question: I have been a Christian for many years. I had been with a man once after I became a Christian, but I have been living a life of abstinence before and after that brief “living together” period. I have been bugged by sexual desires and fantasies when I am in love with a man,…

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Marriage and Divorce: The Good News and the Bad

by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 50   I.         An article came out in the paper in April of 2007 trumpeting the news that divorce rates are falling             A.        Divorce rates rose rapidly in the 1960s through the 1980’s with the adoption of no-fault divorce laws in the United States.                         1.         At its peak in 1981 there were…

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Marriages

https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/Marriages.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Genesis 2:18-24   I.         A statement in a newspaper article stood out             A.        Even though the number of marriages ending in divorce has stabilized after many years of rapid rise, the rate of people entering marriage has drastically declined!             B.        In other words, one of the reasons the divorce rate is not…

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Can a man lust after his own wife?

Question: Can a man lust after his own wife? Answer: The word for lust, both in English and in Greek, means a strong desire. Generally, it is used in a negative sense, in that we speak of someone having a strong desire for something that is wrong. But it can be used in a positive…

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What are your top five words of advice for newlyweds?

Question: What are the top five words of advice you give to newlyweds? Answer: I find your question hard to answer because I don’t think in terms of single words. Nor am I naive to think that one size fits all situations. Some of the advice I give couples about to be married is found…

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I really appreciate your article, “The Institution of Marriage”

Question: I just finished reading your article from the Internet entitled “The Institution of Marriage,” and wanted to comment on how comprehensive, well-written, and accurate it is.  I’m a scholar of the Word myself, and truly appreciate reading godly interpretations and discussions such as this.  I’m going to share it with my husband and children (ages 20,…

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How do we handle sexual intimacy when my husband has diabetes?

Question: My husband and I have been married for 43 years and I am thankful I love him with all my heart. We have a problem in our marriage we can’t be together sexually. My husband is a diabetic and has a problem with erectile dysfunction it really discourages him makes him feel less than…

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Was it right to put our old dog to sleep?

Question: My wife of 5 months (we have dated for 8 years) had a dog 17 years old. One year ago it had lost the use of its back leg, so it had to be helped outside with each step. About 3 weeks ago it had a stroke and wasn’t able to walk at all,…

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Can my husband ask me not to see one of my friends?

Question: Is it right that my husband asks me not to be friends with one of my girlfriends just because he “believes” she doesn’t like him? I have told him many times she doesn’t even make comments about him. My husband and I have been separated and my friend was there for me. My husband…

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