Posts Tagged ‘marriage’
They Promised to Put Away Their Wives
by Kent Heaton The book of Ezra is a remarkable book of “those whose spirits God had moved” (Ezra 1:5). The city of Jerusalem lay in ruins for seven decades and the house of the Lord was burned. Zerubbabel led the faithful back to Jerusalem and the Temple was rebuilt. The faith of the people…
Read MoreMixed Marriages
Text: Nehemiah 13:23-29 I. While Israel was in captivity because of their many sins, the people had lived among the foreign nations for so long that they had become lax in following God’s commands A. A major cause of this problem stemmed from mixed marriages where the foreign spouse brought their religion into the union. 1. It…
Read MoreDoes religious ethics do more harm than good?
Question: I think that more often than not religious ethics in government do more harm than good, for example: not funding stem cell research, trying to ban abortion, and outlawing gay marriage. Stem cell research could further science and medicine so much, but because of religious ethics, it’s on hiatus right now in America. Abortion…
Read MoreHow can a young man stay focused?
Question: I am interested in getting your thoughts on being focused on the goal. It is hard when you see so much of the things you want in life, that at times you feel as though that it is not meant for you. My situation appears to be going nowhere. I feel that the more…
Read MoreWho did Adam and Eve’s children marry?
Question: Just recently I have heard a question that has been circulated among many different mediums. Just the other night this same question came up in my history class and I would like to know how to answer it. Forgive me if I have somehow missed the logic in this question, but I am writing…
Read MoreCan I tell you about a way to get married without government involvement?
Question: I noticed a guy wrote a piece about marriage claiming he didn’t need a piece of paper. He is right by all means; all you need is two witnesses and you can be married by American law. But if you do get a marriage license, you put your kids under government authority in such a…
Read MoreThe Harm of Living Together Without Marriage
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Psalm 50 I. As Christianity spread through the Gentile world, it faced many challenges A. For thousands of years, the Gentiles gave little thought to God. Oh, they had their gods, but these were little more than extensions of their own desires. No, they lived in a world where men did…
Read MoreDoes a marriage begin when it is consummated?
Question: I have a friend who claims that only virgins can get married. If a couple is were not virgins at the time of their marriage, he says it is not a legitimate marriage and they must separate. His reasoning is that a marriage begins when a man and woman have sex. Therefore, the first…
Read MoreShould married couples stay in touch on a regular basis with an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend?
Question: Should married couples stay in touch on a regular basis with an ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend? And what if the friend is also married? Answer: Does a person’s likes and dislikes in particular personalities change just because they become married? If I really enjoyed golf and had a group of friends with whom I golfed,…
Read MoreMy wife has lost interest in sex. What do I do?
Question: My wife and I have been married for less than five years, I am nearly 40, she is 35. This is our first marriage for both of us. We have three children under the age of five. My wife is reluctant to have any sex with me. While pregnant and for the first 6…
Read MoreWhat do I do about a husband that sinned at a bachelor’s party?
Question: What do you do when alcohol and a fully nude strip club at a bachelor party tempted your Christian husband and he gives in to both temptations? Not only was he a visitor at this club, but he and the other three gentlemen had a little personal dance as well. Being the wife of…
Read MoreCan you be certain that the one you are marrying will remain a faithful Christian?
Question: I have another question concerning a young Christian couple marrying. What if a young person was baptized and convinced their boyfriend or girlfriend to become a Christian, subsequently got married, but eventually, they stop attending church? It appears that they only became Christians to marry. It disheartens me because people, including myself, allow feelings…
Read MoreIs oral sex between a married couple a sin?
Question: Is oral sex between a married man and woman a sin and if so where can it be found in the Bible? Answer: The act of sex is to be restricted to married couples. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). Such acts…
Read MoreHow do you build trust in a marriage?
Question: I thank you for the lovely rebukes and instructions. While the instruction lines up with the word of God, so do the rebukes. Perhaps I do need to be utterly disgusted with some chemical controlling my life. I Corinthians 6:12, I’m sure, will guide me there through a study of the Word and its…
Read MoreShould I marry the father of my son?
Question: I am 21 years old and I have a 4-year-old son out of wedlock. I have a relationship with God for about a year, but I am confused. His father wants to be in our lives. We want to get married and move in together, but he is not a Christian. I love him…
Read MoreMy husband says I deserve to be spanked
Question: My husband says I deserve to be spanked and I better obey him. Answer: It appears you didn’t make a wise choice in husbands. See “Does a husband have the right to spank his wife?”
Read MoreIf a man gets a woman pregnant, must they marry?
Question: A man in the congregation where I preach committed fornication with a woman who is a “pastor” in a denomination. She became pregnant. Should he marry her, even if he does not love her? Answer: First, let us make clear that this pregnancy is a distracting issue. What should or should not happen is…
Read MoreMy wife and I aren’t talking anymore. What do I do?
Question: I think I’ve damaged my marriage so badly that my wife wants a divorce. I’m controlling and I’m hard on the kids. I need to act better to them and be less overbearing, especially to my eldest. But I do love my kids dearly. My wife thinks I’ve cheated on her, yet I never have. I called a…
Read MoreMy wife no longer has a desire for sex. What do I do?
Question: My wife has an illness that has effectively killed her desire for intercourse. I’m certainly not going to force her to do something that does not feel right for her. However, I am at my wit’s end. I still have desires for intercourse and I don’t have any outlets right now for it except…
Read MoreDying Wedding Vows
by Joe R. Price Remember when “honor and obey” was a standard part of wedding vows? Then, the feminist movement said, “No way will I vow to obey my husband!” Today, you rarely hear a couple using this worthy vow to recognize and accept the roles and relationships God established in marriage (Genesis 2:22-24; 3:16;…
Read MoreI don’t believe a woman gives up her body when she marries
Question: When a woman marries a man she becomes his wife; this does not mean that she gives up her body and mind to a man (her husband). Rape can occur in a marriage. If a wife does not consent to sex and she is forced to have sex by her husband, this is rape.…
Read MoreWhere did Cain get his wife?
Question: Where did Cain get his wife? Answer: Genesis 5:3-4 tells us, “And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters.” Though Cain and…
Read MoreDoes the definition of marriage change?
Question: If you have another look at the Bible you would see there is no condemnation actually against same-sex marriage. Thankfully a lot of Christians are seeing this now and same-sex unions are at last being made legal. Here, on December 5th, in the United Kingdom, same-sex couples will be able to marry. Also, marriage…
Read MoreWhat constitutes a marriage?
Question: What is marriage to start with? It cannot be what it is today — a man-made ceremony. Answer: “Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, with whom you have dealt treacherously; yet she is your companion and your wife by covenant.…
Read MoreHow do I deal with a financially irresponsible wife?
Question: How do I deal with a wife who forges my name on checks, applies for credit cards in my name without my approval, hides the bills when they come in the mail, and then makes it my fault for what is going on financially? I am torn because I have a 9-year-old daughter whom…
Read MoreHow can a wife be her husband’s companion when he is the head of the household?
Question: I was reading through some of the questions and came across the one which says, “Does a husband have the right to spank a wife?” While I do agree that there is no evidence or instruction regarding this subject in the Bible, I do have a problem with the word choice toward the end…
Read MoreWhat should a wife do if she feels unloved?
Question: What should a wife do if she feels her husband doesn’t love her anymore? He only touches me when he wants sex. He won’t talk or discuss things with me. When I talk about the situation, he says that’s all I talk about. He works all the time, does things for other people, goes…
Read MoreIs married love different from Christian love?
Question: Is the love between husbands and wives any different from the love fellow Christians have for each other or for non-believers? Answer: Greek has three basic words for love, two of which are used in the Bible: Agape is a devoted love. It gives even when it is not returned. Agape is a love done on purpose;…
Read MoreI don’t need a piece of paper to say I’m married
Question: I could argue that God doesn’t recognize a piece of paper saying if you’re married. I believe in His eyes my girlfriend and I are married, and if we left each other we would commit the sin of divorce. If living in sin with my girlfriend is my worst sin, I’ll gladly take it.…
Read MoreWhat happens spiritually when a husband and wife have a sexual relationship?
Question: What happens spiritually when a husband and wife have a sexual relationship? Answer: When marriage was first instituted, we read, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). The phrase “become one flesh” includes the idea of sexual union,…
Read MoreCan you marry a near relative by marriage?
Question: Last night by a man came to the building after services. His wife passed away 4 years ago, and he has been seeing his deceased wife’s niece who is about his age. He has a son who is a member of the church who has told him that this is unscriptural. The only thing…
Read MoreHow do I repair a damaged marriage?
Question: This is the third time I have written to you and I thank you for your previous replies, they have helped me a lot. I have a “What should I do now?” question. My wife and I have had a terrible year. Last year around this time I quit my job and we started to…
Read MoreDoes a husband have the right to spank his wife?
Question: Does a husband have the right to spank his wife? Answer: Spanking is a form of discipline used by parents to correct their children, such as “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly” (Proverbs 13:24). The rod is a reference to a slender branch used…
Read MoreCould cousins marry in biblical times?
Question: Could cousins marry in biblical times? Answer: The restriction on marrying near relatives changed as the world aged. In the beginning, the world was created in perfect condition. “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). There were no genetic defects to plague mankind at this…
Read MoreHow do I save my marriage?
Question: You wrote that I could rescue my wife and my marriage. Please give me advice on saving my marriage and rescuing my wife. Answer: Many books have been written on this topic and trying to address an individual situation with almost nothing to go on is very difficult. The best that I can offer is…
Read MoreShould a woman deny her husband sex?
Question: Should a woman deny her husband sex? Answer: “Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to…
Read MoreCan’t a wife abstain from sex for a few days?
Question: How dare you assume that a wife wishing to abstain from sex with her husband for one or many days constitutes ‘sinful ways.’ Sometimes wives are stressed or exhausted from caring for the children and the housework- asking for sex almost sounds like punishment. Once a man has raped his wife he is guilty…
Read MoreWhy is sex a sin?
Question: Why is sex a sin? Answer: The short answer to your question is that sex is not a sin, but it can become a sin in certain situations. “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). The Greek word koite is translated as “the bed” in…
Read MoreIs sex within marriage a privilege to be earned?
Question: Thank you for the timely reply. Though I do not agree with your comments, I find it interesting that you did not address the conclusion I stated about oral sex, cross-dressing, etc. being acceptable if sex is reduced to a physical level only (which is what happens when the situation occurs as I described). We…
Read MoreIs spousal rape grounds for divorce?
Question: Does spousal rape constitute fornication, or sexual immorality, thus giving grounds for divorce and remarriage? Answer: Some questions are difficult – not because we cannot clearly state the truth, but because the way the questions are worded cause you to make assumptions that may not be true. A classic example is “Are you still…
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