Love outside the marriage is relatively safe and painless, provided there are no addiction tendencies, no interference physically or psychologically. Reflections on the psalms, proverbs and law causes the heart to KNOW what is appropriate love and what is inappropriate love. Lust/Rape/Pride and so forth are not godly behaviors and are ways in which men and woman believe themselves sinless.
Institutional conditions create a tension in schools, hospitals and other professional atmospheres. Such environments are often filled with scorn, division, control and thoughtlessness. Why bring such tendencies into the definition of "love"? Why define the "church" body as an institutional thing, when it is actually "love for GOD......a desire to do GOD's will." Is love institutional as in a marriage should be institutional? No. That is not the truth.
Love outside of marriage does not have to be fornication practicing or catering to lustful thoughts or entertainments (such as pornography materials, purposeful infidelity etc), but rather a type of self-control in which the person at hand is admired and respected for his or her qualities. It also does not have to be mind bending and opposed to the "laws" of the bible.
Focusing on the redeemer and his qualities, helps us to understand HOW to love.
There are good examples of love outside of marriage and there are negative examples of love outside of marriage.
Brotherly and Sisterly love is a condition that CHRISTIANS need to have. Otherwise the truth of Christ is not shared with the world.
Rom_12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
1Th_4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
Heb_13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
2Pe_1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
Rom_16:16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.
1Co_16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.
2Co_13:12 Greet one another with an holy kiss.
1Th_5:26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
These are the stories that reflect such conditions.
Good:
Abigail, Naboth, David
David and Jonathan
Mary Martha Lazarus and Jesus
The disciple whom Jesus loved
Adulterous woman not stoned
Job talked with his friends (his wife was not a good wife)
Esther had love for her people (she still submitted and respected her husband but she had love for others)
Forgiven:
Gomer and Hosea
Adulterous woman not stoned
Patriarchy conditions of Abe, Isaac and Jacob
David and Bathsheba
Samson
Joseph (against him)
Woman at the well
Joseph was a carpenter. It does mention that he didn't know what to do with Mary in betrothal except being led by Holy Spirit. (Jesus himself was conceived outside of marriage)
Bad:
Herod's wife (divorced and remarried)
Tamar
Dinah
Sodom and Gomorrah (describes that the people were greedy and not giving)
Kings and Concubines (caused the heart of the kings to turn against God)
Judah
Ahab and Jezabel (they were married but wicked, so being married doesn't make a person good)
Eli's children
There could be others in the bible, but for now, this is a general list.
No comments:
Post a Comment