He rises. He really is risen!
Easter celebrates the head of our Christian faith, the Risen Christ. We owe God due to sin that we cannot repay. Jesus is sinless and ideal. Only He could take upon Himself the sin of the world and die for us, that we might need access to God through His blood. But His death isn’t the top. This is starting. His resurrection was tantamount to death! He is each Savior and Lord! Now he reigns at the best hand of God. He sent His Holy Spirit to empower us to live victoriously, not as slaves to sin! If we imagine in Jesus, our position changes, and our every day submission to Him and His Word transforms us into His likeness. That’s why we have a good time Easter!
Our conversion changes every part in our lives! The Holy Spirit changes what we value, our life purpose, and our motives, which affects our actions, decisions, and ultimately our relationships. Our faith permeates every aspect of our lives. And one area where a change in us can be seen is in the way in which we perceive and interact with our spouse.
soul mates
I used to be sitting on a plane next to a person in his fifties. We began talking. He told me he was divorced and was going to satisfy his girlfriend. They lived in several cities, but recurrently met for weekends in romantic places. He said his marriage was boring, but his latest relationship was exciting. I asked him if he planned to marry her and he replied: “Probably not, because that will choke what we have now.” Then he asked me if I used to be married. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to say after his story! But I briefly told about my husband and I’s relationship, our commitment to Christ and one another.
He was quiet after which said: “You are lucky. You’ve found your soul mate.”
I politely stated that I do not believe in soul mates. Based on Plato Symposiummyth says “According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with 4 arms, 4 legs, and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives looking for their other halves. 1 So there’s an individual on the market somewhere, your other half, and for those who find that person, you will have a straightforward, satisfying relationship. He principally said your relationship was easy; mine was hard. If only I had met my soul mate, my life would have been different.
So I plucked up my courage and gently explained the fundamentals of the biblical worldview of marriage. That my husband and I weren’t just naturally compatible floating souls who, now that we have found one another, are blissfully experiencing transcendent love and romance! On the contrary, we make an amazing effort to submit ourselves to God through the Holy Spirit and to like each other as Christ first loved us.
He, like many, believes this false concept that marriage ought to be easy and exciting, otherwise you married the flawed person.
We all marry the flawed person
If our goal is to marry someone who will make our lives easier and meet all our needs, then we’ll all marry the flawed person. No person can do this for an additional person. Many people caught up in our culture’s unrealistic romantic guarantees find yourself deeply disillusioned with their spouse’s limitations. Ernest Becker calls it an “apocalyptic romance.” This is once we make our spouse the source of what only God may give.
In his excellent book, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexity of Commitment with God’s WisdomTimothy Keller explains creator Ernest Becker’s claim.
“I’ve mellowed… I’ve adjusted greater than he’s modified.”
Some couples reported receiving information and advice from friends, family or counselors. Others have noticed that the circumstances that made them unhappy have been resolved.
Sometimes we concentrate on one or two pain points, which blinds us to the larger picture and plenty of other good things which might be happening. The study reminds us that through perseverance, God can use trials to toughen us (James 1:2-4) and produce good. (Romans 8:28)
The vision of your marriage
Hebrews 12:2 “Looking at Jesus, the originator and finisher of religion, who endured the cross for the enjoyment that was set before Him…”
God’s perspective extends to everlasting focus. Jesus knew what awaited him. He knew that his suffering, death, and resurrection had a purpose far beyond temporary pain and loss. He knew that every part he experienced aided God’s ultimate plan and had a profound effect on humanity.
Similarly, our marriages profit society. Why Marriage Matters, Second Edition: Twenty-Six Lessons from the Social Sciences, points out that marriage deeply affects children by reducing social risk as they’re 3 times less prone to drop out of college, 12 times less prone to find yourself in prison, and it also protects them from a lifetime of poverty. The poverty rate for single parents with children on the time of the study was 36.5%, and for married couples with children it was 6.4%, no matter racial or ethnic origin. Marriage is related to higher physical and mental health for men, women, and kids. Many other studies also show the large value that strong marriages and families bring to the broader culture.
We need the Lord’s help every day to see our lives, including our marriages, from His everlasting perspective.
the blood of Jesus
Romans 4:7 “Blessed are those whose lawlessness is forgiven and whose sins are covered.”
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers a large number of sins.
The blood of Jesus protects us. He cleanses us from sin. (1 John 1:7) Justifies believers (Romans 5:8) and reconcile us with God. (Col. 1:20)
If you might be married, I’m sure you have to have forgiven your spouse 70 x 7 and received forgiveness so over and over! (Matt. 18:22). God’s power of resurrection working in us gives us the strength to accomplish that. It allows us to be patient, kind, to not be rude or selfish, and never to record evil. (1 Corinthians 13) “Love that covers sin does not imply we disregard our emotions or ignore personal boundaries. We cannot “cover up” sin by denying that it hurts us. We cover sin by acknowledging it after which extending the forgiveness God has given us to others.” 3
This yr as you have a good time Easter, thank God for His amazing gift of salvation. Ask for the hope of the resurrection to fill your heart and commit to spreading this grace inside and outdoors your marriage. The power of resurrection has released the Holy Spirit, who now makes us live as we were created.
Image credit: ©GettyImages/Studio4
Works cited
- Keller, Timothy and Kathy Keller. The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexity of Commitment with God’s Wisdom. Penguin books, 2016.
- GotQuestions.org. “House.” GotQuestions.org2016-02-24, https://www.gotquestions.org/love-covers-multitude-sins.html.
- Exarchopoulos, Socrates. “The Greek Myth of Soulmates When Man Became Human.” GHDGHD, November 23, 2020, https://www.greecehighdefinition.com/blog/the-greek-myth-of-soulmates.
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