A Strange Kind of Marriage

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Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another — to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. Romans 7:4, NKJV.

For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:2, NKJV.

As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. Eph 5:31-32, NLT.

This is what the Bible says. Now, let us consider the following illustration.
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The wedding was over. Tom and his bride were alone. As the car pulled away, his bride said, “Take me home.”

“Home?” Joe exclaimed. “But we haven’t started the honeymoon yet!”

“Tom,” she said, “I’m glad we’re married. We belong to each other and I can use your name as mine, but I want to go back to my old apartment. Now that we’re married, I’ll try to see you once a week. But as far as living with you is concerned, nothing doing! I’m going back to my old occupation, friends, and pastimes. Oh, yes, I do love you! I’ve accepted you as my husband, haven’t I? I belong to you forever. But I refuse to let you interfere with my life. Of course, if I am sick or need money, I’ll call you at once because, after all, you are my husband. In the meantime, thank you for loving me and being my husband, but keep your hands off my life!?

What do you think of this kind of “marriage?” You would say, “That’s not a marriage. There’s no commitment.” Yet there are many who call themselves Christians whose attitude toward Jesus is exactly the same as this bride’s attitude toward her husband. They say, “Lord, I have confessed you as Savior. I’ve been baptized for the remission of my sins. Now leave me alone! I am going back to my old way of life. I’ll expect you to help me if I need it since you are my Savior. But as far as living with you is concerned, nothing doing! Of course, when I die I want to come and live with you then. But I hope that won’t happen for a long time.

In Romans 7, we see what is involved in becoming a true Christian. Paul, using marriage as an illustration, says that in becoming a Christian you are joined to Christ who died for your sins and rose from the tomb. The implied question is, “Will you take Jesus to be your Savior for eternity?” In becoming a Christian, one’s response is, “I will.” At the precise moment you come forth from the waters of baptism you are “married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead” (Rom. 7:4).

[Author unknown]

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