Why Marry?
Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Flee from sexual immorality… He who sins sexually sins against his own body.
1 Corinthians 6:18
A radio talk-show host was asked what she thought about couples living together without the benefit of marriage. The caller felt that living together before marriage would be a safeguard against a bad marriage. He did not want to repeat his parents’ mistake of getting married and then finding out they couldn’t bear to live with each other. The talk-show host pointed out that the divorce rate among couples who lived together before marriage is higher than for those who did not.
But, more important, what some couples call a safeguard is something that the Bible calls sin. Whether it happens in the first or in the 21st century, sex outside of marriage is immorality, and immorality is sin. When God instituted marriage, he said that a man and woman who are “united” sexually “become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). As old-fashioned as it may sound, only a husband and wife are meant to become one flesh.
Sex is a special gift from God to be enjoyed within the bond of marriage. Outside of marriage it is destructive. Millions live with the guilt of a sexually promiscuous lifestyle. Sexually transmitted diseases are at an all-time high. Thousands of children are born as an unwanted consequence of sex outside of marriage. God gave his guidelines to protect us, not to keep us from enjoying life. So we ignore those guidelines at our own peril.
Lord, we thank you for creating us male and female and for the gift of sex. Help us to enjoy your gift the way you intended. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
About the author — Arthur J. Schoonveld
Rev. Art Schoonveld is a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Before retiring in 2001, he served churches in California, Illinois, and Michigan. Since his retirement he has worked part-time for the denomination and has served as an interim pastor. Art and his wife, Anita, have four children and nine grandchildren.
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