Torch, Fall 1993

Testament prophet Hosea. The prophet is instructed by the Lord to take as his wife a harlot who will then bear children by her lovers (Hosea 1:2; 2:4-5). If ever a man should have given up on his marriage, it was Hosea. But God told Hosea to pursue his wife and express his love by purchasing her out of the slavery she had entered (3: 1-3). The sorry state of Hosea's marriage was to serve a far greater purpose. It became a platform from which he proclaimed the message of Israel's unfaithfulness to the God who had dealt with her so generously and compassionately. The sordid description which follows is that of a sinful, unfaithful people perverting the good gifts of their holy, loving God who revealed Himself as her husband. It concludes with God drawing His bride back to Himself in spite of her continued resistance. Those of us who have been redeemed have been so wooed by our Heavenly Husband. Our own marriage takes on meaning within that context. My love for and faithfulness to my own partner is ultimately my response to the One who loves me more than anyone ever will. Maintaining and nurturing my marriage is one important way in which I worship and praise the God who made me for Himself. The New Testament addresses husbands and wives separately in three passages: Ephesians 5:22-33; Colossians 3:18-19; 1Peter3:1-7. Each passage is couched in the context of glorifying God, so that partners will see the ultimate purpose for their marriage. Paul prefaces his instruction to wives and husbands in Ephesians 5:21 with the counsel to " ...be subject to one another in the fear of Christ." Much attention has been given to the principle of mutual submission in this verse, but very little attention to the fear of Christ. The awe, homage, and worship which is to characterize our response to Christ serves as the motivation and rationale for us to relate to our partners as instructed in verses 22-33. Paul precedes his admonition to wives and husbands in Colossians 3 with the principle, "And whatever 8 Torch you do in deed or word, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father" (v. 17). Christ's name represents His character, reputation, dignity, work and power- in other words, the Son of God in all His glory. That glorious name is to be preeminent in its influence upon how husbands and wives interact with one another. Peter challenges Christians to continue in obedience in spite of false accusations, so that unbelievers will glorify God in the day of the Lord (2: 12). He addresses believers as citizens (2:13-17), as servants (2:18-25), and as marriage partners (3:1 -7). What does it mean to glorify God? It means to make Him look good. God 's purpose in all He does is to glorify Himself. The seraphim (Isaiah 6:3) and the elders (Revelation 4:11) continually praise Him in heaven. He is worthy to be sought earnestly and praised enthusiastically. God made us to live in Him, and we are misfits until we take our place in Him, "for in Him we live and move and exist" (Acts 17:28). The God of glory is our Great Benefactor- "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17). What God requires is for our good as well as His glory, so His will is "good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2) and His "Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good" (Romans 7:12). This God Who is greater than we could ever imagine and "is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20) has wedded His people to Himself as His bride. A remarkable statement of the Lord's delight in His wife is recorded in Isaiah 62:5 where we read, "And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you." John Piper comments in The Pleasures ofGod: "When God does good to His people...it is like a bridegroom showering affection to his bride. We can't sustain a honeymoon level of intensity and affection ...But God says His joy over His people is like a bridegroom over a bride. He is talking about honeymoon intensity and honeymoon pleasures and honeymoon energy and excitement and