4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,'
5 and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'?
6 So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."
God has great intent for marriage, and He desires to reflect His glory through couples who are fully surrendered to Him. Even in the difficult times that marriage relationships might face, they can walk in His love and apply His principles, making sure that they continue to pray, to talk, to exhibit determination to work through conflict. And, through the trying times, they can experience the strength of the Lord.
In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul is addressing the sanctity of marriage, underscoring that it is to
reflect Christ and the Church. We can read:
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
They're married already? That was a bit of a shock for me, but Hailey Baldwin, daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin and niece of Alec Baldwin, is now Hailey Bieber, wife of pop superstar Justin Bieber. And, they're opening up about some the intricacies and challenges of their relationship and the role of faith in their journey.
A Christian Headlines story relates:
Bieber said, "I wanted to rededicate myself to God in that way because I really felt it was better for the condition of my soul. And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result."
The article says that the now-Biebers met through their parents, didn't really hit it off at first; they later saw each other at church, became "best friends," and had a dating relationship which ended with "betrayal and heartbreak." Three years later they reconnected at a conference, and the rest is history, you might say.
The Christian Headlines article says:
The couple was married in a civil ceremony last September, and a more public ceremony could occur within the next few months, according to a People magazine story. The singer is apparently taking part in counseling, perhaps on his own, to deal with some issues. The story states, citing an unnamed source;
One is this: Following God's principles regarding purity can positively affect a marriage. God has specific standards for purity outside of marriage and faithfulness to one's spouse once married. Adhering to these principles make for strong, Christ-centered marriages that reflect the relationship between Christ and His Church.
We also must recognize that marriage is intended to be a lifelong commitment, and it takes work. It doesn't just organically happen; while two people may be incredibly well-suited for one another, still, there will be pressures and unanticipated circumstances that can place great pressure on a marriage.
And, in order to follow through, we have to get the help we need. It's reported that the Biebers are already walking through counseling together - in light of their fishbowl lives, I would think that is a good idea. Hundreds of couples will be gathering at the Renaissance in downtown Montgomery for the FamilyLife Weekend to Remember, which has as its purpose to make good marriages better, and to provide direction for couples who are struggling. Living out God's principles is a key to seeing a marriage thrive in Him.
+++++
In Ephesians 5, the apostle Paul is addressing the sanctity of marriage, underscoring that it is to
reflect Christ and the Church. We can read:
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
They're married already? That was a bit of a shock for me, but Hailey Baldwin, daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin and niece of Alec Baldwin, is now Hailey Bieber, wife of pop superstar Justin Bieber. And, they're opening up about some the intricacies and challenges of their relationship and the role of faith in their journey.
A Christian Headlines story relates:
Pop sensation Justin Bieber and supermodel Hailey (née Baldwin) opened up about their young marriage and how church was always the one thing that brought them back together before they tied the knot.
According to the Christian Post, in a cover story interview with Vogue Magazine, the pop singer revealed that his Christian faith encouraged him to break the chains of drug and sex addiction right before he met his now wife.The story says that Bieber, known for his bad behavior and high-profile relationships, was "determined" to "stay chaste until marriage," after making a commitment to follow God. He is quoted as saying, “[God] doesn’t ask us not to have sex for Him because He wants rules and stuff. He’s like, I’m trying to protect you from hurt and pain.” Bieber added, "I think sex can cause a lot of pain. Sometimes people have sex because they don’t feel good enough. Because they lack self-worth.”
Bieber said, "I wanted to rededicate myself to God in that way because I really felt it was better for the condition of my soul. And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result."
The article says that the now-Biebers met through their parents, didn't really hit it off at first; they later saw each other at church, became "best friends," and had a dating relationship which ended with "betrayal and heartbreak." Three years later they reconnected at a conference, and the rest is history, you might say.
The Christian Headlines article says:
Hailey told Vogue that church always brought them back together. She said, “The common denominator, I promise you, is always church. By then we were past the drama. I just gave him a hug. By the end of the conference, he was like, ‘We’re not going to be friends.’” A month after the conference the two were engaged.They are apparently determined to make it work and are seeing a counselor regularly. Hailey also says, "We’re two young people who are learning as we go. I’m not going to sit here and lie and say it’s all a magical fantasy. It’s always going to be hard. It’s a choice. You don’t feel it every single day. You don’t wake up every day saying, ‘I’m absolutely so in love and you are perfect.’ That’s not what being married is."
The couple was married in a civil ceremony last September, and a more public ceremony could occur within the next few months, according to a People magazine story. The singer is apparently taking part in counseling, perhaps on his own, to deal with some issues. The story states, citing an unnamed source;
“They will have a wedding ceremony with family and friends eventually,” says the source. “However, right now, Justin’s focus is getting well mentally.”
The source adds: “Justin is doing okay. He is very focused and committed to getting help. Hailey is very supportive — Justin is very open about that Hailey does nothing but help him. He would feel even more lost without Hailey — he is very grateful. They are both focused on having a happy marriage.”Well, I certainly will not hold Bieber and Baldwin up as the perfect Christian couple, but their story does provide us with some material to consider.
One is this: Following God's principles regarding purity can positively affect a marriage. God has specific standards for purity outside of marriage and faithfulness to one's spouse once married. Adhering to these principles make for strong, Christ-centered marriages that reflect the relationship between Christ and His Church.
We also must recognize that marriage is intended to be a lifelong commitment, and it takes work. It doesn't just organically happen; while two people may be incredibly well-suited for one another, still, there will be pressures and unanticipated circumstances that can place great pressure on a marriage.
And, in order to follow through, we have to get the help we need. It's reported that the Biebers are already walking through counseling together - in light of their fishbowl lives, I would think that is a good idea. Hundreds of couples will be gathering at the Renaissance in downtown Montgomery for the FamilyLife Weekend to Remember, which has as its purpose to make good marriages better, and to provide direction for couples who are struggling. Living out God's principles is a key to seeing a marriage thrive in Him.
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