Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Narrow Door

Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"

He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, `Sir, open the door for us.'

"But he will answer, `I don't know you or where you come from.'


- Luke 13:22-25

Here is an intriguing question: Since man is saved by grace and not by works (Eph. 2:8-9), why did Jesus say to "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door?"

Just to get an idea if anyone reads this thing, I will leave the question unanswered and invite your comments and discussion on the topic.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Marriage Matters

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator `made them male and female,' and said, `For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh' ? So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate." - Jesus
- Matthew 19:4-6

Key points to this scripture:

God created male and female - one of each.

It is because of this order of creation that to this day a man leaves his parents and is united to his wife - Marriage is a direct result of how God made us, and is therefore ordained and created by God, not by man.

God joins the couple together, and man must not destroy the work of God.

Key truths and interpretations:

1. God designed marriage and therefore has the right to tell us what marriage is. This is not a man-made institution, but a result of the order of creation. Specifically, one man marries one woman, because that is what God created. This is why we believe homosexual marriages are wrong. God created marriage, Himself, and has the right to set this standard. He has.

2. Not only is God's creation of marriage for a man and woman only, but only for one man to one woman. People in the Christian community who are fighting so hard against homosexual marriage had better get the same fire in their hearts to preserve faithful heterosexual marriages and fight divorce among the body of Christ with as much or even more fervor. Otherwise, your entire argument against homosexual marriages is completely hypocritical and empty.

"I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."
- Jesus
- Matthew 19:9