2005-02-26 - My Personal Theology of Marriage and Family

Part 1

Hey Friends,

Today I would like to share with you my personal theology of marriage and family. It would be fair to say that this is the foundation for my growing understanding of marriage and family.

I believe it is important to ask the question "Why is it important to have a theology of marriage and family?" As a future pastor, I will counsel individuals with family problems, couples who want to get married, and married couples who may be having marital problems, may be considering a separation or divorce and are seeking marital counseling. According to (1 Peter 3:15), it is important to have my personal theology of marriage and family in place, so that I can share it with those who ask, as they would turn to God as their source for help. In this, God will be glorified in the relationships that He shares with people.

The Bible is the authority that I use to identify God's revelation for marriage and family, and from it, I form my theology of marriage and family. I start with God's revelation about us in creation. (Genesis 1:26) "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

He designed us to each have a personal relationship with Him, and He gave us the freedom to obey or disobey him. That freedom included consequences that required respect. He recognized our needs physical, mental and emotional. When Adam found himself alone, God revealed "It is not good for man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18.)

With that revelation came the creation of woman. (Genesis 2:22). It's important to note that God didn't just make woman out of the dust of the ground, but that He took a rib from Adam, and created her from Adam's rib. God did this to us show that the man and the woman are of one flesh, that they are part of each other.

A little humor for you! It's been said that "When God brought the woman to Adam, Adam uttered a famous Hebrew expression 'Wow,' and that's how Woman was named." Biblically,. I don't know if that's sound doctrine, but it sure sounds good! And regarding His creation, God did say in Genesis 1:31b "It was very good."

God Bless You,
Rob

rob@cfdevotionals.org
I want my life to be for the glory of God
http://www.cfdevotionals.org