The Christian Must Be Very CarefulThe Christian Must Be Very Carefulin All Areas of Lifein All Areas of Life

Eph 5:15“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise” (KJV)

• Translated “diligently” (Matt. 2:8; Acts 18:25)• Translated “perfect” (Luke 1:3; 1 Thess. 5:2)• Thayer: “exactly, accurately, diligently”

“Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise” (NIV)

The Christian Must Be Very CarefulThe Christian Must Be Very Carefulin All Areas of Lifein All Areas of Life

WorshipWorship MoralsMorals

FriendshipsFriendships How StudyHow Study

How TreatHow TreatOthersOthers

PersonalPersonalGodlinessGodliness

WhoWhoMarryMarry

WhoWhoMarryMarry

Who One Marries Makes A DifferenceWho One Marries Makes A Difference

• Exo. 34:11-16 - Don’t marry people of land• Deut. 7:3-4 - Don’t marry people of land• Ezra 9-10 - Married people of land

� Identified problem as sin (9:2,10,11,13; 10:10)� Told to separate from those wives (10:11)� People said “...we must do” (10:12)

• Neh. 13:25-26 - Solomon’s wives caused him to sin• Mark 6:17-18 - Herod told his marriage not lawful• 1 Pet. 3:1-7 - Wife concerned about husband

If Must Be Careful Who We MarryIf Must Be Careful Who We MarryThen, Careful Who We Date!Then, Careful Who We Date!

Those WhoDate

Become

Those WhoMarry

CarefulCarefulWho You MarryWho You Marry

I. Marriage is PermanentI. Marriage is Permanent

Permanence of MarriagePermanence of Marriage

1. One man forone woman

2. Must Cleave

3. One Flesh

4. God has joinedthem together

Matt. 19:4-6

1. Do not depart (10)

2. Not divorce (11)

3. Not divorce (12)

4. Not divorce (13)

1 Cor. 7:10-13

One ExceptionOne Exception:

Divorce for Fornication

Matt. 5:32Matt. 19:9

Permanence of MarriagePermanence of Marriage

1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Romans 7:1-2

CarefulCarefulWho You MarryWho You Marry

I. Marriage is PermanentI. Marriage is Permanent

II. This is the Closest RelationshipII. This is the Closest Relationship

On

eF

lesh

Gen. 2:24Gen. 2:24Mt. 19:5-6Mt. 19:5-6

Eph. 5:31Eph. 5:31

“A man’s children are pieces of himself;but a man’s wife is himself” - Matthew Henry

Closerthan

Parent / Child

Commandto dwelltogether

(1 Pet. 3:7)

1 Cor. 6:16Marriage involves a blending of personalities

CarefulCarefulWho You MarryWho You Marry

I. Marriage is PermanentI. Marriage is Permanent

II. This is the Closest RelationshipII. This is the Closest Relationship

III. Mate Will Influence YouIII. Mate Will Influence You

Influence

InfluenceEach Other

Each Other

Only natural since:Only natural since:• They are so closeThey are so close• He loves her (Eph. 5:25ff)He loves her (Eph. 5:25ff)• She loves & reverences him (Eph. 5:33; Tit. 2:4)She loves & reverences him (Eph. 5:33; Tit. 2:4)

Influence

InfluenceEach Other

Each Other

• Exo. 34:11-16Exo. 34:11-16 - - “and make your sons play the “and make your sons play the

harlot”harlot”• Deut. 7:3-4Deut. 7:3-4 - “ - “will turn your sons away from will turn your sons away from

following Me”following Me”• Neh. 13:25-26Neh. 13:25-26 - - Solomon’s wives caused him to sinSolomon’s wives caused him to sin

CarefulCarefulWho You MarryWho You Marry

I. Marriage is PermanentI. Marriage is Permanent

II. This is the Closest RelationshipII. This is the Closest Relationship

III. Mate Will Influence YouIII. Mate Will Influence You

IV. Parent to your ChildrenIV. Parent to your Children

Responsible for training childrenResponsible for training children

Eph 6:1Eph 6:1“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

Ezek 16:44Ezek 16:44'Like mother, like daughter!'

A Parent To Your ChildrenA Parent To Your Children

Example to your childrenExample to your children

CarefulCarefulWho You MarryWho You Marry

I. Marriage is PermanentI. Marriage is Permanent

II. This is the Closest RelationshipII. This is the Closest Relationship

III. Mate Will Influence YouIII. Mate Will Influence You

IV. Parent to your ChildrenIV. Parent to your Children

V. May not have a Right to MarryV. May not have a Right to Marry

One whose mate is dead (Rom. 7:2-3)

One who - never married (Matt. 19:5-6)

One who put mate away forfornication (Matt. 5:32; 19:9)

Matt 5:32But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Matt 19:9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

Adultery

Adultery

MarryYou

(have a right)

Another(Not have

a right)

“...and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.”

One whose mate is dead (Rom. 7:2-3)

One who - never married (Matt. 19:5-6)

One who put mate away forfornication (Matt. 5:32; 19:9)

CarefulCarefulWho You MarryWho You Marry

I. Marriage is PermanentI. Marriage is Permanent

II. This is the Closest RelationshipII. This is the Closest Relationship

III. Mate Will Influence YouIII. Mate Will Influence You

IV. Parent to your ChildrenIV. Parent to your Children

V. May not have a Right to MarryV. May not have a Right to Marry