Page 6 - The Marriage Covenant

INTRODUCTION

he outward life of Christians is a testimony to their inner spiritual life. Those who are
Trighteous will manifest this righteousness in their life as it is observed before the world.
Those who are unrighteous will likewise provide an outward testimony of their spiritual
condition.
As one observes the church at large today, it is evident that the spiritual life of the
body of Christ is at a very low state. Churches are increasingly enticing people into their
embrace with entertainment, sports, music, feasting, and dynamic speakers. Church
calendars would put to shame many a civic organization as they offer everything from ocean
cruises to pilates work-out groups. Churches have leagues for golf, bowling, baseball, and
basketball. They offer trips to the mall and outlet shops, as well as in-house banquets and
concerts.
The message of the ministers is one of “Be fulfilled; Live your best life now; Don’t
worry, be happy!” The message of self-denial, of the disciple’s cross, of being a bond-servant
of Christ, has been replaced with a message of personal fulfillment and pleasure. The
apostle Paul prophesied that this would be the condition of the church in the last days
before the return of Christ.

II Timothy 3:1-5
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers
of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents,
ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control,
brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather
than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its
power; and avoid such men as these.

II Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to
have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance
to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside
to myths.

This tragic condition of apostasy will appear on the earth, and be observed among the
church, before the return of Christ.

II Thessalonians 2:3
Let no one in any way deceive you, for [the appearing of Christ] will not come unless
the apostasy comes first...

What Paul described in II Timothy is this condition of apostasy. The word apostasy
means “a divorcement from the truth.” Those who have fallen from truth have done so
because they love their own lives. They want to fulfill their own soul’s desires, rather than
to love God above all other things. The result is that they turn away from sound doctrine.
Indeed, they will not even endure it. Instead, they have heaped to themselves teachers to
proclaim the things their souls crave. They have embraced myths and fables.