- Both relationships are permanent.
- Both are intimate.
- Both require waiting-waiting for a wedding, waiting for Christ's return.
- Both are based on love and commitment.
- In both, the two become one-husband and wife become one flesh; those who are saved become members of Christ's body (Eph. 5:29-31, John 17:21).
- Both are covenants and formed by vows Marriage- "I do" Salvation-"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus (Rom. 10:9)
- Both are exclusive. They are not shared by another-no adultery, no idolatry.
- Both have a starting moment. When you were born in the world, you were neither married nor saved. Marriage requires a ceremony; salvation requires a decision.
- Both relationships make us complete
- Both have a wedding/marriage supper-a wedding banquet on earth, the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Rev. 19).
- Both are sealed with a sign-marriage with a ring, salvation with the Holy Spirit.
- Both have an authority structure, a head to the relationship to whom the other desires to submit-the wife submits to her husband as the believer submits to Christ.
- In both, even though there is an authority structure, the relationship is based on a friendship-" I have called you friends" (John 15:15)
- In both, the groom must leave his home. Christ left His Father in order to come to earth and win His bride. A man will leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife (Eph.5:31)
- In both relationships, the head is the initiator.
- Both require a sacrificial love on the part of the head. A husband is commanded to love as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it (Eph. 5:25)
- In both, the head is the provider and protector.
- In both, the husband prepares a residence-a man provides a home on earth, Christ provides a home in heaven.
- In both relationships, the bride becomes beautiful by a submissive spirit and inner qualities of godliness (I Peter 3:1-6)
- In both, the bride's exclusive desire is to please and serve her head.
- In both, the bride becomes radiant with joy
- Both relationships grow sweeter with time.
- In both relationships, each owns the other. "I an my beloved 's and my beloved is mine" (Song of Sol. 6:3, I Cor. 7:4)
- In both relationships, each fills the other's heart (Psalm 139:17, Col. 1 :27)
- Both relationships provide a "satisfaction" that can be found nowhere else. We are satisfied by a relationship with God and by being in His presence. Likewise, we are satisfied by our spouse, even just by being in their presence.
Sarah goes on to say we dream of our wedding day but the Lord continues to remind us we should be excited about Him-knowing, serving, and being with Him. Then she quotes Tit. 2:13.
How to Fall in Love with Jesus
Spend Time Alone with Him- Spend time alone with Jesus and you will experience the joy of falling in love with Him. Arrange time alone with him like the princess did. The princess spent the afternoon fellowshipping with her heavenly Father. Pour out your heart to the Lord and listen to what her says. She quotes Psalm 27:4)
Learn to Get to Know Him- She quotes Jer. 9:23-24), Seek to know the ways of the Lord. Learn to love what He loves and to hate what He hates. Be interested in the things He tells you. Never forget He delights in your prayers and that He is concerned about the smallest detail of your life.
Treasure His Love Letter to You-God's Word is more valuable and precious than any earthly love letter. Read it every day. Re-read it. The letter gets better every time! Memorize it. Meditate on it day and night. Apply it to your life. She quotes Psalm 119:97, 103.
Understand What He has Done for You- I'll sum this up ;) Jesus died for us and that is cool. Jesus rescued us! Col. 1:13-14 is quoted.
Frequently Tell Him of Your Love- God loves to hear your voice! Remind Him often of your love and desire to always be loyal to Him. Of course he already knows, but tell Him anyway. Talk to him every chance you get. She quotes Proverbs 15:8
Demonstrate Your Love by Your Actions- Sarah quotes I John 3:18. If we truly love Him, we will obey His commandments. We will joyfully pour out our lives for His sake, and our deepest desire will bring Him glory.
Tell Other About His Greatness- Tell everyone of Christ's greatness and if someone says something bad about him- defend him. She quotes Psalm 71:15
Worship Him- Psalm 29:2 and Psalm 16:11 are mentioned pretty much says it all in the title worship him :)
Be Attentive to The Gifts He Gives You- Jas 1:17 is quoted. Don't take Gods blessings for granted. take time to notice God and his loving kindness. Give thanks
Keep Journals of you Times Together- Write letters and songs to the Lord Write how awesome he is and stuff- Psalm 103:2 is quoted
Run into His Arms Whenever You Need Comfort- Is. 30:18 and Psalm 63:8 The struggles and hurts we have are there to direct us to the Lord. He longs to comfort you. Learn to run into his open arms and find love, security and intimacy for which you long.
Sarah says this is all so delightful to the Lord and quotes Psalm 73:25
The Memory Verse is "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart" Psalm 37:4
There is a assignment and testimony
So basically an unmarried girl/woman is encouraged to develop her faith as though it is a worldly romance? Of the very kind that she's been forbidden to participate in with a flesh and blood partner. I mean she's even forbidden to indulge in this behavior even if she is being courted.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to have a look at how a similar book for young men models the relationship w/Jesus. I bet they're not expected to blush and sigh and use him as a substitute for a partner.
Again, Sarah Mally's views are very young and extremely inexperienced for a woman of her age. She is encouraging a romantic view of marriage that most unions can not live up to.
ReplyDeleteYes, the Bible does compare God's relationship with his people as a marriage. But Sarah Mally takes this analogy to such an extreme degree that it becomes a bit icky.
Just a few of her comparisons that I have trouble with:
1. She states that marriages, like our salvations are permanent. People divorce, Sarah! Just as people loose their faith and stop being a Christian.
3. Christians do believe that Christ will return but this might not happen for thousands of years. There is no guarantee that a person will marry. So, I don't understand why she made this comparison. Is she saying that all young people will marry? Or is she saying that Christ might not return?
9. The type of thinking in this particular point is dangerous to relationships. It is not your spouse's job to complete you. It is actually unfair to your spouse to expect them to fill some hole in your heart.
19. I noticed that she stopped quoting Peter when he got to the verse about men honoring their wives. Fundamentalist rarely talk about verse 7. It states that if a man doesn't honor his wife, his prayers will be hindered from being heard in heaven.
"She states that marriages, like our salvations are permanent. People divorce, Sarah!"
ReplyDeleteAh Deb, I'm not sure what book you've been reading but the bible states "what God has joined let no man tear asunder". And in Malachi 2:16 - For I hate divorce says the Lord God of Israel..." Divorces may happen but they are not God's will. If both parties came together the way God intended and were in submission to His authority divorce would not happen. So the intent and will of God is for marriages to be permanent not end in divorce
3. Christians do believe that Christ will return but this might not happen for thousands of years. There is no guarantee that a person will marry. So, I don't understand why she made this comparison. Is she saying that all young people will marry? Or is she saying that Christ might not return?
I would say the comparison is to show that just as we wait for the appointed time of the Lords return, which is according to the will of the Father, so young women wait for the appointed time God has set aside for the arrival of her husband. The fact that she may not marry is not really the point, should she marry, she should wait until the time God has appointed and brings the right marriage partner.
9. The right husband can complete you in the sense that as God has provided the very best for you the husband is able to provide balance and strength in areas where they are lacking in the wife. I would suggest Sarah was alluding to this aspect rather than providing "completeness" in the sense that only Christ can. I think if you read the whole book in context rather than just picking out one line this is pretty apparent..
19. Maybe that is because she is focusing in this book on the woman's side of the equation. I go to an Independent Baptist church and any of our teachings on relationships very clearly highlight the husbands responsibility to love his wife sacrificially and to lay down his life for her. Submission is a positive not negative word as it is used in the bible and reflects the role of a husband submitted to Christ who in turn is to provide for and protect His wife and is accountable to God for all His decisions, to do His will, and so just as the Son submits to the Father in this context, so does the wife to the husband...
I must regretfully observe that your attacks on Sarah seem motivated from something other than a desire to honour God or worship Him in spirit and truth