Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. (v. 24-25)It has always struck me as odd that the American church has SO many ministries specifically devoted to families and marriage, particularly the largest, wealthiest and most politically influential ministries. Why is that? Certainly marriage and family is important, there's no denying that. But, if marriage to our current spouse isn't something that we will have in heaven, why so much focus, emphasis, energy and money spent specifically on it?
Wouldn't it be better if we were more focused on eternity? Wouldn't that help our marriages perhaps MORE than what we are currently doing now? This is not a rhetorical question, I'd love some feedback on it.
2 comments:
Why is that?
I would guess because it's something people consistently seek help and counsel with. Our family relationships, marriages and children, are the biggest source of conflict and difficulty in our lives (generally speaking) and something that pastors and shepherds have to provide advice and help with, so it makes sense that so many ministries are focused on that.
I don't know that I would say churches in general are overly focused on that vs. other things, especially when you look at parachurch ministries which are focused on other issues more often (poverty, evangelism, social issues).
I think the political wing of evangelicalism focuses on marriage/family issues because they tend to fall into moralism most easily vs. the Gospel.
So those are my thoughts...
Working on our marriages still sharpens our spiritual lives. I see marriage as a tool that readies us for eternity. Maybe too much time is spent talking about minor issues, where more time should be spent really working out sin issues and God's Will in our marriage lives. I just can't imagine that God won't some how incorporate all the hard work a husband and wife put into marriage and ultimately their own Righteousness.
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