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Most Christians are familiar with the creation account in Genesis. And one of the most notable recitals in that account is God’s view on companionship. The idea is so critical that it inspires this revelatory imperative; “It is not good for man to be alone.” As such, God causes a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and then extracts from within him, a helper comparable to him. Then God commands they reunite in marriage and to be fruitful and multiply. To the unbeliever this likely sounds very absurd, a bit like bad science fiction, and even a little insane, breaking from all reality.
To God’s Children, this should represent the pinnacle of His intent for humanity. And God did not suggest, but commanded them to become one flesh in marriage and to multiply with children. Ah, there it is: the institution of marriage and the traditional family. In today’s culture, even the word “marriage” can trigger feelings once relegated to those intended by four letter words. The myriad of couples, who have endured the horrendous experience of divorce, might be the most trigger-worthy.
A Barna study suggests that for all adults surveyed, the overall percentage of people who had been divorced was 33%. For “born again Christians” it was 32%, and for the atheist/agnostic group it was only 30%. I don’t know about you, but I find these comparisons appalling! Evangelicals fair a bit better at 26%. But, if you want the best chance of staying married, it’s not Christ who makes the biggest difference, but money and ethnicity! Simply being rich lowers your risk of divorce to 22%. Yet, you are best off just being Asian, as they come in at only 20%.
For the unbeliever, it is almost a given that marriage should have a disastrous end. Two humans bound together and living under the same roof with no guiding parameters other than a humanistic perspective, self-help books, and advice from peers living in the same black hole—everything but God. On the other hand, the child of God should be poised for success. We have access to the Holy Spirit along with our Manufacturer’s User’s Manual for life, at our fingertips! So, why are we not experiencing greater results? What seems to be the problem? In today’s study of God’s inspired Word, we will hone in on both the problem and the solution, and on how to become a Suitable Helper!
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