1950 This Means Everlasting Life - A2Z.org

152 "THIS MEANS EVERLASTING LIFE"
his wife loves himself. . . . let each one of you
individually so love his wife as he does himself ;
on the other hand, the wife should have deep respect
for her husband ." Ephesians 5 :22-33, NW
So Christian husbands should deal considerately
with their Christian wives, having in mind their
highest interests, "since you are also heirs with
them of the undeserved favor of life ." The wife is
just as much an heir of life as the husband . In
closest neighbor-love each mate should help the
other to win it.-1 Peter 3 :7, NW.
11
If a believer contemplates marriage, then
wisdom and faithfulness to God dictate that it
should be marriage only to another person in devoted
relationship with the Lord . Not only does
the apostle warn against a Christian's yoking
himself up unequally with an unbeliever, but also
Jehovah's Law covenant with the Israelites foreshadowed
a warning against this in forbidding his
chosen people to marry with heathen neighbors .
It endangers faithfulness.-Exodus 34 :14-16 ; Deuteronomy
7 :3,4 ; Numbers 25 :1-8 .
12
In all Biblical accounts of marriages, there is
no record of a religious priest or clergyman's being
needed or having any part in completing the
marriage . This does not mean a person should
not be married by an officer of the law of the land
and have the marriage legally acknowledged, confirmed
and recorded and published beyond all denial.
The Bible record argues for this, because
11 . Why do wisdom and faithfulness dictate marrying
in the Lord?
12 . Should marriage be legalized? Why Scripturally so?