Madisonville Church of Christ

by Russell M. Kline

 

Names like Titanic, Andrea Dora, and Edmund Fitzgerald are reminders of just how perilous it can be to said the seven seas. But, ever since man first learned to make boats, he has been braving the dangers of sea travel for the profit and for the adventure it promises. In like manner, there are many perils in embarking upon the journey of marriage. The United States boasts the highest divorce rate of all the nations, making it the most inhospitable society for marriage in the world. I have personally witnessed many couples enter into marriage with wide-eyed wonder, only to find themselves unable to cope with the difficulties they had to face in their new life together. In this monograph, I would like to present for your consideration seven "C"s, which can help us all better navigate the uncharted waters of married life.

The single most important decision you will ever make in life is the decision to follow Jesus Christ (Mat. 16:24). It is a decision, which will impact every other decision you will make after it (Mat. 6:33). So, if the one you marry does not share with you a Christian perspective on life, how can there not be problems that will arise, as a result of this conflict of interests? A Christian who marries someone who is not a Christian creates what the Bible calls an "unequal yoke," which will make living a faithful Christian life much more difficult than it has to be (II Cor. 6:14-18). I have read reports of studies, which have proven that most Christians who marry non-Christians will eventually become unfaithful, and will leave the church entirely. The Bible warns us not to take unnecessary risks with our souls, and we would do well to heed these warnings (Mark 8:36,37)!

Young people need to take dating very seriously. They need to carefully consider the question: "Is this the kind of person I want to marry?" If your boyfriend is abusive while you are dating, then there is a very good chance that he will continue to be abusive when you are married. If your girlfriend abuses drugs and alcohol while you are dating, then there is a very good chance that she will continue to do so when you are married. It is vitally important to get to know your potential mate as well as you possibly can before you are married, but DON'T have sex with someone who is not your spouse (Heb. 13:4)!

 

Once you are married, be sure to let the courtship continue. Couples that stay married longer than most are often those who continue to set aside time for each other, even after they have children. Couples that do not spend much time together, away from their daily routine, often find their relationships suffering from neglect.

When God instituted the covenant of marriage, He intended it to be a lifetime commitment (Gen. 2:24). God's will concerning divorce is that married couples should not get divorced (Mal. 2:16; Mat. 19:8), and the only exception to this rule is in cases where "fornication" is involved (Mat. 19:9). One of the reasons why so many marriages do not last is that many couples do not think of it as a lifetime commitment, but we must learn to do so, if we want our marriages to survive (Rom. 7:2,3).

The B