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Friday, February 8, 2013

A STRANGE RELATIONSHIP
 
 
The wedding was over and Joes and his bride were alone at last.  As the car pulled away from the curb, the bride moved over to the far side and said, "Joe, take me home!"  "Home?" Joe exclaimed, "But we haven't started our honeymoon yet!"
 
"Joe,"  the bride said, "I'm glad we're married.  We belong to each other, and I have taken your name as mine, but please, I want to go back to my old apartment. Now that we are married, I'll try to see you once or twice a week.  But as far as living with you in concerned, nothing doing!  I'm going back to my old occupation, my old friends, my old pastimes.  Oh yes, I do love you.  I've accepted you as my husband, haven't I? I belong to you forever.  But I refuse to let you interfere with my life.  Of course, if I'm sick or if I need money, I'll call you at once, because after all, you are my husband.  In the meantime, thank yo for loving me.  Thank you for being my husband, but just don't interfere in my life!"
 
What do you think of this marriage relationship?  This is a fictitious story and certainly no bride would enter into marriage with this attitude, but it seems to well represent the idea that some Christians have about their relationship with Christ.  Many seem to want to wear the name of "Christ, enjoy the blessings of being in Christ, find security in the promises that are in Christ, but have no desire to be one with Christ or to submit themselves to Him or commit themselves to His Cause. It seems that many people want the benefits that are in Christ without the responsibilities that are in Christ. 
 
In Romans 7:1-6, Paul uses marriage to help his readers to understand their relationship to Christ.  In verse four, we read, "So my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of "Christ, that you might belong to another. (KJV, "...that you should be married to another.)  to Him Who was raised from the dead..."
 
Those who enter the marriage relationship soon learn of the work, commitment and sacrifice that is involved in being one with their marriage partner.  That same kind of work, commitment and sacrifice is expected of those who are Christians.  For Christ calls us to be united with Him, and He prays that we will be one with Him. (Romans 6:5; John 17: 20-21).
 
Are you one with Christ as He calls you to be?   -Wendell Ingram
 
 
 


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