(8) Come to Consensus Corner

ISSUE AFTER ISSUE ADDRESSED BY GOD’S KINGDOM: MARRIAGE & PARTNERSHIPS

Philippians 4:5 “Let your reasonableness become known to all men. The Lord is near.”

Hebrews 13:4a “Let marriage be honorable among all...”

MARRIED LIFE. For true Christians generally, God’s word throughout encourages married life.[For those struggling with such a view of marriage, the paragraph headed “OTHER SITUATIONS” below may contain some helpful information.] While the apostle Paul once recommended singleness, he was then speaking to original anointed Christians with the heavenly calling, to become “as angels” in the heavens above. Even at that, marriage while on earth was still an option. For God’s eternal universal purpose, clearly marriage may be considered a gift—to share life’s experiences with a beloved married companion. Who will be your partner, as we clean up our planet, and welcome our ancestors back to life on earth? Who will this partner be if afterward, God wishes you to start a family, even elsewhere in the universe? Supposing there is nothing interfering with the typical romantic feelings experienced by men and women, we might ask: What of one nearing marriageable age—a young man or a young woman?

YOUNG MEN. Considering a restored standard of marriage for most every person, trusting God to help one find a suitable partner, or to help two near marriage to take that step, how might we view the growth process in preparation for this potentially joyful relationship? A young man who is able to work to support himself, upon reaching a marriageable and responsible age, might choose to leave his parents’ home and begin to find and manage a home of his own. He could certainly have begun preparing for such a step years before, with the help of parents and others. All such men should learn how to manage their own home, as they will need to do this well in the caring of a wife and children. If he has not yet found a suitable wife, or a woman that is yet ready to take the step of marriage, how might he proceed? If he has a well-paying job that can support him alone and the paying of taxes for a single person, he may choose this course, while looking for the one to become his wife. However, many young men find it a challenge to rent a place or even pay mortgage on a home early in their working careers.

PARTNERSHIPS. What if two such men, perhaps already friends, neither yet having a marriage relationship, could take a stance as partners—let’s now call them “Term Growth Partners.” One could take the lead in finding and paying for the home, being the primary owner or renter, while both work and contribute financially to the home and various expenses and needs that come up. Both are learning or practicing skills necessary for the management of a home that will be essential to begin a marriage and family. Neither one should practice laziness or shirk responsibility. Both should contribute almost equally for the benefit of one another, learning to be considerate of others as if having a family of one’s own. Why not allow such T.G.Partners to receive a tax credit similar to that of married folk, as these men are seeking and readying themselves for this relationship? And if they qualify, why not allow these responsible men even, if they wish, to consider fostering a child who is without loving parents, preferably a young boy, as long as one of the two men take primary responsibility for the child, and continue looking for a suitable wife, as a mother to the precious child? It should probably be the owner of the home, or primary renter, that be the responsible caregiver and provider for the child, but both should qualify to provide responsible care for the child in this partnership. Once again, a tax credit should be provided as in a family situation.

YOUNG WOMEN. What about a young woman, who herself has reached a marriageable and responsible age, and yet has not found a suitable partner? Why must she be burdened with the care and management of a home, that most young men are already preparing themselves for? Why shouldn’t the young woman remain, if possible, with her parents at their home, while perhaps finding suitable work, also practicing the skills that will be beneficial in support of her husband and children, when she finds him, with God’s blessing? With work, she may contribute to the parents’ expenses while hopefully having something to save for her own family’s needs in the future. This arrangement would prevent unnecessary burdens and expenses on the would-be new family, once she finds a suitable marriage partner! She may have been able to save up more for the family, that otherwise may have been lost to rent or mortgage costs. What does a new family do with two homes, two mortgages, or two rented properties—how much work goes into selling one of them, selling and/or consolidating furniture and other items accumulated in each home? Of course, this must be done in the case of those already on their own, and it may be considered a task helping the two to work out any differences fairly and agreeably between them. However, if the young woman can be free from such unnecessary burdens, how much more easily will be the transition to married life! Perhaps depending on her work situation, she may or may not be considered a dependent for tax purposes, the parents possibly receiving a tax credit to make up for the added expenses associated with her stay. Either way, this would appear to be the most beneficial situation for a young woman looking to marry. Evidently, “Philip the evangelizer” was able to support his four virgin daughters, even as they shared with him in the Christian ministry. (Acts 21:8-9). There are many examples throughout the Scriptures of women remaining at home until marriage—if this is possible in a given situation, we’ve seen many advantages to this. (Genesis 24; 29).

A PRECIOUS CHILD. Considering the foregoing, might there be adequate young families to care for a child who may have been born to a mother that is unwed and is not yet adequately prepared to raise him or her, if there are no relatives in a position to accept this responsibility either? Even if the child was conceived in rape or incest, is he or she not still a precious life? Certainly every precaution should be taken to prevent such a situation, but in the case that it does occur, how does God feel about any child conceived in or out of wedlock, according to His inspired word? Even God’s servant David wrote about his pre-birth self, in Psalm 139.

Notice verses 13-16: “13 For you produced my kidneys; You kept me screened off in my mother’s womb.14 I praise you because in an awe-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know this very well.15 My bones were not hidden from you When I was made in secret, When I was woven in the depths of the earth.16 Your eyes even saw me as an embryo; All its parts were written in your book Regarding the days when they were formed, Before any of them existed.”

EVEN “AS AN EMBRYO.” David refers to his time in the womb of his mother, and even as an embryo, before any body parts even existed! It was still David, who would go on to become King of Israel! There is another Bible passage, in the Mosaic Law, that reveals God’s view of an unborn child. This is found at Exodus 21:22-23:

“22 “If men should struggle with each other and they hurt a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but no fatality results, the offender must pay the damages imposed on him by the husband of the woman; and he must pay it through the judges. 23 But if a fatality does occur, then you must give life for life”

GOD’S VIEW OF THE UNBORN. Yes, the unborn child was considered a life to God, such that if it was harmed before birth, the one causing the harm was even to die, if the child died as a result, according to the principle of eye for an eye, and in this case, life for a life. The purpose of such a strong penalty is so that those knowing the Law would AVOID becoming guilty of such things, so as NOT to receive such a harsh outcome. But as mentioned this reveals God’s view of the unborn child—just as much a life or a person as the one causing harm to a pregnant woman. Many women have suffered emotional pain after going through an abortion procedure—why not rather have this precious child, and give it up for adoption if the mother or a relative is yet unready to care for him or her? Yes, God did increase the pain of pregnancy after sin entered the human family, but it wasn’t done so as to prevent a woman from giving birth—with the proper diet and nourishment, and possibly certain exercises if needed, the experience needn't be overly difficult or painful. Carrying a child to birth can be a tremendous bonding experience, even talking to or reading to the child before birth. And that increase of pain may well be ending, as the start of God’s Kingdom nears! Also, it is quite likely that many aborted children will be "resurrected," having their birth process renewed, by God and Christ in the new world, that they may see the light of day and the love of their parents, if possible, having renewed appreciation for this gift of life! Let’s consider God’s gift of life sacred and precious, and do what we reasonably can to protect it!

ANOTHER ISSUE. Recall that Marriage is to be "honorable before all." (Hebrews 13:4). Have some unwed mothers shied away from marriage to the father of their yet unborn child due to concerns regarding the health of their relationship, or some sort of entrapment? Of course, where love begins, it may continue and grow with the blessing of the God of love. Both should be respectful of God's word the Holy Bible, which can provide a basis for excellent instruction to help make an engagement and marriage a true success! While God hates a divorce, and so should we, one should be open to making a success of a relationship, as long as it is realized a marriage can end in God's sight if truly necessary, as Scripturally it is not only physical fornication or immorality that may provide a basis for divorce, but also spiritual fornication--one proving to place other persons or things as of higher authority than God himself, and ignoring His standards of living. While God wishes us to be understanding, merciful, and loyal to Him and one's mate in seeking together to be faithful to God and each other, those somehow ignoring God should turn to Him for help, repenting over past error and seeking instruction to gain greater divine wisdom and love for the family that God may yet bless them to maintain. The Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7, is one place where sound, reliable instruction may be found, as well as counsel on marriage found in Ephesians chapter 5.

OTHER SITUATIONS. Now, of course not everyone is in the same position as the young men and women mentioned previously. Many are happily married, and have families of their own. Of course, those with more experience in life and a strong Christian faith would also be suited to accept foster children, if their hearts were ready for such a gift. And why wouldn’t two older men, unmarried, qualify as T.G.Partners as well, having even more experience in life, each looking for a married partner, and also perhaps qualifying to care for a foster child, if desired? Also, as God’s Kingdom progresses, His power will certainly be available upon the human family, manifested in various ways. For example, the negative effects from certain drugs and chemicals could be relieved. He can, for instance, either help persons with gender issues to better align with their current or acquired gender, or where appropriate restore transgender persons back to their original gender, but this time with the proper feelings suitable for them, as “male and female He [God] created them.” (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4). Recall that humans are not just spirits—we are physiological creatures, affected by various chemical processes and substances, some of which could create imbalances or disturbances if left unchecked. Some petroleum and plastics molecules, for instance, mimic hormones such as estrogens. As discussed previously in another article, one such substance, a pesticide called atrazine, has been used on some 75% or more of corn crops in the U.S., and can cause male frogs to turn female! Just what effect could it be having on humans? There are similar chemicals no doubt having a similar effect on many, even from a young age. Jesus spoke of a time of “re-creation.” (Matthew 19:28). So why wouldn’t Jehovah God be able to restore precious humans to the condition He intended them to be in for their genuine happiness and satisfaction in life? And let the Kingdom investigate to find alternatives to things that would contribute to “ruining the earth.”

CONCLUSION

GENUINE HAPPINESS. With God’s unfolding eternal purpose in view, brought about through His Kingdom, He doubtless intends many, if not all persons, to be happily married, sharing life’s experiences with a beloved partner. Thus the exhortation to “let marriage be honorable among all...” (Hebrews 13:4). God and Christ are also reasonable and understanding of various factors inhibiting the proper feelings of some men and women toward one another, and can correct such matters. May even young men and women be blessed by God to prepare for married life, and then to find that suitable marriage partner, delighting in the joys associated with that precious bond of union. May all others likewise appreciate this gift of God, and come to bring their lives into harmony with God’s loving purpose for humans, that we may look forward to genuine happiness, in a new world of peace and righteousness, by God’s divine standards!