The Good Fight against Evil Spirits for Eternal Life
Bible Study on June 20, 2010 at 6:30PM at Christian Missionary Alliance in Aurora, IN.
Introduction
There are two spiritual zones: the ________ of God and the _________ of Satan (Colossians 1:12-14; Acts 26:18; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 2:10-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:5; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5; Matthew 6:23; Luke 11:34-35; John 1:15; 12:35,46; Romans 13:12; 2 Corinthians 6:14; Ephesians 5:8; c.f. Matthew 4:16)
The Complete Sovereignty of God
The God of gods (Deuteronomy 10:17) even uses evil spirits to achieve _______ purposes (2 Samuel 24:1 [c.f. 1 Chronicles 21:1]; Job 1:12; 2:6; 1 Kings 22:22 [c.f. 2 Chronicles 18:21]; Judges 9:23; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11; c.f. Ezekiel 14:9 and 2 Corinthians 12:7), even though evil spirits are not from God (1 John 4:1-3). Christ - who is God the Son - is above demons (Ephesians 1:20-21; c.f. Mark 1:26; 5:7; Luke 4:32-34; 8:28). Demons shudder about the reality of God (James 2:19).
The Agenda of Satan
Satan seems to desire worship (Matthew 4:9; Luke 4:7; Revelation 13:4). The worship of ‘gods’ is the worship of ______ (1 Corinthians 10:20-22). The gods can do nothing (Deuteronomy 4:28), and God is against the worship of any other god (Exodus 34:14; Psalm 31:6; 96:5; 97:7; Leviticus 19:4; Deuteronomy 5:7; 6:14; 7:4,16,25; 8:19; 11:16,28; 12:2-3,30-31; and on and on and on), commanding idolaters’ physical death in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 13:1-18; 17:2-7) and warning of their eternal torment in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 5:10;6:9; Galatians 5:19-21 Revelation 21:8; 22:15; c.f. 1 Corinthians 10:14 and Colossians 3:5-6). The devil can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and the Bible warns us to avoid the worship of angels (Colossians 2:18-19; Revelation 22:8-9).
Satan does aim for our ___________ (John 8:43-45; John 10:10). The devil is the tempter (1 Thessalonians 3:5; c.f. Matthew 4:1) who lies (John 8:43-45; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 1 Timothy 4:1-3), setting his on things of man, not things of God (Mark 8:33; Matthew 16:23; c.f. Romans 8:5-6). Satan leads people into sin by entering people (John 13:27), filling them with evil (Acts 5:3) and enticing them to sin (1 Chronicles 21:1); nonetheless, it is our own desires that entice us to sin (James 1:14; 1 Peter 2:11). Example: ____________ (1 Corinthians 7:5).
Our Weapons and Christ’s Triumph
Christians engage in a good war (1 Timothy 1:18-20; c.f. 2 Timothy 2:3-4) against demons (Ephesians 6:12) in order to take hold of eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7-8). Without God, a human lacks power over demons (Acts 19:11-20; Matthew 12:43-45; c.f. Jude 1:8-10). Our spiritual weapons (2 Corinthians 6:7; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:8) have divine power to pull down entrenched _____________ (2 Corinthians 10:4-6); one of the weapons is the word of God, which was Jesus’ response to Satan’s temptations (Matthew 4:4,7,10; Luke 4:4,8).
Before the cross, Jesus gave His followers the ability to crush Satan underfoot (Luke 10:17-19). In the _________, Jesus disarmed the murderers and triumphantly shamed them in public (Colossians 2:13-15). Soon, Satan will be crushed under our feet (Genesis 3:15; Romans 16:20); God will throw him into the eternal torment of a lake of burning sulfur (Matthew 25:14; 1 Timothy 3:6; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 1:6; Revelation 19:20).
Quotation
“Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. ...Prayer gives us the significance of frontline forces and gives God the glory of limitless Provider. The one who gives the power gets the glory. ...Life is war because the maintenance of our faith and the laying hold on eternal life is a constant fight.”
~ John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions. Chapter 2. Page 65 and 66. Baker Academic: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2010.
15 replies
Active 2611 days ago
Non-historical; so, I am horrified by the following research paper, since I did not apply the correct hermeneutic framework. In other words, I did not understand the type of literature.
1. The New Testament texts intentionally (irreconcilably and repeatedly) contradict themselves.
2. The Greek word ἐπόπται mistranslated "eye witnesses" should actually be translated "initiators into mysteries"; in other words, Peter in 2 Peter 1:16 claims that he is not teaching you sophisticated non-historical stories, but that he is an explainer of the exact idea (mystery) itself behind all of these myths (the idea which focuses on the Exact Reflection).
3. This alternative interpretation (several, actually) illuminates the texts (and whole of human understanding) far better.
The guidance of the undergraduate dean at Cincinnati Christian University was - unless I am greatly mistaken - toward Dr. Wright, specifically his work in regard to the resurrection of a historical person in the first century.
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Dr. Coffelt
June 30, 2012
Introduction to New Testament
Jonathan Cooper
The Resurrection of Jesus: Communicating the Historical Data[1]
A wise builder constructs a solid foundation for the structure. In a similar way, the wise preacher lays a foundation for faith. During an investigation of the early Christian movement, it will become evident that solid ground for faith in the resurrection should be proclaimed for the sake of others’ faith in Jesus Christ unto salvation.
Before the resurrection of Jesus is established, it may be wise to establish the existence of this Jesus. Both supporters and detractors described Jesus as a man (Mark 14:71; 15:39; Luke 23:4,14; John 18:29; 19:5; 7:46; {cf. 7:51;} 9:16, 24; 10:33; 11:47; {cf. 11:50;} 18:17; Acts 5:28; 1 Tim 2:5) in the public eye (e.g. Mark 1:33; 2:1-2; 2:7; 4:1; 5:21; 6:34; 6:53-56; 7:31-33; 8:27-34; 10:1; 10:46; 11:4-18; 12:37; 14:43; 15:8-15; 3:20; 4:1; cf. 5:21; 10:1; 3:7-8; cf. Mark 7:24) in Palestine during the First Century (Luke 2:1-7) who taught something new (e.g. John 13:34), performed unexpected spectacles (Matt 8:26-27; 9:6; 12:27; 14:29; 15:31; 16:9; Mark 3:11; Luke 7:22; John 11; cf. Matt 9:4; 12:25; Luke 5:22; 6:8; 11:17; John 1:50), received a violent death (Matt 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19) and inspired a post-mortem movement (Acts). Far from claiming the non-existence of Jesus, opponents, such as the Jewish authors of the Babylonian Talmud, describe the knowns as negatives. According to the author of Sanhedrin 107b, when this man in the public eye performed the unexpected and taught something new, “Jesus the Nazarene practiced magic and led Israel astray.” (Bock 59) Sanhedrin 43a offers the following description of his death, miracles, and doctrine: “On the eve of Passover Yeshu [Jesus] was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, ‘’He is going forth to be stoned because he has practised sorcery and enticed Israel to apostacy. Any one who can say anything in his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf.’” (Bock 60; Emphasis Added) According to opponents, the “apostacy” spread rapidly - after the death of Jesus. Writing about Nero’s “choicest punishments” of “Chrestiani,” Cornelius Tacitus explains,
“The source of the name was Christus, on whom, during the command of Tiberius, reprisal had been inflicted by the procurator Pontius Pilatus; and, though the baleful superstition had been stifled for the moment, there was now another outbreak, not only across Judaea, the origin of the malignancy, but also across the City, where everything frightful or shameful, of whatever provenance, converges and is celebrated.” (284)
According to Suetonius, by the time of Claudius, “[h]e banished from Rome all the Jews, who were continually making disturbances at the instigation of one Chrestus.” (318) By late AD 111, a perplexed Pliny submitted the following report to Emperor Trajan, highlighting “...the number indicted, for there are many of all ages, every rank, and both sexes who are summoned and will be summoned to confront danger. The infection of this superstition has extended not merely through the cities, but also through the villages and country areas...” (279) As one historian, N.T. Wright, remarks, “Never before had there been a movement which began as a quasi-messianic group within Judaism and was transformed into the sort of movement which Christianity quickly became. Nor has any similar phenomenon ever occurred again.” (15) Wright continues, noting that “... the early church by its very existence forces upon us the question which we, as historians, must ask: what precisely happened after Jesus' crucifixion that caused early Christianity to come into being?” (16)
What happened, according to the earliest Christians, is that many witnessed Jesus’ body alive again after it had been crucified. Jesus had a body (1 Peter 2:24; Luke 23:52) with bones (John 19:36), hands (John 20:25), fingers (Mark 7:33), feet (Matthew 28:9; Mark 5:22), a side (John 19:34), a face (Mark 14:65; Matthew 26:27), eyes (John 17:1) and a head (Matthew 27:29), as well as clothing (Mark 5:27). In this body, Jesus was born (Matthew 1:18), pierced (Mark 14:65), beaten, slapped and spat upon (Mark 15:19; Matthew 27:30; Matthew 26:67), flogged (Matthew 19:1), “killed” (Acts 5:30), and buried (Matthew 50:59). Most importantly, in this body, Jesus was resurrected (Acts 5:30), bearing the scars from the crucifixion on his arms and side (John 20:24-28). Before His crucifixion, Jesus ate and drank (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34; John 13:26); Jesus ate and drank “after he rose from the dead” (Acts 10:41). As N.T. Wright notes, the language is crystal clear: “The word 'resurrection' and its cognates, in Hebrew or Greek, is never used to denote something other than this position [i.e. a return to bodily life after the state of being dead]. The belief can occur without the word, but never the other way round.” (179).
When the early apostles made the claim of witnessing Jesus’ resurrection, either, (a) they really did believe the claim themselves or (b) they did not believe the claim. As an example in favor of (b), speaking of “the witnesses” as “people who are not in good repute with us,” “the great German thinker” Reimarus argued, “The senate at Jerusalem has distinctly warned us against them, saying, that these disciples came to the grave secretly, by night, and stole away the body of Jesus, and that now they were going about, proclaiming that he had arisen from the dead.” (38) First, if the disciples really desired to perpetuate their messianic movement, it would be odd for them to assert the messiah’s resurrection and ascension (unparalleled claims for a messianic movement) rather than to assert some kind of family succession (a common practice in contemporary messianic movements). N.T. Wright observes the following:
“If we suppose that Jesus of Nazareth had simply been executed as a messianic pretender, and that his younger brother had become a strong and powerful leader among his former followers over the next thirty years, someone would have been bound, given the climate of the times, to suggest that James himself was the Messiah. But nobody ever did.” (560)
It is difficult to reconcile Reimarus’ assertion with the apostles’ behavior. In their recent work on the resurrection, Gary R. Habermas, Ph.D. and Michael Licona, Ph.D. report, “From the early martyrdoms of Stephen and James the brother of John as well as the imprisonments and sufferings of Peter, Paul, and others, the disciples became well aware that publicly proclaiming Jesus as risen Lord in certain times and places made suffering and, perhaps, martyrdom inevitable.” (35) Nonetheless, by their persistent behavior, they chose to die for their claim: “The disciples' willingness to suffer and die for their beliefs indicates that they certainly regarded those beliefs as true... Liars make poor martyrs.” (35 with Emphasis in Original) It is difficult to imagine what the disciples could have done in addition to martyrdom to indicate their sincerity.
Even though they were sincere, they could have been sincerely mistaken in their belief that Jesus was alive again from the dead. First, it is theoretically possible that Jesus only appeared to have died, just as a fainted man might. In response to the swoon theory, David Strauss penned the following in 1892:
“It is impossible that a being who had stolen half-dead out of the sepulchre, who crept about weak and ill, wanting medical treatment, who required bandaging, strengthenings and indulgence, and who still, at last, yielded to his sufferings, could have given to the disciples the impression that he was a Conqueror over death and the grave, the Prince of Life, an impression which lay at the bottom of their future ministry.” (665)
Dr. Habermas and Dr. Licona add that advances in medical science over the last few decades have deepened our appreciation for the intensity of the trauma induced by “the nature of scourging and crucifixion” (76). If it is not reasonable to maintain that this sincere belief of the disciples in Jesus’ death was the result of a misperception, it is only reasonable to maintain that their belief was the result of correct perception; in other words, Jesus died.
Even though Jesus did die, it is theoretically possible that Jesus only seemed to be alive again, just as a vivid hallucination might seem actual. Dr. Habermas, featured in Lee Strobel’s investigative work in regard to this particular hypothesis, and his colleague find it difficult to identify the interactions with Jesus in the Gospels as hallucinations, given their nature and their number. Just as a dream by its nature cannot be shared, so also “a hallucination [by its nature] cannot be shared.” (82) However, “the earliest witnesses, and indeed all of them we know of, taught that several of Jesus' post-mortem appearances were to groups.” (83) Furthermore, the number of interactions - along with the depth and variety of those interactions, which included individuals who had never followed Jesus - make their identification with hallucinations even more difficult. The researchers conclude, “It pushes credulity beyond reason to regard every last one of these appearances as hallucinations. ...In fact, there are probably more refutations of this theory than any other.” (85) If it is not reasonable to maintain that the disciples’ sincere belief in their interactions with a resurrected Jesus was the result of a misperception, then it is reasonable to maintain that this belief was the result of correct perception; in other words, Jesus did rise from the dead.
This resurrection reaffirmed the disciples’ faith in Jesus as Lord. Before Jesus had died, the disciples had already concluded that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16; cf. Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20; 24:21), and Jesus had publicly identified Himself as “equal with God” (John 5:18). It is logical, then, that, after placing his fingers on the marks from the nails in Jesus’ hands and spear in Jesus’ side, Thomas would exclaim, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
Likewise, in their presentation of their belief to others, the resurrection of Jesus reinforces the identity of Jesus as the “one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). On the day of Pentecost, in the first recorded sermon, Peter does mention in passing that “Jesus of Nazareth [was] a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst...” (Acts 2:22) However, the focus of the message is their claim of resurrection in the backdrop of messianic prophecies, climaxing with the conclusion: “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) Furthermore, obedience to this certainty results in salvation: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:38-39; cf. v. 40-41) In this sermon, the evidence - their eye-witness interaction with Jesus - for certainty in the resurrection was proclaimed for the sake of others’ faith in Jesus Christ unto salvation.
This pattern of presentation of the eye-witness interactions may have been an assumed part of the proclamation of Jesus as Lord. In Acts 18:4-5, the reader discovers, “And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks. When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus.” In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul refers back to this visit: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.” Then, Paul reminds his original audience about the details of his content, when he “reasoned in the synagogue... that the Christ was Jesus”:
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles...” (1 Cor 15:3-8)
When Paul tried to persuade his audience to believe in Jesus as the Christ, he presented the eye-witness testimony in favor of the resurrection of Jesus.
Teachers should imitate Paul’s pattern. Timothy and Silas caught back up with Paul in Corinth when “Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus” (Acts 18:5). In 2 Timothy 2:1-3, Paul writes, “You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Paul wanted to multiply the number of teachers who would preach the gospel (e.g. 1 Cor 15:1-7) and affirm truthfully, “...[S]o we preach and so you believed.” (1 Cor 15:11b)
In other words, reason to believe the resurrection should play a role in a persuasion to believe in Jesus for eternal life. The resurrection (in the context of Scripture) serves as the foundation on which to construct the identity of Christ. It is the hope in the construction of this truth that the hearers will enter the Shelter for safety from the coming storm.
Works Cited
Bock, Darrell L. Studying the Historical Jesus: A Guide to Sources and Methods. Grand Rapids: Baker Pub. Group, 2002. Internet resource.
Habermas, Gary R. and Licona, Michael R. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004. Internet resource.
Tacitus, Cornelius and Woodman, AJ. The Annals. Indianapolis and Cambridge: Hackett, 2004. Internet resource.
Tranquillus, C. Suetonius, Thomson, Alexander, and Forrester, T. The Lives of the Twelve Caesars. London: George Bell & Sons, York St., Covent Garden, and New York, 1893. Internet resource.
Pliny, the Younger, and Walsh, P.G. Complete Letters. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Internet resource.
Reimarus, Hermann Samuel, Lessing, G.E., and Voysey, Rev. Charles. Fragments from Reimarus, Consisting of Brief Critical Remarks on the Object of Jesus and His Disciples as Seen in the New Testament. London and Edinburgh: Williams and Norgate, 1879. Internet resource.
Strauss, Dr. David Frederich and Elliot, George. The Life of Jesus Critically Examined. Second Edition. London and New York: Swan Sonnenschein & Co. and Macmillan & Co, 1892. Internet resource.
Wright, N T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. London: SPCK, 2003. Internet resource.
Notation: All quotations from Scripture were directly from the English Standard Version.
7 replies
Active 2611 days ago
Pain as the Pavement to Paradise.
January 2, 2011
Slightly Edited after Delivery
Introduction
We went to Fazoli’s. DQ was next door. We felt called to get an ice cream Sundae and suffer for Jesus.
We joke about it because we know that there is real suffering that we experience for Christ. When you look at the promises in Scripture of God’s blessing and then you experience suffering, perhaps you’ve asked: Did I get off of God’s path at some point? Did I make a detour and wind up in the middle of nowhere?
My brother David was eating salad swatting a fly and driving when he suddenly looked up and found himself in the middle of an alfalfa field. Have you ever been there in your life?
Joseph probably felt that way. He was on God’s path. But he experienced suffering. But that suffering was just the pavement in the road to the throne. The same is true for us: If we are on God’s path, our suffering is just the pavement on the road to paradise.
GENESIS
While Joseph was on God’s path for his life, he suffered.
Joseph was on God’s path for his life.
Joseph seems to have earned the trust of his father (see Genesis 37:12-14 in light of his service in other leadership positions).
Genesis 37:12-14 12Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near(A) Shechem. 13And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am." 14So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word." So he sent him from the Valley of(B) Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
God planned to honor Joseph (Genesis 37:5-11).
On this path, Joseph encountered trials. Joseph lost everything. Joseph became a slave.
Jacob’s other sons hated and were jealous of Joseph (Genesis 37:4,8,11),
They threw him into a pit and sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:18-28).
Jacob wept.
Genesis 37:34-35.
34Then Jacob tore his garments and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days. 35All his sons and all his daughters(A) rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, "No,(B) I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning." Thus his father wept for him.
These trials paved the road to God’s blessing (Genesis 38-41).
JESUS
While Jesus was on God’s path for His life, Jesus suffered.
Jesus was on God’s path for His life.
Jesus was obedient to His heavenly Father.
Jesus only said what the Father said.
John 12:49 49For(A) I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father(B) who sent me has himself given me(C) a commandment—what to say and what to speak.
John 14:10 10Do you not believe that(A) I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you(B) I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.
Jesus only did what He saw the Father do.
John 5:19. 19So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you,(A) the Son(B) can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father[a] does, that the Son does likewise.”
God planned glory for Jesus (John 7:39).
On this path, Jesus suffered.
In obedience, Jesus chose to give up everything.
Philippians 2:5-7 5(A) Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,[a] 6(B) who, though he was in(C) the form of God, did not count equality with God(D) a thing [to be used to His own advantage], 7but(E) made himself nothing, taking the form of a(F) servant,[b](G) being born in the likeness of men.
In obedience, Jesus chose to die on a cross for us and rose from the dead.
Philippians 2:8; 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by(A) becoming obedient to the point of death,(B) even death on a cross.
John 10:1111(A) I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd(B) lays down his life for the sheep.
The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus (Mark 3:6).
The Jewish leaders had Jesus crucified (1 Corinthians 2:8).
Mary Magdalene wept (John 20:11).
This suffering paved the road to eternal glory (Philippians 2:11; Hebrews 12:2).
Philippians 2:9-11 9(A) Therefore(B) God has(C) highly exalted him and bestowed on him(D) the name that is above every name, 10so that at the name of Jesus(E) every knee should bow,(F) in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and(G) every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is(H) Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Hebrews 12:2
2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,(A) who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising(B) the shame, and(C) is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
APPLICATION
Be ready to suffer for the sake of the prize.
Because the road to Paradise is paved with suffering.
Lose everything.
Luke 14:33 So therefore, any one of you who(AF) does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Matthew 10:37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Mark 10:29-30 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.”
Endure persecutions.
2 Timothy 3:12 12Indeed, all who desire to(A) live a godly life in Christ Jesus(B) will be persecuted, Romans 8:17 17and if children, then(A) heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,(B) provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. John 16:33 33…In the world you will have(C) tribulation. But(D) take heart;(E) I have overcome the world." 1 Thessalonians 3:3 3that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that(A) we are destined for this. Philippians 1:28-30 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 2 Timothy 2:12 12(A) if we endure, we will also reign with him;(B) if we deny him, he also will deny us; Romans 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.
Because the reward is far greater than the suffering.
2 Timothy 4:6-8 7(C) I have fought the good fight,(D) I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Henceforth there is(E) laid up for me(F) the crown of righteousness, which the Lord,(G) the righteous judge, will award to me on(H) that Day, and not only to me but also to all(I) who have loved his appearing. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 17For(A) this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18(B) as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and(B) death shall be no more,(C) neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
Conclusion:
If you’re on God’s path, don’t give up. Your suffering is a beeline to eternal reward.
If the suffering on this path has jarred your faith and made you turn aside to a different path, come back to God’s path – no matter the cost. The reward is worth the cost.
If you’ve never entered God’s path before, I invite you start the journey today. There will be times when it’s like being at Fazoli’s right next to Dairy Queen. And there will be other times when it’s painful. But the end result will be an eternal reward beyond comparison.
1 replies
Active 2611 days ago
Jonathan Cooper
Professor Wood
Introductory Sociology
November 13, 2008
Factors for the Initiation and Cultivation of Marital Romance
and the Implications for Church Ministry
The implications of marriage are dramatic. When marriage works, marriage works wonders. Writing in the Journal of Marriage and Family, researchers noted, "Many studies have established that married people fare better than their never-married counterparts in terms of psychological well-being." (Lamb, Lee & DeMaris 2004: 953) In October of 2005, researchers from Cornell and Pennsylvania State University "found that married individuals reported the highest level of subjective well-being..." (Dush & Amato 607) According to the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative, "Married men and women report having more and better sex than single people." (Harrison, Stanley & Johnson) RAND's Center of Study for Aging observed, “Numerous studies covering 140 years have shown that married persons tend to live longer than their unmarried counterparts.” (“Health, Marriage” 1998) According to David Popenoe, head of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University, "The empirical evidence is now strong and persuasive that a good marriage enhances personal happiness, economic success, health and longevity." (Popenoe 2007)
When healthy marriage is replaced with something else, however, the results are horrendous. This is true for the married individuals. In 2004, Psychological Medicine noted, "A considerable body of research has established that transitions out of marriage are generally deleterious for mental health..." (Pevalin & Ermisch 1553) The same trend holds true for children. According to leading researchers, "The "triple threat" of marital conflict, divorce, and out-of-wedlock births has led to a generation of U.S. children at great risk for poverty, health problems, alienation, and antisocial behavior." (Stanley & Markman, “Facts About”) In short, marriage matters.
Because marriage matters, this paper examines the factors that make marriage work. First, it offers two basic types of factors affecting the proper initiation of marriage. Second, it offers three attributes of a successful marriage. In light of these two sections, the paper then ends by discussing ways for the local church to help couples initiate and cultivate romance.
First, others’ decisions and individual’s decisions influence the initiation of a healthy marriage. For instance, the individual does not decide the health of the parents’ relationship, the date of birth, the support of others or the presence of mental illness. Nonetheless, parental divorce, low marital age, limited family endorsement and “neuroticism” increase the odds of divorce. (“Predicting Divorce”) Others’ decisions can influence an individual’s future marriage.
In regard to this paper, however, the individual’s decisions are more relevant. One of these important decisions is commitment expressed in premarital purity. In 2004, a study appeared in the Journal of Family Psychology entitled “Timing Is Everything: Pre-Engagement Cohabitation and Increased Risk for Poor Marital Outcomes.” This study monitored the relationships of couples who decided to cohabitate at different times in the relationship. The study’s seven researchers discovered the following:
“…the before-engagement cohabiters (59 couples) had more negative interactions, lower interpersonal commitment, lower relationship quality, and lower relationship confidence than those who did not cohabit until after engagement (28 couples) or marriage (49 couples), even after controlling for selection factors and duration of cohabitation.” (Kline, et al. 311)
This study is part of a body of research in support of premarital purity. In 2002, David Popenoe of Rutgers University stated, “Many studies have found that those who live together before marriage have less satisfying marriages and a considerably higher chance of eventually breaking up." (Popenoe & Whitehead) Premarital purity helps initiate healthy marriage.
A second important decision of the couple-to-be is commitment expressed in pre-marital education. A 1999 study published by the Journal of Family Therapy offers the following synthesis on research related to pre-marital education:
“In addition, meta-analysis has demonstrated that individuals who participated in pre-marital programs did better than no-treatment control individuals in terms of improving their relationships or preventing later problems.” (Williams et al. 272)
Their study did not counter the established consensus. Out of the sample of over 1000 surveys from married individuals, “[t]he majority of respondents perceived their marriage preparation as a valuable experience…” (281) Premarital education helps initiate healthy marriage.
After a marriage is initiated, its love is to be cultivated. The first of three factors in the cultivation of romance is togetherness. One facet is religious togetherness; couples should grow toward God together. Bradford Wilcox is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Virginia who completed a study in 2008 on church going couples. Wilcox offered the following commentary on the study’s findings:
“Attending church only seems to help couples when they attend together… But when they do, they are significantly happier in their marriages, and they are much less likely to divorce, compared to couples who do not attend church. I would say that church attendance is a beneficial component of marriage when it is done together.” (Catholic News Agency)
This study is not alone in finding value in religious unity. Writing in Social Science Research, Darren E. Sherkat references twelve studies in the following sentence: “Intermarriage also has important effects on family life, leading to lower fertility, higher rates of female employment, lower levels of marital satisfaction, higher rates of divorce, and greater spousal conflict…” (2004: 606) Religious togetherness cultivates marital happiness.
Also, there is recreational togetherness; couples should play together. At the time of the writing of the now classic His Needs, Her Needs, Harley had been successfully married for two decades and a marriage counselor for twenty five years “help[ing] literally thousands of couples improve their troubled marriages.” (Harley 12, 16) Pulling from his many experiences, Harley commanded readers to “[e]ngage in only those recreational activities that both you and your spouse can enjoy together.” (Harley 83) The importance of recreational togetherness is widely affirmed. In 2008, PARADE Magazine commissioned Insight Express in a survey a random sample of 1001 Americans about their marriages. Half of the sample reported being married for over a decade. When asked for reasons explaining their marriage’s endurance, “companionship” was the most commonly cited explanation, receiving citations from nearly three fourths of married Americans. (“The Truth”) Recreational togetherness cultivates lasting love.
Finally, there is visional togetherness; couples should plan the future together. Les and Leslie Parrott are a dynamic duo. The former is a professor of clinical psychology; the latter is a marriage and family therapist. Blending academic research and counseling experience, the two penned The Love List, a to-do list for cultivating romance in marriage. This couple recommends two activities every year: review the past and plan the future. Les and Leslie write, “Couples who make resolutions together for the good of their marriage are far more likely to make their resolutions last than those making resolutions on their own.” (“The Love List,” 119) The two continue by quoting Terry D. Hargrave, a professor of marriage and family therapy at West Texas A and M University: “Teamwork wins goals… If a resolution is as good for your spouse as it is for you—bet on success with the resolution and a sweeter marriage.” (119) In summary, David Popenoe, head of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University, offers the following statement: “The happiest couples are friends who share lives and are compatible in interests and values.” (Popenoe & Whitehead 2002) Togetherness fosters lasting romance.
In addition, flexibility cultivates lasting romance. The first expression of flexibility is crisis prevention. When shifts in lifestyle approach, the wise couple gains outside advice. The findings of a study published in 2006 in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychological "suggest that early family transitions that strain couple relationships provide critical opportunities for preventive interventions to strengthen marriage." (Schulz, Cowan & Cowan 20) Furthermore, due to constant change and forgetfulness, wise couples seek outside insight regularly. The large 1999 study examining premarital counseling found that the reported benefit of premarital counseling diminished over time. With this finding in mind, the researchers offer the following conclusion:
“This could mean that the benefits of marriage preparation weaken with time or that it is most effective in preparing couples for the initial adjustments or stage of marriage… marriage education could be viewed as an ongoing process, not simply a one-time strategy or intervention offered only to engaged couples.” (Williams et al. 281)
Every marriage will face change. Prevention gives romance the flexibility to survive in the midst of trying times.
The second expression of flexibility is crisis management. First, wise couples accept permanent disagreements. On January 29, 2007, Diane Sollee, a seasoned expert on marriage education, led The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy for the Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government. In describing the activity of researchers during the last few decades, Sollee explained, “They found out there is no compatible couple. All couples disagree the same amount.” Furthermore, Sollee made the following pronouncement:
“The experts also learned there are much better ways to manage - we never use the word resolve - conflict or disagreement in marriage. Even the happily married couples have irreconcilable differences; they just know how to manage them.”
As researchers Stanley and Markman state, “…there is a lot of reason to believe that what couples argue about is not as important as how they argue…” (“Facts About”) Wise couples manage crisis by loving despite disagreement.
In addition, enduring marriages manage crisis by restoring broken trust. Infidelity occurs in many couples’ lives. In the interview commissioned by PARADE Magazine, 19% of men and 11% of women admitted to marital infidelity. (“The Truth”) For many of these couples, infidelity could signal the end; according to a 2003 study published in the Journal of Family Issues, “Infidelity was the most commonly reported cause [of divorce], followed by incompatibility, drinking or drug use, and growing apart.” (Amato & Previti 602) However, infidelity is not necessary the end. Writing in His Needs, Her Needs, Willard F. Harley offers hope based on his experience:
“Retraining is possible at any time. For that reason I believe marriages that have been torpedoed by affairs need not sink. They can be towed into drydock, repaired, and refitted. Once refitted, they will sail farther and faster than at any previous time.” (18-19)
Although marriage does not always include adultery, marriage always includes disappointment. Wise couples seek to restore trust when crises come.
In addition to togetherness and flexibility, a healthy marriage is marked by complementariness. In a healthy marriage, the two spouses help meet the needs of both by offering specialized contributions. For example, marriage is safeguarded when one spouse wins the bread. In an article published in the Journal of Marriage and Family in 2004, Stacy J. Rogers reviewed the findings of studies over the last decade on the relationship between spouse employment and marriage health. Rogers states, "The present research suggests that access to similar levels of economic resources may facilitate divorce for unhappy spouses." (73) Based on Roger’s summary of past research findings, divorce is statistically more likely if both spouses share the load than if the wife is the source of income. Marriage is more durable with complementariness.
Complementariness, flexibility and togetherness are factors that cultivate romance. Premarital purity and preparation are factors that initiate health in marriage. If these are the factors that initiate and cultivate marriage, how should churches minister to couples?
Local churches can take two steps to facilitate the development of healthy marriages. First, the local church can offer premarital education. The 1999 study by Williams et al. identified effective elements of premarital education. Premarital education should include three formats: “…private sessions with clergy, weekend programs, and private meetings with married couples…” (281) The clergy should join the team of education providers; the findings suggest “that the absence of clergy involvement in marriage preparation in a church setting may be detrimental.” (279) The weekend programs should total eight to nine sessions, and the programs should include instruction on, among other topics, “communication, commitment, conflict resolution, children, and church.” (281-282) The church leaders should select and equip wise couples to act as marriage mentors; the participants in the study credited mentor couples with the most helpfulness. During the premarital education experience, there should be time devoted for couples to learn about and bond with one another. According to the study, “[d]iscussion time with their partner and using a premarital inventory were the most helpful program components…” (281)
In addition to premarital education, local churches can offer post-marital support. I do not know the best way to organize date nights, retreats, and reconciliation; however, I do know that organizing each would serve couples in several ways. Date nights help couples emote and play together. Retreats allow couples to relax, to remember truths from their marriage education, to review the state of their marriages and to refine their vision for the future. Reconciliatory counseling helps couples manage crises. According to Williams et al., “…the literature suggests couples may be more open to instruction after the wedding…” (280) With support before and after marriage, churches can help couples initiate and cultivate romance.
This ministry is not widely offered. According to a study published in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, only 16% of conservative Protestants attend a church that offers traditional marriage ministry. The researchers noted, “…[O]ur results suggest that only a small minority of churches have reacted to the changes and challenges of contemporary American family life by establishing family ministries in their own congregations.” (Wilcox, Chaves & Franz 2004:496) Most local churches offer little to help facilitate lasting romance in marriage.
One movement, however, is mobilizing local congregations. The movement is centered on the strategy called Community Marriage Policy. The word refers to an policy toward marriage agreed upon by a community’s churches. To create a Community Marriage Policy (CMP), “Clergy join together across denominational and racial lines and sign a public covenant on the courthouse steps to make healthy marriages a priority in their congregations.” (“2. What Is”)
Although the covenant’s details are region specific, the basic model is holistic, delivering premarital training and post-marital support. The churches commit to marry couples who have received premarital preparation. The church commits to administer a premarital relationship inventory, to communicate conflict resolution and to share biblical marriage principles. After the wedding, the couple joins other couples for enriching events, such as weekly date nights or retreats. In addition, the church agrees to pair troubled marriages with seasoned mentor couples. Finally, the church leaders “create a Stepfamily Support Group to assist couples with stepchildren…” (“3. What”) To help in these steps, church leaders agree to help professionally train mentor couples. (“3. What”)
The results are lovely for two reasons. First, church leaders are on the move. In October of 2007, ABC News began a series entitled “Key to Success” that featured “creative solutions to entrenched problems in this country.” In the first installment of the series, ABC News reported, “There are now more than 200 community marriage policies in place across the country.” (“Community Marriage”)
Second, marriages are flourishing. In March of 2001, former Deputy Assistant Health and Human Services Secretary, Patrick S. Fagan, Ph.D., commented as follows:
“In over 135 cities around the country where Community Marriage Covenants have been signed by clergy, congregations, and civic leaders, divorce rates are falling dramatically. In Modesto, California, for example, the divorce rate has plummeted 47.6 percent since 1986, when 95 pastors signed America's first Community Marriage Policy.”
The Institute for Research and Evaluation analyzed divorce rates in counties with Community Marriage Policies. The researchers were able to discern a statistically significant, causal relationship between the institution of Community Marriage Policies and declines in divorce rates. According to the March 2004 report, “31,000 divorces are being avoided in 114 cities/counties with a Community Marriage Policy.” (Birch, Weed & Olsen) When local church leaders concentrate and collaborate on marriage, they facilitate lasting love.
In light of the importance of marriage, this paper has examined the basic factors and the church’s role in the initiation and cultivation of marital bliss. As a couple moves toward marriage, they set their course in the direction of lasting love by waiting for sex and preparing for marriage. When married, wise spouses worship, play and plan in unison. Happy wives and husbands mitigate and manage disagreements and disappointments. Smart spouses also complement the marriage with unique contributions. Before and after the wedding day, the church can facilitate the journey toward lasting love.
Works Cited
“2.What is a Community Marriage Policy®?” Marriage Savers. Accessed November 13, 2008. <http://www.marriagesavers.org/sitems/SavingMarriages/whatisacmp.htm>
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