Theology & Marriage

 Where is the connection?

Theology

Theology is the theory of Christianity as a religion. It is reading the Bible by the letter of the word about God as the Sovereign Judge, Ruler, and King (Isaiah 33:22, Amplified Bible).  For this reason, we see a lot of death in the Old Testament. On the Day of the Old Testament Pentecost when the Law was given, three thousand people died (Exodus 32:28, NKJV).

However, God has never intended for us to relate to Him as a far and remote God Who is aloof and hard. As stated in Hosea 6:6 (Living Bible),

“I don’t want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don’t want your offerings—I want you to know me.”

God wants us to know Him as our loving Father Who Himself tenderly loves us (John 16:27, Amplified Bible). To this end, God gave us the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit to read the Holy Scriptures by the Spirit of His love. On the Day of the New Testament Pentecost when the blessed Holy Spirit came like a rushing violent wind to fill the 120 disciples,  three thousand souls were saved (Acts 2:1-2, 41, NKJV).  It goes to show that the letter of the Law kills but the Spirit of God’s love gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6, NKJV).

Do not get me wrong. Theology has its place. But when we get too entangled with just what God said without knowing the why, we miss the point of what He has been trying to get across to us (“a cross”; every pun intended). God has given us the Cross to let us know that,

“God hates sin but loves sinners”.

As the apostle John said in 1 John 4:10 (NKJV),

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Theology helps us appreciate the truth of just how privileged we are to be called the children of God (1 John 3:1, NKJV).

 

 

Marriage

If theology refers to the study of Christianity as a religion, what is the word for the study of God’s love?

The closest is the word “erotology”, which is defined as the science of love. But it is more a study of sexual love and behavior than love itself. The only word that one can think of is “MARRIAGE”!

This is because love cannot be studied like a topic or subject. Love is to be tasted or experienced. “Taste and see that the Lord is good for it is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance” (Psalm 34; Romans 2:4, NKJV). We need to be willing to receive and experience the love of God through Christ crucified for ourselves. And that willingness comes by hearing, and hearing of the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17, NKJV). This is where believers come in as ambassadors for Christ to use their gifts and calling of God for the spreading of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:20, NKJV). And the Lord directed those who preach the Gospel to get their living from the Gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14, Amplified Bible).

The Bible depicts the loving relationship between believers and Jesus as that of the Bride and Bridegroom (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 19:7, NKJV). Christianity is a familial relationship with God the Father by the marriage of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32, NKJV).

There is no other union or fusion of two living beings that is so intrinsically intertwined than marriage in which two becomes one flesh (Genesis 2:24, NKJV). It is like sticking two pieces of paper together with super glue. When you tear them apart, remnants of one will remain in the other.

Sex is a biological need. Love, on the other hand, is the LIFE that sustains the very heart or essence of a person. Jesus is the Life, the Way, and the Truth. No one can ever come to know the width and length and depth and height of God’s love except through Christ Jesus (John 14:6; Ephesians 3:18-19, NKJV).