A Chapter At A Time

Discussing Sex, God & Marriage
with Johann Christoph Arnold

It's time to revise the book Sex, God and Marriage. It is vitally important to witness to true marriage and family in the world today, so I thought I'd share each chapter on Christian marriage with you as it is re-written. I'll post a chapter every Sunday for the next nineteen weeks. If you follow along, you will not only be able to read the book before it goes to the printer, but you can also leave comments. Your opinions will be appreciated and thoughtfully considered.

- Johann Christoph Arnold

 

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Introduction

Being created in the image of God is the greatest gift that God has given to us. That is why he first created man, and then woman.  He joined them together with the task to be fruitful and multiply and to rule over all of creation. Read more...

Chapter One: In the Image of God

In the story of creation we read that God created humankind – both male and female – in his own image. He blessed them and commanded them to be fruitful and to care for the earth. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. Read more...

Chapter Two: It Is Not Good For Man to Be Alone

There is nothing so difficult to bear as loneliness. Prisoners in solitary confinement rejoice to see a spider – at least it is something alive. God created us as communal beings. Read more...

Chapter Three: They Shall Become One Flesh

In God’s faithfulness we find the strength to let love flow through our lives, and to let our gifts unfold for each other. Read more...

Chapter Four: The First Sin

Still today, Satan wants to separate us from God and from other people. He does this by asking seemingly innocent questions that sow seeds of mistrust in our hearts. Read more...

Chapter Five: Restoring the Image of God

In Jesus there is life, love, and light. In him our lives and our relationships can be purified from all that burdens us and opposes love, and God’s image in us can be restored. Read more...

Chapter Six: Sexuality and the Sensuous Sphere

God created us as sensuous beings. The scent of a flower, the warmth of the sun, or a baby’s first smile brings us joy. To this also belongs sexual attraction. God has given us a great gift in our senses, and if we use them to praise and honor him, they can bring us great happiness. Read more...

Chapter Seven: The Pure in Heart

Kierkegaard says that to have a pure heart is to will one thing: God’s will. Impurity, then, is separation from God – the experience of sex away from him, and without his blessing. Read more...

Chapter Eight: Marriage in the Holy Spirit

Every marriage will be tried and tested, but difficult times can actually strengthen a couple’s love for each other. Small acts of love – that is, humble deeds – will pull the marriage through. Too often, we overlook the depth of this truth. Read more...

Chapter Nine: The Mystery of Marriage

"They are joined together in the church of God, joined at the Lord’s table, joined in anxiety, persecution, and recovery. They vie with each other in the service of their Lord."
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Chapter Ten: The Sacredness of Marriage

We can never have too much reverence for the marriage act. Even if we reject prudishness, a feeling of reticence should make us wary of speaking about it to others.
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Chapter Eleven: Parenthood and the Gift of Children

Having children today takes great courage, but that is what faith is all about: not knowing what lies ahead, and still trusting in God.
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Chapter Twelve: The Purity of Childhood

How can we guard our children against this onslaught of evil? For one, we have to see that the atmosphere surrounding them is one of purity and love.
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Chapter Thirteen: For Those Considering Marriage

How, then, should young people today handle the attractions that develop between them? What is the godly approach? And how can they best prepare themselves for the responsibilities of marriage?
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Chapter Fourteen: The Service of Singleness

Ultimately, we have to be willing to be used by God as he wills, and find contentment in whatever circumstances we find ourselves (Phil. 4:11–13). But we should never think that God does not love us.
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Chapter Fifteen: True Education

What is happening in schools today is much more than just a simple presentation of biological facts. Rather, students are being taught to sin in graphic detail.
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Chapter Sixteen: Therefore Let Us Keep Watch

It is the last hour. We must be on the watch continually if we are not to fall under judgment in the last hour of temptation. We need to seek the inner strength and courage to speak up for God and his cause, even if no one seems willing to hear us.
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Chapter Seventeen: Homosexuality and God's Will

The person who turns single-mindedly to Jesus can be helped and freed, whereas the one who is divided in the depths of his heart will never see victory; even the most valiant efforts to resist temptation will frustrate him in an inner way.
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Chapter Eighteen: Abortion

We live in a world opposed to children. And it is not only governments that are at fault. Even churches sanction the murder of unborn children, and turn a blind eye when tiny new lives are destroyed.
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Chapter Nineteen: What About Divorce and Remarriage?

Jesus himself acknowledges that Moses allowed divorce as a concession to Israel's hard-heartedness (Matt. 19:8). But among his own disciples – those of us who claim to be born of the Spirit – hard-heartedness is no longer a valid excuse.
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This concludes this series of articles on Sex, God & Marriage. Our next serial book, posted a chapter at a time, is Why Children Matter.