Walk into any bookstore, Christian or secular, and you are bound to find hundreds of titles dealing with the topic of marriage. Whatever your difficulty in marriage, you are bound to find the perfect solution to it in one of the books.
This type of reasoning is the very reason there is so much marital strife in the world these days. Instead of the Bible, with its emphasis on the Person of Jesus Christ, even Christians are looking, not for literal Facts, but leaning on their feelings instead.
The marriage issue is but one “life issue” that is dealt with in this manner. Most things are dealt with a “me first” manner.
This is dangerous thinking indeed. Instead of theology pointing to the finished work of Jesus, much of professing Christianity instead looks to what satisfies self. I like to call this thinking, “MEOLOGY!”
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. – 2 Timothy 3:1-5
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4
The Church, which is supposed to be the “pillar and ground of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15),” has become a haven for everything that is wrong with it, as well as society in general.
This ought not to be so. What the Church needs most is the Gospel. Yes, the Gospel is not just for sinners. The Gospel is indeed our life! It is not something that we hear and then forget about it as we endeavor to do “greater” things. The Gospel is the “Greatest Thing,” period! Without it, we could do nothing.
We have replaced the Good News of the Gospel with three-point applications on how you can improve your life. This is cyclical and covers the same things over and over. If there is anything to be covered repeatedly it is the fact of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. Only through His Work can we be justified (judicially declared righteous by God), sanctified and glorified. We cannot do it. It’s only through His mercy and grace.
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: – 1 Corinthian 15:1-4
In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, – Ephesians 1:13
Bob Picard,
Pastor, God’s Grace Bible Church
Millbury, Massachusetts
SUPPLY OF GRACE 
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