Fred and Edwina Creel

Married January 5th, 1947

Successful  Marriage

I Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Even dating and marriage? Yes !!!!!

This lesson is for those who would realize the REAL benefits of maintaining a constant, right relationship with God - Those who want the most out of life that can be given them by their Creator.

1.   Don’t succumb to the temptation to relax your Christian standards for a while with the intent of resuming them later. (Even if you do resume them later, there will be scars and you will have wasted a valuable portion of your life.)

A.  Seeking a worldly environment in which to further a romance, will lead to unchristian elements in the marriage!  The law of sowing and reaping works here too.

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

B.  Engaging in unchristian conduct is damaging to human relationships and DEADLY to a divine relationship.

C.  Obtaining concessions from a prospective spouse will plant doubts which can NEVER be completely removed. (Were these concessions made to others too?)

II   The Big Day Arrives - The Wedding

A.  Like the Marriage of the Lamb, it should be a time of rejoicing. Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. Prov 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing and obtaineth  favour of the LORD

1. Because the partners are READY - All doubts settled.

2. All selfish reservations done away - If you aren’t TOTALLY committed to marriage and to one another - you are NOT ready.

3. The vows - not only accepted, but eagerly GRASPED.

4. Ready to merge your individuality and become half of a new unit. THIS IS REAL CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE.

III   Now the MARRIAGE begins. (It will take the rest of your life to complete it successfully.)

A.  “As long as you both shall live.” Not just words used to fill out the ceremony.

Eccl 9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.

Prov 5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth

19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

B.  EACH must be willing to assume Biblical responsibilities.

1.  Husband is the head.

I Cor 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of  every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the
head of  Christ is God

Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. This works ONLY as the husband also recognizes HIS head, which is Christ.

a.  Husband must be willing to BE the head and the wife must be willing to let him.

b.  Two heads are NOT better than one! James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

2.  Husband must assume position as Protector.

1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye  husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that  your prayers be not hindered. Protector from ALL things, both without and within the home, including his own unreasonable demands, demands of family,  even children and her own self-sacrificing
nature. Also protective during those times when physical or emotional stress make her act somewhat less than your dream-girl.

C.  Christian wife is to obey her husband - “IN THE LORD”

Eph 5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

Col 3:18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

1 Peter 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in  subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

D.  This does NOT mean she is to follow mindlessly into wrong paths. Consider Nabal and Abigail- I Samuel 25. Also Ananias and Sapphira - Acts 5.

E.  Mutual concern is of PRIME importance.

1 Cor 7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.

4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. When each lives for the other, selfish
divisions cannot occur.

F.  Husbands, be not bitter against your wife.

Col 3:19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. If bitterness grieves the Holy Spirit in other relationships, how much more in the most sacred relationship of all.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31 Let all  Bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice.

G.  The spirit of forgiveness

( Matt 18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

Matt 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven)  is not To be laid aside when the marriage vows are said.