War Cry - February, 2014 Page 20

t weddings you tend to hear a lot of beautiful words

about love and marriage. Such words have become tradi-
tional at weddings, but they describe love in a way that is totally
different from what the words were meant to describe. It seems
disingenuous to use traditional words in traditional ways, when

love and marriage today seems so different from what marriage looked like 50
years ago, not to mention that modern marriage is an entirely different institu-
tion from what is described in the Bible, particularly Paul's description in his bib-
lical letters.

The problem is that in the 21st century, Paul's words are often taken out of

context and blindly applied to words that don't mean the same things today. It is
assumed that when Paul discusses love in 1 Corinthians 13, for example, he is
describing what happens between two people when they fall in love, and as
such, it makes sense to read those words at a wedding.

But when we read, "love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful;

arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not
irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing
but rejoices in truth," Paul isn't talking about "love" as we
know it today � think about those words � do they de-
scribe the typical marriage to you? Does it
even resemble falling in love? Who's re-
ally patient in waiting for love?

Paul's words are poetic and pret-

ty, but they do not describe a
love that's attain-
able or sustainable
in a marriage by
human effort. They
set an unreason-
able expectation
for what happens
within a marriage,
and the unprepared newlyweds seem
blindsided once the honeymoon is
over. When Paul discusses marriage in
the Bible, love is not mentioned. Let
that sink in: in the

fi rst century, love and marriage were totally unrelated things.

There was no expectation of love within a marriage; falling in love was consid-
ered insanity and not something on which to base such an important decision as
whom to marry.

Unfortunately, as many

fi nd out when they get married, the fun insanity of

falling in love eventually ends. What we're left with is what Paul actually says
about marriage: "Those who marry will experience distress in this life" (1 Cor.
7:29). Honestly, that's more accurate to what marriage actually is, and that's the
beauty that a wedding celebrates.

W W W . S A I N T E R S E C T I O N . O R G

Vantage Point

It's been 30 years since Tina Turner

asked the question,

"What's love got

to do with it?" Some people may be
asking the same question � people
facing scorned or unrequited love
often view the month of February
with chagrin or hopelessness.

We attempt to answer Turner's ques-
tion in this issue with our feature article,
"Love and Marriage." Using a familiar
passage of Scripture heard often at
weddings, Cara Rockhill addresses the
intersection of love and marriage from a
slightly different angle. Perhaps there's
something more to marriage than fairy
tale weddings and starry-eyed brides...

We're also excited to review Joshua
DuBois' new book, The President's
Devotional. As President Obama's
"pastor-in-chief," DuBois sent the
president an email every morning
that contained a short devotional
thought and a Scripture reference.
We think that this book can offer
something to every reader.

It is our hope that February is a good
month for you and if you need a spiritual
lift, then perhaps you can

fi nd it within

these pages.

@rreardondc

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