First Southern Baptist Church

Be committed to God and His Word.

The first problems in marriage never came until their commitment to keep God’s word failed.  When they sinned against God they began to blame each other. 

There has never been a couple fail that both kept God’s word.

Lack of commitment to God leads to lack of a successful marriage.

Don’t be first committed to each other, be first committed to God and His Word.

“I love God, but I don’t know about that Bible.”  That does not work.  Not being committed to the Word of God is not being committed to God.

When a problem with God arises, a problem in marriage is more likely to arise.

Since God created and designed marriage, then his word is the manual on it. 

Be committed to each other.

Adam and Eve had their first difficulty when they began to look at each others faults intead of their own.

1. Admit your faults

Don’t just admit them in a “fine you’re right attitude.”

Don’t just ignore them.

2. Don’t blame the other for the way your marriage is.

Forgiveness is needed often to be committed to each other.

Forgiveness does not come by blaming others.

Don’t be against each other.

When one is to blame there is usually fault with both.

Be committed to the Gospel.

If you don’t know it you can’t live it.

If we don’t live the Gospel, how can we communicate the gospel to others.

Be communicating always.

1. Communicate with each other.

• I don’t know for sure but it looks like there may have been a communication problem with Adam and Eve.

• Failure to communicate with each other leads to major problems.

2. Communicate with God.

There are things that are fire retardant and there are other things that are flammable.

Some people are throwing gasoline on their marriage while others are protecting them with flame retardant. (use fire extinguisher & gasoline jug)

A Fireproof marriage is a God blessed marriage.

Marriage is Good

• Marriage is not a curse it is a gift from God.

• prov. 18.22 When a man finds a wife, he finds a good thing.

• We live in a fallen world.

• Men and women are different.

It is an act of God’s grace that any marriage hold together.

• When we make our marriage vows “until death do us part,” we are saying something we are unable to keep without God’s help.

• In every marriage both partners have done something that could be worthy of separation.

• None of us deserve for our marriage to work, because we have all sinned against our spouse in one way or another.

• Marriage is one imperfect person married to another. That marriage would work at all is God’s blessing.

• Since we have all sinned even in marriage and if it is still together it is only because of God.

What is the purpose of marriage?

Why should I strive to make my marriage better?

A Fireproof marriage is a marriage lived for God’s purpose.

The first time something wasn’t good was Adam being by himself. Gen. 2

Knowing the purpose is important, because if you use it for the wrong purpose it will destroy it. Screwdrivers are not made for prying. Knives are not made for being a screwdrivers. Wrenches are not hammers. Credit Cards are not meant for opening locked doors. When you use something for the wrong purpose you can break it. If you break it, it will no longer be good for the purpose it was made.

In order to live for God’s purpose we have to know what his purpose is.

1. God’s purpose is for companionship. – Adam had no one. 18

2. God’s purpose is for sex – children,

3. God’s purpose is his glory. God designed marriage most of all to tell us something about him.

• “A society that disbelieves in God will eventually disbelieve in marriage.”
• “Marriage is about our happiness, our holiness, and our wholeness–but it is supremely about the glory of God. When marriage is entered into rightly, when marriage vows are kept with purity, when all the goods of marriage are enjoyed in their proper place–God is glorified.” Albert Mohler