STUDY 34        
12th Sunday after Trinity        
August 22, 2021
THEME: COVENANT WITH THE LIVING GOD
SUB-THEME 6: Marriage and Covenant with the living God (1)
TOPIC: Marriage from the world’s perspective
TEXT: Gen 24:1-20; 50-67.

AIMS:                       
i.    to teach the various practice of marriage in contemporary society and 
ii.    to teach how Christians can exemplify the principle of monogamy.

INTRODUCTION: According to Webster Dictionary, Marriage is the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife.  From the global context, there are various types of marriage- Monogamy: Marriage between a man and a woman at a time; Polygamy:marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time; Polyandry: the state or practice of having more than one husband or male mate at one time; Polygyny: the state or practice of having more than one wife or female mate at a time; Contract marriage: A marriage that is meant to last for a certain period of time with conditions. Apart from these, there are such erroneous forms of marriage that are contrary to defined human principles of marriage such as:  Bestiality: sexual relations between a human being and a lower animal; Homosexuality: erotic activity or marriage with another person of the same sex; Lesbianism: homosexuality between females; Gay: homosexuality between males; Incest:sexual relationship between persons so closely related that they are forbidden by law to marry. How have all these forms impacted on the society and the Church of God positively or negatively?

STUDY GUIDE: 
1.    Define Marriage in the most accepted global perspective. Gen 2:22-24.
2.    Mention some of the global practice of marriage and their implication or effect on the society and the Church of God.  Gen 21:9-14
3.    Present some of the erroneous types of marriage in the contemporary world and explain their negative impact on society and the Church of God- Lev 20:11-21
4.    How can Christians demonstrate their belief and practice of monogamy in the midst of a morally decadent generation?  1Cor 6:18; 6:12-13; 1Th 4:3-5; Heb 13:4

CONCLUSION: The dictionary definition of marriage is in line with the biblical principle of Marriage as instituted by God- One man to one woman. Any variance is a principled variation to please the inordinate urge of humans. Christians beware!!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:  The global chaos in marriage is a result of global moral decadence.

MEMORY VERSE: Matt 19:5 “For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh”.