BOOK INTRODUCTION: Relationships, Dating, and Marriage By: Pastor Robert R. McLaughlin
How to Have a Successful Marriage Introduction The Word of God has much to say about the subject of Relationships, Dating, and Marriage. For starters, it is interesting to note that God the Holy Spirit chose the apostle Paul, who was a bachelor, to be the greatest expert on marriage in all of human history. Since Paul received his knowledge through Divine revelation and not human experience, he is automatically a proficient authority on the subject. Experienced lovers are terrible lovers and the Bible even teaches that experience in "love" usually connotes failure and no capacity. Many born again believers today make a terrible mistake in their choice of a lifetime partner because they have not learned the principles of Bible doctrine relating to marriage. Sometimes a marriage may start out as a good marriage, but that marriage breaks down because of failure in the spiritual life. Once that failure occurs, it's all over even though they may stay together. One of the major problems in marriage is the fact that people expect more from it than what God designed it for. There are a lot of cornball views in the world today regarding relationships that are diametrically opposed to 2 the Christian way of life. One view that many individuals have is that marriage is the ultimate in happiness. Another worldly view is to marry for money and sadly, some women are just looking for a meal ticket or a sugar daddy; anything that will give them a lifelong opportunity to be lazy. Likewise, there are even men who marry women for their money. So let me give you an application here: If you are a woman with money, never marry a man who doesn't have money unless you have consulted a lawyer and prepared a prenuptial contract so that your money is always protected. Remember that just because a person is a nice Christian with a sweet face who utters a lot of platitudes and shows you a notebook full of doctrinal teaching, do not assume that he is not after your money - or something else. Instead, take a good look at the situation and make sure that nothing is going to interfere with your relationship with God. This book was not written to condemn you or to make you feel guilty about yourself or your situation; rather, it was written to help you. Your marriage, your relationships, and your dating choices are between you and the Lord. Whatever your status may be- married and divorced, divorced and remarried, single and hoping, and even single and lusting-whatever it is, it is between you and the Lord.