Holy Relationships

INTRO:

Last week Recap:

What is purity - not having any imperfections

God’s unique creation - mankind

God’s special relationship for man and woman - Marriage

God’s special gift within marriage - Sex

Sin twist and distorts God’s design

This week: What was broken at the fall of man in ?

Relationships:

Between Man and God

Between Man and Woman

Between Man and the Earth

From that time on God has led us through the law and prophets in the Old Testament and through Christ in the New Testament of how our relationships are to be between one another and how different they should look from the world’s

1 Peter 1:15 ESV

15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,

1 Peter 1:14-15

Our call is to be holy

What does the word holy mean?

To be set apart, distinct

Even in our relationships with one another we are to be set apart from how the rest of the world is

BIG QUESTION: What does God want us to be? Holy

Our relationships with the opposite sex fall into one of three categories:

Believer and Non-believer

Brother and Sister

Husband and Wife

What does it mean to be a believer or a non-believer?

Believer - Someone who professes Christ as Lord and their life reflects their confession

Non-Believer - Someone who does not profess Christ as Lord or who’s life is not in step with the Gospel

What does the God’s Word say about a believer and non-believer being together?

ESV1 “You shall therefore love the Lord your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.

Deuteronomy 11:1 ESV

1 “You shall therefore love the Lord your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.

Luke 11:28 ESV

28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

ESV28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

What does the God’s Word say about a believer and non-believer being together?

Called to obey God’s commands, that obedience leads to blessings What does God command us about relationships with believers and non believers?

2 Corinthians 6:14 ESV

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

Non-Believers are those in need of the Gospel, and we should see them as such, not someone to date but to share Christ with

Why does it matter if someone is a believer or not?

We are not to engage in romantic relationships with those who are unbelievers Why does it matter if someone is a believer or not?Called to be holy, God’s chosen peopleOur standard is God’s not the world’sDifferent views and beliefsCompromising the Word of GodGo farther physically than you intended Our job is to share the Gospel with those who don’t believe not become romantically involved with them

Called to be holy

Different views and beliefs

Called to be holy, God’s chosen peopleOur standard is God’s not the world’sDifferent views and beliefsCompromising the Word of GodGo farther physically than you intended Our job is to share the Gospel with those who don’t believe not become romantically involved with them

Compromising the Word of God

Go farther physically than you intended

Glove and Mud

Most relationships with the opposite sex will be in this category

What makes a good brother or sister?

Remember we are called to be holy, our relationships look different than the worlds

Have table 1 read

Philippians 2:4 ESV

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Care for another over yourself

can’t be selfish

Have table 2 read

Galatians 6:2 ESV

2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Help each other

there for one another

Have table 3 read

Ephesians 4:32 ESV

32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Be kind and forgiving

different than how the world operates in relationships - You hurt me I hurt you

Have table 4 read

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV

11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Lift each other up

Cheer on one another

Have table 5 read

Romans 12:10 ESV

10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Care for each other as siblings

be there for one another

every part of us is to be focused on God

God has to be the centerpiece of any relationship we enter in

Seek God first and God will provide what you need How we should view other believers in any relationship that isn’t marriage is as a brother or sister What does this look like? Carried out as caring for one another:looking to spiritual growth and closeness to God over each other Song of Solomon gives us this warning 3 times , , Solomon and his bride while they were courting adored each other, but knew the pressures of sin on their relationship and urge others to be obedient in following God in their relationship

ESV4 I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that you not stir up or awaken love until it pleases.

Satan will do what he can to dismantle our relationships and bring separation between us and God

ESV8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Keep Christ at the center of your life to overcome the schemes of the enemyThe Gospel of Christ realigns all our thinking and desires and places Him at the forefrontchanged to seek out others well being over our ownwe live sacrificially as He did

What was God’s special relationship for man and woman?

Marriage

Why is marriage a special relationship for man and woman?

Brings one man and one woman into a commited covenant with each other and with God

Reflects God’s unity in the trinity and His devotion and love for His church

How the Bible describes marriage:

describes God’s design for marriage

Husbands:

Love their wives sacrificially as Christ loved the church and died for it

Give of themselves for the provision and care for the wife as Christ does

Lead in holiness in the home

Wives:

Follow in Christ’s footsteps

Submit to husband’s headship as the Church submits to Christ’s headship

Encourage her husband in holiness

love her husband as the church loves Christ

A unity and mutual care for one another that reveals Christ!

Ephesians 5:22–33 ESV

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

:22-33)

Ephesians 5:22–33 ESV

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

we must be imitators of Godwalking in the grace of His Gospel Then we move into God’s good design for a man and a woman in marriage in Who came first the church or Christ?Jesus initiated, church responded Men initiate women respond Husbands:love your wives as Christ loved the churchsacrificing yourself for herdie to self just as Christ didLead the home in spiritual truth Wives:Submit to the husbands headshipglad submission to his provisionAs the church submits to Christ

Walk in step with the Gospel

Place God at the forefront

Guys:

See girls as your sister unless you are married

Look out for them

Lead in holiness and righteousness

Don’t pursue a girl unless you want her to be your wife

Don’t play with her heart

Place Godly men in your life to give guidance

Be submissive to the Gospel and trust in God’s design

Lay down your desires for the glory of Christ in your relationships

Girls:

See boys as your brother unless you are married

Set high standards

know your worth and value to God

Place Godly women in your life to give guidance

Trust in God to provide and give what you need

All relationships believer/ non-believer, brother/sister, and husband/wife are rooted in love

1st Love of Christ, second love for each other - Love the Lord, Love your neighbor

How the Bible defines love:

Have table 6 Read

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 ESV

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

ESV4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love:

Is not self-seeking

Not abusive

One of the most unloving thing to experience is abuse

Abuse in any form is not loving

Does not follow the call of the Gospel

Is the effect of sin in a fallen world

Is not your fault if you’ve experienced it

if you have experienced any abuse talk to someone

it is not your fault

you did nothing wrong

you did not ask for this happen to you

you need help with healing

we want to walk with you through this

Holy Relationships - Wildside

The Believer and Non-Believer

Brother and Sister

Husband and Wife

How Do We Live Holy Relationships?