Marriage was reformed during the protestant reformation. Luther, demonstrated to a new generation what marriage for the glory of God could look like. He said,
Marriage is not a thing of nature but a gift of God, the sweetest, the dearest, and the purest life above all celibacy and singleness, when it turns out well, though the very devil if it does not. . . . If then these three remain—fidelity and faith, children and progeny, and the sacrament—it is to be considered to be wholly divine and blessed estate. . . . One should not regard any estate as better in the sight of God than the estate of marriage.[1]
[1] Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, American Edition [Works], ed. Jaroslav Pelikan and Helmut T. Lehmann, 55 vols. (Philadelphia: Mulenberg, 1955), 45:47
3 comments:
Amen!
We should not discount the novelty of what Luther was saying he made this statement in a time monks and priests were still some of the most respected individuals in communities. He was absolutely declaring that marriage was a gift that, from his wording it would seem, is comparable to spiritual gifts as listed in Ephesians.
Thank very insightful. There were so many lessons about how to look at what was happening in my life from a different angle. This really helped. saving my marriage
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