Musing once again on marriage
I was just reflecting on the incident of Ashley Madison that has been flaming on Facebook. Singaporeans are currently lobbying against Ashley Madison setting up his Singapore branch of his website here to promote adultery. And this episode got me thinking once again on the model of marriage that God has instituted. Perhaps going back to Genesis 2, we know that God created male and female, for the reason that woman was taken out from man, the man will leave his parents and be united to the woman as one flesh. It is the intention of God that a couple in marriage should not be separated - that it is a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman and we know that it is not his intention for divorces to happen.
Likewise, I found no approval from the Old Testament that a marriage can be anything other than monogamous. I remembered talking to a fellow colleague and we were discussing how Abraham had had many women as his concubines after the death of Sarah and how Solomon had had many concubines as well. But I told him that what the Bible states does not necessarily mean that the Bible approves. It has lately been getting into my heart that the sacred institute of marriage needs to be strong for the well-being of the society. And a weak marriage plagued with extramarital affairs is unlikely to provide the environment for a child to grow up properly. In fact, we know that Exodus 20:14 explicitly commands not to commit adultery. This reminds me, as a single, furthermore to really prepare myself for a strong marriage and not wait for the big day and expect myself to be transformed into a super husband.
But yet this incident also reminds me that Singapore stands at the crossroad of this part of the world, just like how Israel stood at the important junction of the fertile crescent. People are looking at us to see how we handle all these important issues, and I feel that we, as the followers of Christ, need to be out there to present the truth of the word to the world. In incidents such as this, I was heartened to see so many people coming out to speak out for marriage. Indeed, let us continue to pray that we can be the light that shines His truth in a sinful world.
Likewise, I found no approval from the Old Testament that a marriage can be anything other than monogamous. I remembered talking to a fellow colleague and we were discussing how Abraham had had many women as his concubines after the death of Sarah and how Solomon had had many concubines as well. But I told him that what the Bible states does not necessarily mean that the Bible approves. It has lately been getting into my heart that the sacred institute of marriage needs to be strong for the well-being of the society. And a weak marriage plagued with extramarital affairs is unlikely to provide the environment for a child to grow up properly. In fact, we know that Exodus 20:14 explicitly commands not to commit adultery. This reminds me, as a single, furthermore to really prepare myself for a strong marriage and not wait for the big day and expect myself to be transformed into a super husband.
But yet this incident also reminds me that Singapore stands at the crossroad of this part of the world, just like how Israel stood at the important junction of the fertile crescent. People are looking at us to see how we handle all these important issues, and I feel that we, as the followers of Christ, need to be out there to present the truth of the word to the world. In incidents such as this, I was heartened to see so many people coming out to speak out for marriage. Indeed, let us continue to pray that we can be the light that shines His truth in a sinful world.
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