David Koberstein
Active member
Scripture teaches that, of all human institutions, marriage is the relationship the God speaks of as the most representing His relationship
with His people (Isaiah 62:4-5); Ephesians 5:31-32). From Eden until today, marriage is, therefore, the most attacked and misunderstood
institution, resulting so often in frustration and failure, as well as being the object of mockery in a cynically divided and defiled society.
Nonetheless, marriage remains the most important of relationships to anchor a wholesome and growing society from generation to
generation. Society becomes community when it is made up of healthy marriages and families. But it takes spiritually healthy individuals
to have spiritually healthy relationships of any kind, and healthy relationships are essential to having a healthy community. The more intimate
and committed the relationship's nature, the healthier the individuals must be in order to attain that healthy relationship. God's desire when
He created us in His own unique corporate image was for us to be eternally committed and joined with Him and with one another in His
covenantal bond of shared life and love.
The health of the Messianic marriage, and relationships in general, we therefore need to understand them from the point of view of the creation
of marriage by the Creator in the book of Genesis. Yeshua utilized teaching from Genesis several times in His ministry, as did the writers of the
New Covenant when they spoke of marriage. We need to understand the importance of this biblical foundation for all relationships in society,
and especially the most important, most intimate relationship---marriage.
The health of the Messianic marriage has impact far beyond the home. Messianic congregations are built on the solid foundation of its member
marriages. A congregation----Messianic or otherwise----is made up of families and can be no stronger than the families that make it up.
Strong marriages in Messiah are necessary for strong Messianic homes and a strong Messianic congregation. And regardless of the Jewish
or any other---cultural expression of marriage, the relationship must be built upon Yeshua the Messiah and must be lived by His Scriptural
values to be a testimony of His faithful love for " the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:6) and to guard the unity of Jew and
Gentile within the community (John 17:20-23; Ephesians 4:1-6). Healthy Messianic communities must have committed, grace-filled Messianic
families that reflect God's redemptive plan and perfecting love relationship with His people. To become healthy individuals, let's go back to
the "Owner's Manual" to discover just what it means to become healthy individuals engaged in healthy relationships for a healthy community.
Furthermore, by "Messianic marriage" I refer to those couples that not only trust in and follow Yeshua as Messiah, Lord, and Saviour and fully accept
a whole-Bible view of truth, but also embrace God's faithfulness to Israel by praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6; Romans 10:1), as well
as all people ( I Timothy 2:1) They are a witness "to the Jew first," as well as equally to the Gentile, and therefore live out a lifestyle that is not only
Messiah-centered, but a clear Messianic witness to Israel. This Messianic witness utilizes the celebration of the biblical and Jewish holidays
(as opposed to Gentile-cultured holidays such as Christmas and Easter), and it refrains from social matters that would distract the Jewish pre-believer
from the Good News message.
Single people need to know about marriage and the biblical values involved with it so they can both pray and counsel married couples. Some
may wonder if single people can counsel married people. We need to look no further than Scripture for the answer to this question. Paul was
single, Yeshua was single, and being single didn't seem to hamper them from authoritatively teaching on the subject. Being married is not a
qualification for marriage counseling, and being single doesn't disqualify a person from being a counselor to those who are married, any more
than a heart surgeon would be disqualified for not having heart disease. Effective counseling requires a proper biblical understanding, not merely
having experience in marriage. Experience in marriage may give you compassion for other couples but doesn't necessarily give you the skills to
teach on marriage. There is a great need for single people to be enabled and prepared to understand the issues of marriage from God's Word,
even if they are never called by God to be married.
Regarding the "Messianic" terminology, the word "Messiah" (Hebrew: Mashiach) means the Anointed One, and is the dynamic equivalent to the
word "Christ" (Greek: Christos). Thus the word "Messianic" is the equivalent of the word "Christian" as commonly understood.
"Messianic" believers express their faith in a more Jewish (or biblically Jewish) frame of reference. "Christian" believers express their faith in a
more Gentile frame of reference, as is common in churches.
Shalom
with His people (Isaiah 62:4-5); Ephesians 5:31-32). From Eden until today, marriage is, therefore, the most attacked and misunderstood
institution, resulting so often in frustration and failure, as well as being the object of mockery in a cynically divided and defiled society.
Nonetheless, marriage remains the most important of relationships to anchor a wholesome and growing society from generation to
generation. Society becomes community when it is made up of healthy marriages and families. But it takes spiritually healthy individuals
to have spiritually healthy relationships of any kind, and healthy relationships are essential to having a healthy community. The more intimate
and committed the relationship's nature, the healthier the individuals must be in order to attain that healthy relationship. God's desire when
He created us in His own unique corporate image was for us to be eternally committed and joined with Him and with one another in His
covenantal bond of shared life and love.
The health of the Messianic marriage, and relationships in general, we therefore need to understand them from the point of view of the creation
of marriage by the Creator in the book of Genesis. Yeshua utilized teaching from Genesis several times in His ministry, as did the writers of the
New Covenant when they spoke of marriage. We need to understand the importance of this biblical foundation for all relationships in society,
and especially the most important, most intimate relationship---marriage.
The health of the Messianic marriage has impact far beyond the home. Messianic congregations are built on the solid foundation of its member
marriages. A congregation----Messianic or otherwise----is made up of families and can be no stronger than the families that make it up.
Strong marriages in Messiah are necessary for strong Messianic homes and a strong Messianic congregation. And regardless of the Jewish
or any other---cultural expression of marriage, the relationship must be built upon Yeshua the Messiah and must be lived by His Scriptural
values to be a testimony of His faithful love for " the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matthew 10:6) and to guard the unity of Jew and
Gentile within the community (John 17:20-23; Ephesians 4:1-6). Healthy Messianic communities must have committed, grace-filled Messianic
families that reflect God's redemptive plan and perfecting love relationship with His people. To become healthy individuals, let's go back to
the "Owner's Manual" to discover just what it means to become healthy individuals engaged in healthy relationships for a healthy community.
Furthermore, by "Messianic marriage" I refer to those couples that not only trust in and follow Yeshua as Messiah, Lord, and Saviour and fully accept
a whole-Bible view of truth, but also embrace God's faithfulness to Israel by praying for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6; Romans 10:1), as well
as all people ( I Timothy 2:1) They are a witness "to the Jew first," as well as equally to the Gentile, and therefore live out a lifestyle that is not only
Messiah-centered, but a clear Messianic witness to Israel. This Messianic witness utilizes the celebration of the biblical and Jewish holidays
(as opposed to Gentile-cultured holidays such as Christmas and Easter), and it refrains from social matters that would distract the Jewish pre-believer
from the Good News message.
Single people need to know about marriage and the biblical values involved with it so they can both pray and counsel married couples. Some
may wonder if single people can counsel married people. We need to look no further than Scripture for the answer to this question. Paul was
single, Yeshua was single, and being single didn't seem to hamper them from authoritatively teaching on the subject. Being married is not a
qualification for marriage counseling, and being single doesn't disqualify a person from being a counselor to those who are married, any more
than a heart surgeon would be disqualified for not having heart disease. Effective counseling requires a proper biblical understanding, not merely
having experience in marriage. Experience in marriage may give you compassion for other couples but doesn't necessarily give you the skills to
teach on marriage. There is a great need for single people to be enabled and prepared to understand the issues of marriage from God's Word,
even if they are never called by God to be married.
Regarding the "Messianic" terminology, the word "Messiah" (Hebrew: Mashiach) means the Anointed One, and is the dynamic equivalent to the
word "Christ" (Greek: Christos). Thus the word "Messianic" is the equivalent of the word "Christian" as commonly understood.
"Messianic" believers express their faith in a more Jewish (or biblically Jewish) frame of reference. "Christian" believers express their faith in a
more Gentile frame of reference, as is common in churches.
Shalom
