Marriage as a Gospel Magnifying Glass

Beyond the books and conferences on theology and relationships is a seldom visited world called Reality. Unlike the television "genre" that hijacked the name, this place is real.

With marriage as my passport, I have traveled to this land many times and found my home there. This passport has forced me out of my neat theological ideas and cute, fantastical thoughts (the kinds where I picture myself as the greatest guy in the world, waxing eloquent and romantic words while I lovingly serve my wife as Christ did the Church).

Marriage magnifies the Gospel: I am a sinner. I need Jesus.

Marriage is like the red ink on a D+ paper. You are able to see your mistakes...a lot. Marriage shatters my rose-colored glass view of myself and I see my errors and inadequacies, which are usually fueled by my selfish motives/idolatry (Read Romans 1).

In this way, marriage is similar to the Gospel: our sin is exposed for what it is and we realize that there is absolutely no way that we can do this on our own. We cannot live righteously apart from Jesus Christ. His sacrifice and atonement on the cross is the only way possible for us to be forgiven, justified, and cleansed of all unrighteousness. In addition, we receive the righteousness of Christ instead!

Grace is poured out to the saints in the Lord Jesus Christ who cling to the cross as their only true means of life and right standing with God. In marriage, we can model the Gospel to the world and to one another. My wife is a gracious woman, especially when it comes to dealing with me. She forgives me and reminds me of the forgiveness I have received from God. She is hopeful for my life as a new man, rather than the old man (2 Corinthians 5:17). She even loves me enough to say the difficult truths so I can pursue holiness, rather than mere happiness. Together we can show the world that the cross of Jesus Christ is the only REAL way that messed up people can love each other for a lifetime! All of this grace poured out is the fuel for godly living. This grace-fuel precedes any hope of "[Loving my wife] as Christ loves the Church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25).

Reality is taking the theological ideas and living them out. You'll know it's happening when there is an appropriate and simultaneous amount of pain and joy!

Painting Galaxies: Redeeming Culture with the Gospel

So for about two years, my blog has been named Painting Galaxies. I had no good reason for the title other than I thought it sounded cool and captured a creativity that I possess but have difficulty harnessing.

God, in his grace, has recently shown me a new aspect of the title, Painting Galaxies, which has set me a new direction for this blog*. It has to do with what the body of Christ should do to culture: Redeem it. This shows up in a powerful way in Acts 19 when the idol-makers of Ephesus are outraged that the truth of Jesus has shut down their business. CRAZY! Christians changed the economy!!!

This radical, Gospel-centered, Christ-exalting purpose for the Church has not changed. We need to be doing this in our jobs, with our marriages, with our investments, friendships, free time, Facebook accounts, and care for the poor.

Like the Church in Acts 19, saying "no" is only half the witness. In fact, the more powerful witness is what we say "yes" to.

Turn from the idols of culture and run to Jesus. He is the only King.

* Lord willing, I plan to blog a series on different ways we can redeem culture called, "REDEEM IT"