2016 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67



January 27, 2018

Hello, dear ones.

Lots of wind out there, but no rain at present. It is really late—but I will persevere and get out there in a few minutes to do a little old man jog. That’s crazy at 11:13am. Oh well. I think it’s evidence of how taxing this writing routine can be. Whew!

Just for the fun of it, offering a little different slant on this passage, I’m going to stick on as an attachment copy of an unfinished composition from 4 years ago. If I didn’t know that I was the author, I might be tempted to suspicion plagiarism.

Hope you have a great day. Love, Ray.


27 January 2018
Matthew 19:1-15
Focus:“’Haven’t you read the Scriptures about creation?’ Jesus replied. ‘The Creator made us male and female from the very beginning, and “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and live with his wife. And the two will become one flesh.” From then on, they are no longer two, but united as one. So what God unites let no one divide!’”
Matthew 19:4-6 (The Passion Translation)

I could get absolutely carried away in many directions as inspired by this passage. First of all, notice the emphasis Jesus gives to the importance and personal responsibility He ascribes to intelligent humans to read, glean meaning, and believe what the Bible says about what the “Creator” made in “the very beginning.” That premise reveals His ideals and purposes for all things. I like the saying, “If you are able to believe the first verse of the Bible, you are enabled to believing the rest of the Bible.” I have to believe that the elders in heaven see and know far more clearly than any of us are speaking profound truth when they worship and exclaim, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Rev. 4:11, NIV). They not only believed the first verse of the Bible, they also understood the Creator’s overarching purpose—that all creation would glorify Him. Make no mistake about it—you and I were created to worship—to glorify God. So if a person does not believe that “In the beginning God created,” he unwittingly sets himself on a course to violate and pervert God’s original plans and purposes.

Secondly, notice that the first part of this reading features God’s intentions and ideals for the marriage relationship, while the last part focuses on the normal result of that relationship—children. Both represent realities that should cause our minds to stagger with awe and amazement. A sound mind of reason has no room whatsoever for the notion that these phenomena just invented themselves—as overseen by the marvelous goddess “Mother Nature.” But alas!!—that perspective is very popular these days. It’s the understandable worldview alternative for those who reject the first verse of the Bible—then proceed to branch off into all other kinds of perversion. If the ORIGINAL disclosure is to be believed and held as the standard for today, how is it possible to ascribe acceptance or valid nobility to the twisted pursuits of homosexuality, abortion, or gender changes?!

Without going into a lot of technical detail, let me briefly suggest 3 fundamental Bible-based bonds for marriage:

  1. Physical/sexual oneness—intimacy, exclusive, permanence.
  2. Emotional oneness—love, companionship, fellowship.
  3. Worldview oneness—philosophical, mutual goals and priorities.

Now, let me allegorize these principles and suggest that they represent the same basic attitudes essential for being “married” to Christ—relationship with God.

  1. Personal, exclusive, intimate, permanent.
  2. Loving God above all else, communion, companionship, relationship.
  3. Worldview oneness—philosophical, mutual goals and priorities.

I’m now citing Ephesians 5:25-27 as a wrap up: “And to the husbands, you are to demonstrate love for your wives with the same tender devotion that Christ demonstrated to us, his bride. For he died for us, sacrificing himself to make us holy and pure, cleansing us through the showering of the pure water of the Word of God. All that he does in us is designed to make us a mature church for his pleasure, until we become a source of praise to him—glorious and radiant, beautiful and holy, without fault or flaw.” (The Passion Translation)


“Sweet friendships refresh the soul and awaken our hearts with joy,
for good friends are like the anointing oil that yields the fragrant incense of God’s presence.”

Proverbs 27:9 (The Passion Translation)