Letters    

ON THE DUTY OF A HUSBAND

Dear J. G.                                                                                                          March 3, 1987

     ...There are times in the life of believers when brethren must withstand one another on account of wrong, and it is at such times that only dear friends will wound us. So, Paul withstood Peter, and did it at the risk of losing his friendship. Nevertheless, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Proverbs 27:6).

      J., Moses declares that a part of God's curse upon Eve for her part in the sin in the Garden was "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Genesis 3:16b). Ever since that time, it has been natural, as a consequence of the Fall, that a woman finds her protection and safety in her husband, and desires that he "rule over" her. It is a perversion of the divine order since the Fall, for a woman to desire to be independent of her husband. I, therefore, believe that P. is crying out for you to exercise that lordship.

      J., it is sin for you to constantly give in to your wife in order to have peace in the family. It is a perversion of God's order since the Fall; and I will issue you a warning: I am very fearful if you continue doing so, instead of making peace in the family, I am very much afraid, it may destroy your family.

    My brother, "Meekness is not weakness," and it is a sign of weakness for you to constantly blame yourself for your wife's rebellion. Frances Quarles once wrote:

Ill thrives the hapless family that shows  
A cock that's silent, and a hen that crows.  
I know not which live most unnatural lives:  
Obeying husbands, or commanding wives.

     May our precious Lord cause you to "quit yourself like a man, and be strong" not by constraint, but willingly, for Jesus' sake.

ON THE DUTY OF A WIFE

Dear P. G.                                                                                                         March 3, 1987

      ...P., you are my sister in Christ. You are intelligent and possess an extraordinarily excellent personality; but there is a war going on in your heart, and that war is affecting the lives of everyone around you. How many years must pass before you are willing to bow in humble adoration before the Word of God? Solomon wrote, "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands" (Proverbs 14:1); and you, P., will be such a foolish woman if you will destroy your Christian home before you will be obedient to Scripture.

     Peter declares that instead of arraying herself with gold, pearls, or costly dress, a godly woman is to adorn herself with "a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (I Peter 3:4b). Why do you despise such an ornament as a "meek and quiet spirit" when God esteems it to be "of great price"?

     Peter further declares that after this manner did the holy women of old adorn themselves "being in subjection unto their own husbands" (vs. 5). The Apostle, then, uses Sarah as just such an illustration, for she respected her husband so much that she called him her "lord" (vs. 6a). If this was the opinion of a man, it could be dismissed, but it is evident from your restlessness, and your peacelessness, and from your unhappiness that God has already testified to your conscience what is right. Why will you persist to "kick against the pricks" (Acts 9:5)? May God give you grace to repent, and to do right for the sake of Him Who loved you and gave Himself for you. With mountains of love for you, and with oceans of concern.

OF BIRTH CONTROL

Dear T. L.                                                                                                 September 25, 1985

      When you state that you are a Calvinist, and then ask about birth control, I am somewhat amused. Is it possible to have more children than God gives you? Sterilization, or tying tubes are both radical preventative measures, because they mar the body as designed by God. Your wife should be willing to rejoice in the plan of God.

     God said, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" (Genesis 1:28b). He meant what He said, and He has never annulled this command. In fact, God ordained marriage that He might have a "godly seed" in the earth (Malachi 2:15).

OF BESTIALITY

Dear T. L.                                                                                                September 25, 1985

     __________ is bestial, that is, it is like the beasts because it is to use our bodies in a manner for which they were not designed. To do such is a pervert nature. God designed our bodies to be used in a proper way. I refer you to Malachi 2:15, when the prophet states that God "(made) one", that is, He ordained marriage, "that he might seek a godly seed."

     Our generation has given itself over to evil thinking, and it is precisely this, i.e. evil thinking, that called down the wrath of God upon men before the flood (See: Genesis 6:5,6).

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