Justification and Marital Problems

The question in this posting is on how the doctrine of justification has application for marital problems.

Firstly, a review of the doctrine of justification. The great point of justification is not a New Testament invention of the apostle Paul but in fact, the great overall point of the entire Scriptural corpus, and founded very specifically in the Person and works of the Lord Jesus Christ, God incarnate.

This doctrine teaches the glorious good news that God in Christ has not only taken the initiative to find a solution to the sin problem of humanity, but, with that very solution, entirely and completely through His Son, the Lord Christ, has also made a way for humanity to be reconciled to Him, with all the benefits of family privileges.

This marvellous doctrine states that God in Christ came to earth. He took upon His divine nature, human nature, with all its frailty and weaknesses, and then bore the entire load of man's wickedness, rebellion, pride, and arrogance upon Himself upon the cross. With that act, His blood shed for fallen humanity took away the curse and punishment of all that is sinful and wicked of man. And, and here's the glory, He then, imputed, or caused it to be credited to all who would believe on Him, His very own righteousness, that righteousness which exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees.

Now, how is this 'alien' righteousness imputed to us? It comes to us through the gospel of Christ preached to us with the power of the Holy Spirit to regenerate and awake faith from the moment of our union with Christ. The precious word of God, and chiefly by the word of Christ, His Person and work is worked upon by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men, and the amazing prophecies of old, of new hearts, hearts of stone being taken out and hearts of flesh created, and a new spirit given, is thus fulfilled.

One who is thus born from above, lives only unto His Master and Lord. Jesus is not just Savior, but Lord, supreme and real Lord of the believer. And through union with Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, the believer has continuous access to the power of Christ residing in their hearts. The power of Christ is the very same power of God's Spirit resurrecting Jesus from the dead.

In that moment of union with Christ, we are regenerated, and identified with Christ, both in His dead, as symbolized by immersion into water, and in His resurrection, as symbolized by us coming out of the water. In that wonderful moment, heaven came down and glory filled our soul. The Mighty God Himself, in Christ, through His Spirit, took residence in our hearts. And because of that, the power of sin was broken.

Yet, as long as we live in this fallen world, with our fallen flesh, we are still having to put to death the lusting of our sinful, fallen, adamic nature, against the new creation nature which God has imparted to us. We are made new creatures in Christ. Our union with Christ is everything!

See how this has preventive as well as prescriptive application to all our problems? So for the husband and wife who are born again from above, and given a new nature in Christ, the difficulties are tremendously lessened because both live unto God, and then unto one another, in a loving and caring relationship with one another. All this as fuelled by the power of God's gracious Spirit within them both. When both are living surrendered lives unto God, it is easy not to get angry, and emotional, and with His presence within, and all the resources of the kingdom available moment by moment for us, we are able to love our spouse without expecting anything in return.

A truly born-again couple in marriage is a marriage made in heaven, and sustained by the resources of heaven.