I have done some articles in the past on marriage, and how in Christ we are one happy bride, and how marriage as we know it is nothing more than man made religion. I have attended many weddings, and at every single one of them the "do's and don't" of Deuteronomy chapter 28 are quoted. "You will be blessed if you do this, but cursed if you do that."

However, the argument that shows up when I present marriage in light of what it is and is not, is: "Well, if marriage stands for nothing and has no meaning, then why don't we all as men and women just go out and have sex, exchange partners and give birth to children from one another?" I am just scratching the surface of the things I have gotten as a response on the subject of marriage. People feel very strongly about morality.

People still feel strongly about traditions and personal beliefs. When the legalistic mind is set on a certain way of thinking and believing, any sort of subject, view and different theological approach to the Gospel that is not according to what people have been taught becomes offensive, and is immediately rejected. For those of us who understand the truth about grace and how in Christ all has been fulfilled, there will always be freedom in our hearts.

But for those who don't see and understand the Gospel of God's grace as many of us have grown and are still growing in the understanding of it, it is poison to their belief system and traditions. Lets just take as one of many hundreds of examples that can be discussed with people who are traditionally set in their religious ways, the subject of "Heaven and Hell." The great majority of all religions, regardless of what that religion may be, still hold to the belief of what the two stand for.

One for everlasting punishment and the other for everlasting peace. The same can be said of marriage. If you have traditionally followed the church rules on marriage and have gone through the formality that is required by the church, and there have been witnesses present for the traditional event, then in the eyes of men one is officially and legally married. But if the marriage has not been in a church, or with a priest nor witnessed and celebrated by others, then the marriage is not officially recognized nor approved of.

It is said that the one was made in heaven and the other one in hell. I am not one to force a person to believe nor change what they believe for the sake of argument. If a person believes that marriage is recognized in the eyes of God by traditional formality, then so be it. If a person believes that there will be a heaven with all sorts of nice things, great places and they will be walking with God and visiting with all of their relatives who have believed and died in the past, so be it.

I personally don't get too bent out of shape if a person believes that they have to believe in order to be saved, just as a person might believe that they don't have to believe in order to be saved. The same can be said of marriage. Some believe that it must be done in a certain traditional way and others don't. Regardless, in heart and in love both the one who believes that it should be done traditionally or not traditionally, still believe that they are married. However, I know this for sure. The one that believes in a heaven and hell is just as saved under grace as the one who doesn't believe.

The one who believes that marriage should be done traditionally according to man's way, is just as much the bride of Christ and as saved by grace as the one who doesn't. The one who believes that one must believe in order to be saved, is just as accepted of God and saved by grace as the one who doesn't. So why write the way I do and the articles I do about all being "Christ-Minus-Me-Plus Nothing?" Simply because there will be many that at some point will understand the Gospel and find freedom here on earth from the enslavement of religion.

However, if during the course of my life many never come to the knowledge of the truth of the liberating Gospel message of Jesus Christ, and continue to believe that it is "Christ-Plus Them-Plus Everything," then they are just as saved by grace as any one of us is. Whether they believe or not that all has been fulfilled in Christ. As I age, and understand more about His grace, and how all are now one family in Him, regardless of who we are and what we know or don't know, do or don't do, behave or don't behave, I find my heart leaning more towards love than debate, understanding than hate, and peace than war. Do I make sense?

I may have written and said many things about many ministries, ministers and their religious doctrines, but I know in my heart that they are just as saved by grace as any one of us. Whether they believe or don't believe that all has been fulfilled and finished at the cross. We "Gracie's" need to be careful that we don't get caught up in the same self-righteous and bias attitude like those who are still preaching legalism:) I thank God for the great things that His grace has taught me, but I need to be careful that I don't see the legalist being any less in the eyes of God than I am. We are all the bride of Christ. :) This is no joke!

Grace N Peace

Eddie