Marriage Is Honourable in All — Erlo Stegen

We beseech you, Lord, to be in our midst, like at that marriage at Canaan, where the wine got finished, and you created the heavenly wine, and Lord, that this which you've created will not turn a man into a pig.

Marriage Honoured by All

But that this marriage would be good, so that everybody who looks at it will say, You were here. Amen. Our text comes from Hebrews 13 and verse 4. Last night I asked the bridegroom, Is there any verse on your heart for today?

And he said, No, uncle Elo, I leave it over to you. This morning I asked Lord, What do you want for us? And then this verse came to my mind. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all sexually immoral.

Then allow me to read two more verses, even though I won't speak about them. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, because God said, Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.

So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what can man do to me? We'll end reading there. Marriage should be honored by all. We live at a difficult time where relating to marriage is pitch black.

God’s Design for Marriage and the Crisis of Divorce

Actually, marriage was created by God, so that people shouldn't just be one flesh, but one heart and one spirit. But today it's like cat and dog, we know cats and dogs don't get along together. There's divorce, friction, mutual hatred.

Just look how widespread divorce is today. And God said, Death only will separate us. Except if one of the two commits adultery, then the marriage has been torn apart, but then you should not get married again to another person.

Marriage should be respected by everybody. And the marriage bed be kept pure, for God judged the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. God wants man's life to be pure, and the bed must be pure. We've heard, it was said before, that both of them behaved well.

Purity Before Marriage

Both the bride and the bridegroom grew up here, and they kept themselves pure. There was no communication by SMS or letters. But things have gone so rotten today, that even schoolboys will write to girls.

And I say to you young man, if you're troubled by these demons, you should get prayed for, because you're just at school still, but you're already busy with these things. This shouldn't be the case. You need to be prayed for.

And a child, who's still a girl, is still dependent on her parents, but she's got the guts to write to boys, shame on you, that's a disgrace. You need to repent and go to those with whom you've sinned and ask for their forgiveness and apologize.

And say, I apologize, excuse me, because I was busy with filthy things in the presence before the holy countenance of God. There's a big university here in South Africa, and Albie told me about it. And they were busy with research on neuropsychology.

Pornography and the Corruption of the Mind

You know there are many drugs in this world. Now when you use drugs, things get damaged in your brain. And if they would be able to open your head and look at your brain, they will find that things have structurally gone wrong, like somebody's lungs who's been smoking.

But they found that a person who's addicted to pornography, the pornography causes the same changes in the brain that drugs cause in that brain. Now at this particular university, they were busy studying the brain of drug addicts and people addicted to pornography.

And they found that there are structural damage to the brain of a person that watches pornography. They found that the brain of a person that watches pornography has structural damage to the brain. And then they posted this research, these pictures of the brain, on the internet, so that people can see that people that look at pornography in magazines or newspapers, to what extent the damage is on the brain.

Then they thought, well let's take a control group of young girls and boys who have not been exposed to this, to compare the brains. And they said, well let's look at the brain of somebody who's been looking at pornography and compare it with the brain of someone who said, like Job, I made a covenant with my eyes not to look at a girl.

And so they announced to the professors that they are looking for young people who have not been exposed to any pornography. To come forward so that their brains could be studied as well. And when they did this in one of our biggest universities, they were unable to find a single one that's not been involved with pornography.

Those who have studied in tertiary institutions, the doctors and the teachers of our country are rotten. And unless God does something, we are going down the drain. So if you go to a doctor to receive help, a diagnosis and treatment, you go to someone with a damaged brain and defiled hands.

Look at the young boys and girls at school who think, well I'm still okay, meanwhile there's a structural harm and damage to your brain already. So if you go to a doctor to receive help, a diagnosis and treatment, you go to someone with a damaged brain and defiled hands.

So if you go to a doctor to receive help, a diagnosis and treatment, you go to someone with a damaged brain and defiled hands. So if you go to a doctor to receive help, a diagnosis and treatment, you go to someone with a damaged brain and defiled hands.

The White Garment as a Picture of Purity

You see this bride, she's dressed in white, her veil is still intact, it explains and it shows that she is a pure untouched virgin. You see this bride, she's dressed in white, her veil is still intact, it explains and it shows that she is a pure untouched virgin.

So if you go to a doctor to receive help, a diagnosis and treatment, you go to someone with a damaged brain and defiled hands. You young girl who's not even in your teenage years and haven't developed yet, are you dressed before God?

In God's eyes are you dressed in white and are you pure? Or you young man, because God takes thoughts as deeds and maybe before God your grand suit is smelling of chicken dung, it's defiled. You young man, because God takes thoughts as deeds and maybe before God your grand suit is smelling of chicken dung, it's defiled.

You young man, because God takes thoughts as deeds and maybe before God your grand suit is smelling of chicken dung, it's defiled. You young man, because God takes thoughts as deeds and maybe before God your grand suit is smelling of chicken dung, it's defiled.

You young man, because God takes thoughts as deeds and maybe before God your grand suit is smelling of chicken dung, it's defiled. You young bride, even though after this occasion you will take off this white dress, remember in God's eyes you are still dressed in white and even as you go through marriage and remain in marriage you will still be dressed in pure white robes before the eyes of God until he comes to fetch his bride so that everybody should respect you and respect marriage.

New Birth and Heavenly Citizenship

Now I'm going on. And bridegroom, even though you're dressed in a suit now, before God you dress in a white robe. As we read in Revelation, those that crowed dressed in white robes because they had washed it in the blood of the Lamb.

Those that crowed dressed in white robes because they had washed it in the blood of the Lamb. And you, don't think that on your deathbed you'll have to call the pastor and say, Please come and pray for me that I'll have a good death.

No, eternal life does not start the day when you die, it starts the day when you repent, when you get converted and get born again. Otherwise, if you wait for death, you'll die and you'll end up in the flames of hell.

Walk here like a creature of heaven, a citizen of heaven. I don't know whether this is clear because I preach always like this and the next moment you find people going off the road, doing all these kinds of things.

It's a crooked and a perverse generation we're living in. Some whites say, No, that's just for the Zulus, that's the teaching of Kwasisa Bantu. Foolish whites, that's rubbish, that is God's Word, that's the Bible's rules.

I don't know whether this is clear because I preach always like this and the next moment you find people going off the road, doing all these kinds of things. Some people say it's for a certain church.

No, it's not for the Lutherans or for the Shambi or the Zionists or for any specific church. Marriage should be honored by all people. Otherwise, you may be dressed in white outside, but inside you've got white bones.

God’s Judgment on Sexual Immorality

Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterous and all the sexually immoral. I learned Shabin, You here on earth, you can do as you like. You can in secret sleep with another man's wife or you young person, you can stay together and cohabit without being married.

Nobody will take you to court, you won't be dragged before a judge, but there's the judge of all judges who's going to judge you one day. And you widow, God will judge your widowhood whether you've kept it in purity.

There's adultery because a person who sleeps around in marriage is an adulterer. Jesus says if you've looked at a woman and desired her, If you have committed adultery before God, you are guilty, you've slept with her before God.

And you are burying your partner, your husband or your wife. Prostitution is something different. You go around, you make a factory of your body that you sell for profit. That's something else. Marriage should be honoured by all.

And marriage life should be respected and honoured by all, even by the unmarried. Because God will judge those who did not respect and honour the marriage bed. Prostitution is where a person is wallowing in the mud and living immoral.

Then there's another far kind of immorality. Immorality is when a person does not respect and honour the marriage bed. When a person does not respect and honour the marriage bed, he is an immoral person.

When you have sexual intercourse but in a way that will not physically damage your virginity. That is also another form. That is also another form. This person can be a homosexual. This person can be a homosexual.

This person can be a homosexual. And then there's lesbianism, where the butch, the one who takes the role of the man, sits like a man, crosses her legs like a man, orders the other one to make food for her like a man.

The Coming Judgment and the Need for Repentance

That is a crooked, perverse generation. Continue like this. That is a crooked, perverse generation. Remember, there is a day set aside for God to judge you, whether you're a schoolboy, a university student, or after university.

Where God will sit down and judge you and if you are found to be with spots, heaven will spit you out. That is a crooked, perverse generation. And you are an older woman who bring up children without a father because you've lived such a life.

You'll be guilty. These things God will judge and he'll find you guilty, whether you do it alone, in your bedroom, with nobody, doing it to yourself with your hands, it's the same. That is a crooked, perverse generation.

That is a crooked, perverse generation. That is a crooked, perverse generation. That is a crooked, perverse generation. That is a crooked, perverse generation. That is a crooked, perverse generation. That is a crooked, perverse generation.

That is a crooked, perverse generation. That is a crooked, perverse generation. That is a crooked, perverse generation. That is a crooked, perverse generation. Even you, married people, what you do on your marriage bed and in your marriage bed, woe to you if God comes and examines you and finds a blemish on your soul.

Even you, married people, what you do on your marriage bed and in your marriage bed, woe to you if God comes and examines you and finds a blemish on your soul. You can go and get baptized, the water will not wash this away.

You can go forward and give your life to the Lord, it will not wash it away. Only true, deep remorse and true repentance will deal with this. You don't have to confess, just go into your room and confess to God.

You don't have to confess, just go into your room and confess to God. David sinned. He went into his inner room, read the Psalms, what went on through his heart. How he confessed and confessed to God and confessed, but didn't experience relief, how his bones were aching, until he went to the prophet Nathan and said, I've sinned, and then he was forgiven.

Don't go into the church and be preached at by people who just rebel. If you go into your room and you confess there and say, Lord I've sinned, will the Lord accept that? I say you've gone and hidden it there in your room.

If you confess the Lord, you go into your bedroom alone and you confess Him there. But when you sin, you confess in the bedroom alone. Doesn't make sense, does it? Some people are blinded in their minds and they say they're preaching the gospel.

If the blind is leading the blind, they will both fall into a ditch where they can't get out of. Let's stop here. I thought I'd carry on, but it's late. So let marriage be honored by everybody, boys and girls.

Marriage Vows and Accountability Before God

It must be without blemish and spotless. A day has been set aside when God will judge those who are unmarried and those who are married. Bridegroom, do you believe with all your heart that this bride is what God has given to you?

Maybe you didn't hear, he did say yes. Keep this because in eternity this will be a testimony in heaven that you've taken an oath and you've kept it. And we'll be swift witnesses there that God, this is what He found.

We'll stand on God's side and say there's something wrong there. We don't know how you'll enter heaven. Do you believe with all your heart that this bridegroom has been given to you? She says yes. Don't think it's me that's telling them.

Do you believe with all your heart that this bride is what God has given to you? And if you don't keep this promise, God will judge you. And the rings testify to this which you've heard. And if you would be swimming in the sea and maybe lose your ring, that's nothing because it's only an external symbol.

God in heaven has heard what you said. Let's ask God's blessing on them. Lord I pray that you will bless this bridegroom that he'll be a heavenly bridegroom. And the wife that she'll be a righteous wife and bring honor to the position of wife.

Prayer for a Faithful and Spiritually Alive Marriage

And that they'll live forever. That their lives will shine to all people. Lord Jesus, they need your grace that they will remain alive spiritually always. And that will bring joy to you and to heaven.

Both of them brought happiness to us. Not once that we have to reprimand them. May they continue always like this and also succeed the test of heaven. May your grace be with all of us. Especially those getting married and may your love overflow in their hearts.

And may they know the fellowship of the Holy Spirit that your spirit will guide them in all the truth. Until that day when all will be judged. Also the adulterers, the fornicators, the sexually immoral and those who've brought shame on this position.

Help them Lord that not once will they slip into carnal lust. If you've sinned sometime way back in the past. If you've sinned sometime way back in the past. Confess it today. Don't return back home without having confessed it.

So that if the car overturns on the way, your life is right with God.