Marriage: The Mystery of Christ and the Church is a Reformed pastor’s instruction and exhortation to married couples, especially young married couples, with the purpose that they glorify God in their marriages and enjoy the bliss of this blessed communion of life.
Section 1: The Biblical Gospel of Marriage, includes the following topics:
- The Christian man as husband
- The Christian woman as wife
- Sex in marriage
- The unbreakable marriage bond
Section 2 is a history of the church’s doctrine and practice of marriage from Augustine and the early church through Calvin and the Reformation to the contemporary lawlessness.
This is the newly revised and significantly expanded edition of Professor Engelsma’s book on marriage. Its predecessor went through four separate printings, and the new book has already generated considerable interest, even beyond the Reformed community.
Retained in this new edition is the development of the rich meaning of Christian marriage in light of the apostle Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 5 that marriage is the great mystery of Christ and the church. With a vigorously Scriptural approach, the author shows what this implies for such timeless—but timely!—matters as the relationship of husband and wife; sex; children; divorce; and mixed marriage. The book concludes with a spirited defence of an unbreakable marriage bond.
Revision of content to the original edition includes a different interpretation of I Corinthians 7:10-11, which sheds light on the right understanding of the controversial “exception clause” in Matthew 19:9.The book is significantly expanded by the addition of a second section consisting of the history of the church’s doctrine of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Working with the writings of the church fathers, the Reformers, and contemporary Protestant theologians, as well as with various studies on marriage and divorce, Professor Engelsma traces the fatal departure of the Reformers from the doctrine of marriage held by the early church. He demonstrates that this departure has led inevitably to the marital chaos that devastates Reformed and evangelical Christianity. In the light of this fascinating history, the book calls especially the churches of the Reformation back to their catholic Christian tradition by upholding the biblical gospel of marriage.
Intended to give godly, biblical, practical instruction to believers and their children concerning their behaviour in the fundamental ordinance of human life, the book also utters a vehement protest against the compromise and corruption of marriage by the churches and their theologians in our day. Helpful indexes of names mentioned and Scriptures cited in the text were prepared for the new edition.
“This is one of those books that you wish you could put into the hands of every married couple and those contemplating marriage … If the contents of this book were put into practice, society would become more stable and broken homes would be few and far between” (The Gospel Witness).
“… one of the finest among such books flowing off the presses … The book [has] a theological depth and seriousness often lacking in non-Reformed books on this subject” (Reformed Herald).
“A book that says many biblical things about sex, children, family, the mystery of marriage. Recommended for laypersons and preachers alike” (The Reformed Journal).
“This book does faithfully reflect the teachings of God’s Word of marriage” (The Banner).
“A pastor, husband, and father speaks of marriage and its relationships in terms that few want to hear today—even in the church” (Moody).
“My wife is reading Lori and I am reading Marriage, The Mystery of Christ and His Church. I believe that this is the best book defending God’s institution of marriage ever written.” – United Kingdom
“I am writing to thank you for the truth of God’s word you shared in your book, Marriage, the Mystery of Christ and the Church. It is not often that this topic of divorce and remarriage is spoken in the churches today.” – Pennsylvania, USA
“Thanks very much for the book [Marriage, the Mystery of Christ and the Church]! I pray that God will bless this book to me and my fiancée!” – United Kingdom
“This book is the best book I have read on marriage. I have given and/or recommended this book to just about every married Christian couple I know.”
Click here to read a review by one of our readers.
Click here to read a review in the Protestant Reformed Theological Journal.
To watch the video of the author interview concerning this book, click here.
Click here to read a Slovak translation of this book.
Click here to read excerpts of this book in Portuguese.
Click here to read a chapter of this book in Italian.
