22/10/2020
THE FOUNDATIONS, STYLE, PERSPECTIVE AND DELIVERY OF THE CONVERSATIONS IN THE THREE ALTARS OF MARRIAGE.
Like any other Bible Doctrines, the doctrine of relationships and marriage ought to be viewed holistically, and at once from both angles provided by the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Taking a leaf from the view of the dispensation of the Holy Spirit during the time immediately after Christ's ascension and in our current age, we can not draw conclusions based on that alone in our teachings or learning. Notice also that in the present dispensation, we cannot appreciate what God has done for us through the indwelling of the work of the Holy Spirit unless we first understand the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. The joy and liberty which are rightfully ours as part of the body of Christ are only experienced if we first understand that during the old Testament dispensation, the Holy Spirit was only with a few believers, but is now in many of us who accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit can only be comprehended on the basis of progressive revelation. Bible doctrines can be mostly clearly understood if they are first seen in their beginning in Genesis, then traced through the old Testament historical accounts in which they were progressively developed and then finally taught in their fulness in the New Testament.
Similarly, the scriptural truths necessary for a victorious and holy walk can only be understood, appreciated and correctly appreciated if viewed and interpreted in light of God’s glorious nature, character and eternal purpose as revealed in all the scriptures. God must be seen by every child of God as the supreme reason for everything he does.
The growth of the believer comes not only through the knowledge of the written word but also through a deep and personal relationship with the Living Word-the Lord Jesus Christ. A believer must be rooted and built through the teaching and appropriation of God’s word, people's just as the human body develops through eating and digesting the right food.
If real sense and transformation must be realised in people's lives regarding relationships that lead to marriage and marriage generally, the Bible doctrine of progressive revelation need to be used in our learning and receiving of instructions for example, the Old Testament tells us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but going by the time after the ascension of our Lord Jesus and also going by our time in the twenty-first century generally, the fear of the Lord is the preparation for the life of holiness and obedience to which the believer is called. This is the benchmark that holds everything subject to the calling and integrity of obedience to God’s word and commandments.
Paul taught old Testament foundations when teaching believers. Believers must first be taught the substructure that are laid on the Old Testament on which all the New Testament doctrines rest. It is impossible to clearly and correctly teach the New Testament to believers without adequate Old Testament foundations. In this book title; “The Three Altars of Marriage”, the backlock passcodes for unlocking relationships and subsequent stand offs are dealt with while consulting the original Biblical basements of the Old Testament dispensation to Christ and the apostles.
The best way to teach God’s word is to follow His good foundations for the believers' faith and then build truth on truth and knowledge on knowledge.God’s progressive revelation of all truth has been in conjunction with His historical acts in both Old and New Testament. Therefore, all doctrines have a historical setting. The majority of doctrinal failure to understand the historical progressive revelation of truth in the bible has been as a result of ignoring this fact; that doctrines can only be clearly understood in the light of their Historical Revelation and Development. Because God has revealed all doctrines progressively, the simplest and clearest method to emphasize a particular doctrine is to trace its development from Genesis through to the revelation.
Facts can be learned quickly, but foundational themes cannot. “The Three Altars of Marriage” is formulated to give the basic thematic foundations that prepare one for a stable and peaceful relationship prospect based upon a true understanding of God’s intent. Building that foundation cannot be done overnight; it takes time for absorption of abstract spiritual concepts to be firmly grasped. In “The Three Altars of Marriage,” some misconceptions have been addressed. Remember, misconceptions are built over a life time, hence certain misconceptions of false teachings have been addressed and also dismantled with conscious arguments. Finally, once the foundation is built, all future understanding is built on that firm basis of God’s truth.
Author: Zengani Zimba
