LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1983, Page 334

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334

THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS

Gud come to the point of being ina position to he reconsidered
axa person qualified to be entrusted once more with the powers
of the pastural office...

It is equally true that in the application of this teaching to
individual cases pastors may confront marriages which cannot
be preserved, even after long and serious attempts to do so. The
conflict between the Creator's primal ordinance and the broken-
ness of human life in a world characterized by our “hardness of
heart” will continue until the end of the age. In such circum-
stances the pastor is called on to deal with the brokenness of
human life in a sinful world while at the same time seeking
ways to affirm the Creator's will for marriage. These can only
be occasions for sorrow, repentance, and reaffirmation of God's
never-failing commitment to us.

A person who has obtained a divorce for unscriptural
reasons may under certain circumstances, with repentance as
the primary prerequisite. remarry. The absence of hope fora
reconciliation is also a consideration. and there may be other
pastoral concerns as well.

Those who are seeking a divorce for a reasin other than that
allowed by the Seriptures need tu be warned against the
danger uf “planned repentance.” Since genuins sorrow acer
nme’s sin auainst God and faith in the forget ness of Christ
belong to the essence of repentance, it gous witht suing that
tu proceed prema ditatively indoing that which une Kneis to be
contrary te God's will, with the intention uf becoming contrite
later, makes it impossible for faith and the Holy Spirit tu
remain tn the heart (2 Sam. 110 1 John tix 3:4. 5:18). Tu
proceed inseeuringa dirorer with the full knowledge that suck
an action is contrary te God's will with the intention of
becoming repentant at sume point inthe future is, therefore,
ta enter Into great spiritual peril t

id

Rerrarriage. Mora vat ” ‘ Tyson 141

work of Christ prevails within the hierarchy of marriage.
permanence of the marriage bond is assured.

To vnide rstand something af the sist tn which hu rarcha
ry marriage istuhe recommended ive should distinguish treo
surts of hierarchies: of funetion and af merits Heerarchis sal
Fanetion ccour wher those wha ire different are nevertheless

oF

united In an arganio nu nity which ix more than a eontrartual
association, Thais, for esam pl ie might eunsiderthe relatinn
uf parentand child. The parent ’slegitimat authorityuce rths
child is not based simply an the fact that the parent knows
more and has more esperiencs than the child. [f these were the
only considerations, we could ¢ qually ive tlassiqn children ta
uther adults tur ty same kind of state-run organizations for
their rearing. But the family isa fellowship, a community,

And the mombersufsuch anarganicunity hare different rales
to plain the Life of the while (EB ph. 61-42 Peter tlt Ws
mau think of Paul's refers ner ta the church as Christ’ hed
having maou members) Hence inn his rareha af function a
kind of imequalituafaathortyerists, Yetoue would seares ly
conclude fram this that ons nismber af the sarin tthe parent

was of great rcabe or rorth more thay an aths vtthe childs,
In referring to this his rarcha of fanetion uy are Ning
nothing mere than that in their comimion Life tuge thee sears
must lead and others follow ifthe characte ratthe anian isto he
marntarned and ther common lity sustrined,
Adithrentcrample may make clear whata hirrarch “ot
merit would involve, Woe grant that within the elussroun
teachers hare a legitimah authority, this ix nu dauht beenuse
of the knowledge the teachers hare acquired and are able te
impart, Lo hincever after class a teacher with no mecha nie!
ability skonid walk inte the parking lot sun find that his ear
will not start, any one of his students with mechaniea!
aptitude crimediately becomes his superior on a new pols
hit, Hierarchy here depends prvevs

Supe rloribe

relation poten Same

We maa note important differences he borer hierarchies
ufthe twa sorts, Hierarchiesuffanction are stable, The re
super and subordination du not change. Tn his reared u
ven the ralesare constantly chang ng, Hierarehiss

B. Headship Within Marriage

The principle which determines how husbands and wives
are to conduct themselves toward each other within the order of
marriage is that of mutual service (Eph. 5:21). Their attitude
toward each other's assigned role is to be shaped by their
recollection of the self-giving love of Christ for the church( Eph.
5:2)."For the Son of man also came not to be served but toserve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). As the
church's Head devoted Himself totally to the needs of His
church. so the husband is to devote himself to the needs of his
wife. And as the church yields itself completely to the love. care.
and direction of the Lord. so the wife is to yield herself to her
husband.

The apostle's exhortation that husbands and wives “be
subject to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph. 5:21)
must not be interpreted to mean that there ceases to be
hierarchy within marriage. The call to mutual service pre-
supposes that an ordered relationship hetween husband and
wife exists. Under the principle of mutual service. however,
hierarchy within marriage is viewed not as a political relation-
ship of the ruler over the ruled but as an arrangement whereby
the welfare of the other may be served.

The Christian husband will therefore understand that the
position of headship has been entrusted to him for the exercise
of sacrifivial Jove toward his wife. Mindful of Christ's willing-
ness to suffer death for His beloved. the church. the husband
will seek to bind his wife to himself by love and gentleness. The
Christian wife will understand that. in requiring that she be
subject to her husband. God has put her in a position of
supporting her husband in his responsibility to care for those
who belong to his household. Such a relationship. which cannot
be equated simply with obedience, carries with it the honor of
accepting a role which the Son of God Himself assumed before
His Father (1 Cor. 15:28).**

Where mutual service of the kind we find in the life and

of nardtare tuid and ina cunstant state of change precisely
because noone merits saperord nation on all nspects of hte,
Weeanecensaythata surtufequality ss biailt itu hes rapes
of mieritin the sense thatthe y ineules a constant xe tafchunges,

Atay geen moment not equalitithat saps repaid saburdina-

tron pertein, However, these rolesare constantha shitting, and

revons as always in authority, Conssquntly, distinetions
which rest apan merit necer make om po rear head afitnoths r
per se. They du siuun

[tail
hesrarchiesaftunction for itwillabcaus
thatthe yshualderistatail isd
normal sort ty justify their eristenes, Weare aceustined te

aoeith pe speet te cortiin aetictus,

peer he difficult far people tude ng the gist nes of

healitth masts usa

ie

alt tages reasonsut

f some
superior attohute or ahilitu—one person merits headship

Yet oust these sorts uF reasons are ruled cut in diseussing

accept as reasons erplanations wha—on the ha

hierarchiss of funetian,

The Christian claim thata hierarchy of function— with
wife subordinate ta hushand—is appr
proceeds Fram the Ch
Hushand and with are not interchangeable ms miers afta

Prete ine Arie

istian clew af male and femal,

contractualasserintion, hears ne ners uf ahady.d anion.
Their pa rsurkond is proteeted not ha stressing that hath are
ing the d
nie ntal te the fellowship in whieh thy qeume to know the mse lors

persons hat ha empha

as mae and woman, in which, that is. theq reais theor
identity. Such a anion tn dace cannot come tu fructian apnless
the different roles uf husband and wife are reeugnind
Withuata aillingness tocomplementyach other in th sory. a
power struggle must ensue whenever dispiated matt rs arise
Without, that ix. a recognition hy hoth husband and wit ut
leqitimat authority within their aniun, the perinie nee at
that union is endangered, The insight of Ephesians 5 ques
des pestafterall: Permane ne and herarchy implysach athe r,
Afeu qualifications are still inorder, Hill te he ipfal te
note that several standard ohwetiuns tu hierarch withen
til te tuuch the position vatlined ahoce, Jt will

marriage |
aheags he Ceappraprearte th ask far some special rensan wha

the matraaghttacsercess headshiporerthe waman, athe ethan

the reason that God ordained the hur rarchy whiek

sts om

marriage. Any uther sack reasan wasid almost es rtnindy

Omiply some superar ability or merit on the pert uf ths
ood,
trate

hushand, hut that is net the suet ut besrarchs on

Sindlarlacadcacates cf the suhardinntian of wires

3h