Landover Baptist Church Guidebook for Betrothal and Marriage

[Mary Etheldreda]

THE PERILS OF MODERN DATING, COURTSHIP, AND ROMANCE and CONSENT AND OBJECTION

Modern society would have our children believe romance is natural, and therefore good. By this logic, malaria is good because it is natural. In reality, Romance is one more trick Satan has successfully pulled over most people. Romance is no more than thinly a veiled justification to engage in sinful activities inspired by lust. Because the opportunity to engage in activities that gratify lust is obstructed by children, it comes as no shock to see modern society glorifying smaller family size, women having children later in life, and married couples choosing to forgo parenthood altogether. As society gets more perverted, the child rate goes down. True Christian™ are not perverts. You can tell because they have the most children, and thus no time for perverted activities.

More than just a gift from God (Psalm 127:3), children have a purpose. They can be wonderful tools for accomplishing great things (Psalm 127:4). Think of how practical the Duggar children have been with regard to inspiring regular Americans to help suppress the Gay Agenda. They've got two whole baseball teams worth of people going out to spread the Good News that homosexuals can be stopped if we all act together for the Greater Good! And that's just one family!

"A man of war is glad of weapons which may fly where he cannot: good sons are their father's arrows speeding to hit the mark which their sires aim at. What wonders a good man can accomplish if he as affectionate children to second his desires, and lend themselves to his designs!"

Betrothal has been a part of God's Perfect Plan since days immemorial. The avid Bible student will remember that Abraham lived to be 175; Isaac lived to be 180; Jacob lived to be 147. Even Moses lived to be 120! All of these lifespans are considerably longer than anything we have typically seen in recent centuries, and they utilized God's Perfect Plan for Marriage. Life was simpler then, the world was safer then, families were bigger then, mothers were always feminine then. When we follow the LORD's lead, things work out.

Youths who object to the LORD's Way object to being blessed. It's delusional thinking to want to avoid being blessed and desire a hard life, only to follow it up with a torturous eternity (Revelation 20:10). That kind of thinking should not be rewarded, but should be corrected quickly and seriously (Proverbs 23:13).

The way to obtain the LORD's blessing is to obey His commands.He explains this in great detail in the book Deuteronomy, 28th chapter. If we want our children to have good lives, they must choose to serve Christ rather than Sin (Romans 6:15-18). Serving Christ includes going forth and multiplying. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize a couple can multiply more when they take advantage of the limited years of the female uterus than they can waiting for its biological Last Call.

[Mary Etheldreda]

COVENANT OF BETROTHAL

Many Christians are unaware of the betrothal concept. While they may think it is simply historic, and even quaint, they are unaware of the purpose of it. Here at Landover Baptist Church, we follow the Word of God to the letter, and we make no exception. Nor do we make any apology. Betrothal is Biblical. QED.

Betrothal is both a covenant, and a time period. As a covenant, it is of utmost importance to follow. As a time period, it is very simple - it begins the moment two fathers have settled up the bride price, and ends the very moment that marriage is consummated.

As the Bride of Christ, the Church of Today is Betrothed to Jesus. We will consummate our Heavenly Marriage in the future (not in a gay or polygamous way, but in a very special, beautiful way; Revelation 19:7–9; 21:1-2). This is how we know it's not creepy. No one would think a True Christian™ who believes he is a part of the Body of Christ, who is in turn the Bride of Christ, is weird or a creep like those Mormons with multiple wives, each one older and more run down than the next. It just sounds weird because we don't have the right language for it, or because it's not a part of our earthly culture, or something, but it's perfectly fine. And it's perfectly beautiful.

Betrothal takes God's commands seriously. It is a public declaration that one trusts Jesus to say what He means, and mean what He says in the Holy Bible. It is to agree the Bible is sufficient to guide life in part by guiding marriage, and we trust It so much that we will instruct our children to begin parenthood as soon as they are physically able. They will obviously be emotionally ready if the father has done his job (Proverbs 22:15).

Because the Holy Bible calls for a patriarchal approach to family, the authority and auspice of the patriarch (the father of the groom) extends over the new addition to the family (bride and subsequent offspring). The betrothal period is a time period that allows all parties to adjust to the new family dynamic. The bride-to-be learns how to best obey her husband and honor her future father-in-law. This time also gives the bride and groom time to know each other.

Remember that in today's economy, a teen father cannot be expected to provide for his new and growing family. Living with his father is the only way to ensure his needs, and the needs of his wife and children, will be met. To deny this security would be cruel and cold-hearted and the Bible generally reserves that approach for God's enemies.

[Mary Etheldreda]

THE NATURE AND FUNCTION OF MARRIAGE

To ensure a successful marriage, one must first understand the nature and function of marriage, as revealed by the Holy Word of God. We use the King James Version Bible, because that's what Jesus would use.

The nature and function of marriage is simple. It is to reflect Christ and His Bride [the church], and to glorify God by eliminating temptation of naughty thoughts. If all mankind were created like Paul, we could choose celibacy and Glorify God that way (1 Corinthians 7:7). But God, in His Infinite Wisdom, foreknew that temptation would be a problem, and so pre-blessed the first man and woman with the command to populate the earth (Genesis 1:28) with what He knew would soon become ill-mannered energy. The Lord thy God mercifully gave mankind a means to put an otherwise wicked sin (lust) to some practical use.

Praise!

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Because God gave us a grace period of a decade or so to train up a child before Satan attempts to move in with the puberty hormones, there is no excuse to not have one's offspring ready for marriage by the time they outgrow childhood. A diligent parent will see the fruits of noble labor.

The best time for a Christian father to secure a future spouse for his child is when a girl grows breasts, and a boy realizes he likes them. This is the traditional way. It is God's Way. It was good enough for Solomon, the smartest man in the world, it was good enough to put in the Bible, it is good enough for us.

Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee. Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar. I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes as one that found favour. Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.
Song of Solomon 8:5-11

The family is the means by which Jesus decided mankind should have dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28), so that the whole earth will be filled with His Glory (Habakkuk 2:14). The most effective way to glorify the LORD is to pepper the planet with True Christians™ who know the importance of love and fear (Ecclesiastes 12:13), and will stop at nothing until everyone agrees (Matthew 28:19-20).

When the Gospel has been appropriately preached to the entire world, Jesus can return triumphantly (Matthew 24:14)! This is the moment we are all waiting for. The world needs copious numbers of True Christians™ wandering around various heathen cultures, warning the ignorant that without the right faith they will be forever damned (John 3:18)! You see, Jesus doesn't want the earth populated just to support the diaper industry, or to give girls ample domestic practice sewing outfits for the whole family with fabric bought in bulk. Jesus wants True Christian™ families to have multiple children in order to go forth into the world and spread the Good News that He will Sparta-kick each and every soul who doesn't believe in, love, and obey Him straight into the fiery pits of HELL!

[Mary Etheldreda]

Friends, in this year of our LORD 2016, we see a lot of anxiety revolving around society. We know the End Times is coming soon (Matthew 24:37; Luke 17:28-30), and that means Jesus' Triumphant Return!

But...

Before that return, we can expect to see more horrible, dangerous things. These horrible, dangerous things are launched directly from the hands of Satan towards our dear, sweet children. Before we can celebrate in the Righteous Slaughter of Christ's enemies (Revelation 14:20 ), before we can delight in Holy Justice ourselves (Psalm 68:23), we must endure the increasing degradation of society.

How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Jude 1:18-19

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2 Timothy 3:1-5

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
2 Timothy 4:3-4

Parents who love their children desire to see them safe and secure, not just for today, but for tomorrow. Landover Baptist Church, in conjunction with the Holy Ghost, is proud to offer a practical and easy-to-follow guide to help protect your children from the temptations of this dark world through God's Perfect Marital Plan.

Guaranteed.

True Christians™ know that for any society to succeed, it must be built on the strong foundation of marriage. True Christian™ Parents understand that for any marriage to succeed, it must be built on a successful foundation of Faith (Matthew 7:24-27). The successful foundation of any True Christian's™ life is a Personal Relationship with Christ Jesus. A person who does not walk with Jesus cannot be expected to make the long, arduous spiritual journey to Salvation (Matthew 7:14). For children, walking with Jesus may be a confusing concept. After all, at a young age, a Babe in Christ may not understand that while there is no functional difference between "walking with Jesus" and "having an invisible friend," the spiritual difference is eternal!

Walking with someone whom you cannot see, hear, touch, or have a simple, reciprocal conversation with may be a challenge for children. They are still learning just how to master spiritual skills like

• correctly deducing clues that reveal hidden messages left behind in seemingly random events,
• how to interpret personal experiences only against the backdrop of the Truth™ as revealed exclusively in Holy Bible,
• when be suspicious of evidence, ignore facts, and eschew social pressure to modernize moral codes

Childhood must be focused on learning which "inner voice" to sit up and pay attention to, as Christ lives in our hearts, but communicates through our thoughts. Sometimes His Voice sounds like our thoughts, and sometimes our thoughts sound like His Voice. It can all be very confusing to a young person!

Talking with someone in your head may feel to a child as identical to your child as pretending to walk with "Susie, the invisible playmate," but "Susie" is not the one to impress (Matthew 10:28). A good child will be grateful for the practical applications of God's Perfect Marriage Plan, as it takes any possible guesswork out of being a True Christian™, and provides the best chances of obtaining Jesus' Favor (if it is God's Will; Romans 9:15).