Wedding Anniversary: The Miraculous Marriage

Spirit baptism places us into the “one body,” which is the Church.

It is then symbolized by water baptism. After his conversion on the Damascus Road, Saul (Paul) heard these words from God: “Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16). Much later Paul himself wrote, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5–6).

When we demonstrate our faith and obedience in water baptism (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38), we are affirming a two-fold identification. First, we testify to our identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1–11; Galatians 3:27). Secondly, we are identifying with some local expression of His one body, the Church. Even though Paul was personally converted by Christ on the Damascus Road, he still needed to be involved in a local body of believers, so Barnabas “brought him to Antioch” and he became involved with the church there (Acts 11:22–26).

Tragically, rather than emphasizing the true meaning of water baptism, we Christians through the ages have largely been divided over baptism. There is indeed only one baptism, and if the act of baptism is not symbolizing one’s faith in Christ Jesus as Lord—regardless of the mode—it is little more than empty tradition, meaningless liturgy, or pagan superstition.

So, as the writer to the Hebrews said, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).

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You have saved the best till now. John 2:10

Our 50th wedding anniversary was a marital event that both Patt and I were amazed and awed to have lived to experience. This was especially the case for me since my father died when he was 59 (and my mother at 70). They did not have too many anniversaries after their silver anniversary. Patt’s parents did live long enough to celebrate their golden anniversary, and did so with us in India where we built and dedicated a church in their honor.

Patt and I are overwhelmed with God’s goodness in giving us this many years of life, love, learning, and leadership. And He continues to bless us with good spiritual, marital, and physical health and joy in the journey. We have found the words of Nehemiah true in our marriage and ministry: “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Our testimony is indeed summed up by the above words of Scripture. As we continue to seek to live humbly and obediently before Him and each other, we are finding the principle true from the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee: “You have saved the best till now.” Through active faith and obedience, the servants had to first “fill the jars with water” (John 2:7). And that does not mean that we fill our marriage with the worldly water of materialism, ungodly counsel, or pop psychology. We must constantly fill it with the water of the Word. Only then will the Lord Jesus do the miraculous in our marriage and turn the water into wine. Patt and I have learned through these five decades of marriage that if there is no water, there is no wine!

As we have lived out our golden years with all of their growing aches and pains, we remind ourselves and urge you to keep coming to His table with us. Drink deeply of His new wine of the Spirit,

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enjoying everything Jesus died, rose again, and sent His Holy Spirit into our lives for. Then, our lives and marriage will continue to be a miraculous marital sign to others of His saving, sanctifying, and sustaining love, so that He will reveal His glory to the degree that others will also put their faith in Him (John 2:11). On that note, here are renewal vows to help strengthen your marriage:

Husband: I love you, (Name), and am honored to have you as my wife. I call on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and everyone present here to witness the promises that I now make to you. I promise to:

• Leave my father and mother, cherish you as my wife, and be totally united with you. • Love you and lead you, and give my life for you as Jesus loved the Church and gave His life for her. • Take responsibility for you, protect you from all harm, and care for you as much as I care for my own body. • Be faithful to you and never leave you as long as we both live.

Wife: I love you, (Name), and am honored to have you as my husband. I call on God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and everyone present here to witness the promises that I now make to you. I promise to:

• Leave my father and mother’s house, treasure you as my husband, and be totally united with you in spirit, soul, and body. • Love you and submit to you in all things as the Church submits to Jesus as her head. • Give myself to you, respect you, and believe in you. • Be faithful to you and never leave you as long as we both live.

Together: I have taken you as my marriage partner, and I renew my covenant to you:

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