June 22, I started our “series in a series” on marriage. While we are still working through the Book of Malachi, the text is allowing us to take a diversion of a sort into the holy union of husband and wife. As a precursor to the messages on marriage, we first evaluated Malachi 2:10, which says:

Malachi 2:10: Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another by profaning the covenant of the fathers?

This is a very challenging verse that sets the stage for not only an evaluation of our marriages, but also an assessment of our relationship with all who call on the Name of the Lord.

Without preaching the complete sermon again, let me highlight a few points from this text…

Focusing on the Sins of Others – The Prophet Malachi not only addresses the congregation, he addresses himself. Note what he says, “Why do we deal treacherously with one another?” We are far too willing to point out the sin in others and ignore the sin that we have in our own hearts. Jesus confronted this in the Sermon on the Mount, as he reflected on our tendency to see the speck in our brother’s eye, while we ignore the log in our own. As I reflected upon this text, I asked the Lord to show me the sin I wallow in first – before I address the sin in which others may struggle.

Matthew 7:5: “Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Loving and Serving One Another as Family – Malachi reminds us of something we often forget. Those of us in Christ’s Church all have the same Father. That’s right; we are all brothers and sisters of the King! What a joy this reality should bring us. Yet, we ignore it. Or, perhaps we display some of the worst examples of sibling rivalry as we seek to harm rather than help one another.

I believe your marriage will flourish as you grasp this concept:  The wife of your youth, the one you’ve been called to love and sacrifice for is also your sister! And the husband whom you are called to obey and help is your beloved brother. Imagine the unity this would bring to the church if we served with the heart of Jesus and treated one another as a loving family.

John 13:5: “After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

Poisonous Tongues – Yet, we deal treacherously with one another. To deal treacherously is to seek to intentionally harm another. It could include putting on a false front of congeniality, while at the same time sabotaging another through gossip or slander.

Proverbs 10:18: “Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.”

Again, Jesus addressed this in the Sermon on the Mount, when He addressed our propensity to speak disparagingly about another. Jesus said this was the same as murdering our brother.

1 John 3:15: “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

Profaning the Covenant – Lastly, when we forget we are one in Christ, when we attack and devour one another, seeking to promote ourselves, Scripture says we profane the Covenant. This is a powerful reprimand.  To profane something means to defile, to defecate upon something sacred.

In case you still don’t see the gravity here, please stay with me. When we deal with one another, those in our church, those in our home, those in our Christian communities, in a hateful or treacherous way, it is like we are taking the precious Word of God, the sacred truths of His Covenant love, and dragging them through sewage.

I recently had to replace the sewage pump in our home. It was the most revolting thing I have ever done in my life. But the Lord may have providentially allowed my old pump to fail so I could better understand the gravity of the word profane.

Malachi 2:10: Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another by profaning the covenant of the fathers?

May we all learn to view those who call on the Name of Jesus for salvation as our brothers and sisters. May we strive to bless rather than to curse. And may we purpose to especially do this in our most intimate relationships, the ones within our own families – those between husband and wife – remembering that we are truly siblings in Christ.