This verse gives us a very stern warning on how God views our marriage and He has asked us to watch our spirit. God is telling us that He hates divorce. If we do not watch our spirit, the spirit of the world will influence and tempt us to quit our marriage whenever we face a rough patch.
The world is bombarding us from all angles e.g. the media, friends, relatives and colleagues. These voices subtly influence our values and thinking so much that at times, they clog up the voice of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Therefore, God has asked us to watch our spirit and keep it in check regarding our attitude and action towards our spouse. Why? Because our attitude may not be in line with the Word of God, being influenced by the values and principles of this world.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
As a New Testament believer, God has an even higher expectation of us to watch our spirit. This is because we are a new creation, born again with a spirit that has the nature of God. We also have the Word of God to guide and counsel us and the Holy Spirit to lead us. God expects us to watch over our marriage covenant with our spouse seriously because He is a covenant watching God. He is not pleased when we are treating our spouse in a manner which violates the covenant.
Watch your spirit so that you will not end up like those who view marriages as contracts where there is an escape clause and individualism reigns. In contrast, in a marriage covenant we are ONE and therefore we will face everything together.
Malachi 2:15a And did not God make [you and your wife] one [flesh]?
Remember that a marriage covenant, like a Biblical blood covenant between two parties is the closest, most enduring, solemn and sacred of all contracts which absolutely cannot be broken. You promise to give the other party your life, your love and protection forever, till death do you part. Therefore, always keep watch on your spirit to guard your marriage so that you are not influenced by the voices of the world but instead, keep your attitude towards your spouse in line with the Word of God.
Sermon Series: Marriage Covenant
守护婚姻
玛拉基书 2:16耶和华－以色列的 神说：“休妻的事和以强暴待妻的人都是我所恨恶的！所以当谨守你们的心 [可以被我的灵掌管]，不可行诡诈 [对你的配偶]。”这是万军之耶和华说的。
就神对我们的婚姻的看法，这段经文给出了一个相当严厉的警告，祂还要求我们谨守自己的心。神是在告诉我们祂恨恶离婚。如果我们不谨守自己的心，世界就会影响和诱惑我们在遇到困难的时候放弃婚姻。
这世界正在从全方位轰炸我们，如：媒体、朋友、亲戚和同事。这些声音潜移默化地影响着我们的价值观和思想，以至于有时会阻塞了圣灵的声音和神的话语。因此，神要我们谨守我们的心，并时刻省察我们对待配偶的态度和行为。为什么？因为在这世界的价值观和原则的影响下，我们的态度可能与圣经的要求不一致。
罗马书 12:2不要效法这个世界，只要心意更新而变化，叫你们察验何为 神的善良、纯全、可喜悦的旨意。
我们作为新约信徒，神对于我们对心灵的保守有着更高的期许。这是因为我们是新造的人，带着具有神属性的灵重生。我们也有神的话语来指引和劝诫我们，并有圣灵引导我们。神期待我们认真的看待我们与配偶所立的婚约，因为祂是看守盟约的神。当我们以违反盟约的方式对待我们的配偶时，祂会不喜悦。
谨守你的心，使你不会像那些把婚姻看做是一纸列明了免责条约和个人主义的合约之人。恰恰相反，在婚约中我们是‘一体’的，因此无论高山和低谷，我们都将共同面对。
玛拉基书 2:15他不是单造 [你和你的妻子]一人吗？
记住，婚约就像圣经中两人之间的血约，是所有盟约中最亲密、最持久、最庄严和神圣的，绝对不能背弃。你承诺将你的生命、爱和保护永远献给对方，直到死亡把你们分开。因此，要时刻谨守心灵守护婚姻，好叫你不受世俗声音的影响，而是照着圣经的教导以合宜的态度对待你的配偶。
讲章系列：婚姻盟约