How the YSM theme was decided on:
The world has a very different message of what love and marriage is. Divorce rates are getting higher. A lot of different sorts of misunderstandings of what true love is supposed to be is being spread around today. Hence the theme for this Youth Spiritual Meeting: and the two shall become one flesh. It is split into 3 sub themes as such:

1. The Two
   The two are still separate. This is for those who are still single.
2. Shall Become
   This means they are about to become a married couple. Colloquially, it’s the paktor period lol
3. One Flesh
   This is for youths who’re already married.

• Begin sermon for those who are still singles -

As aforementioned, there’re many misconceptions on marriage and love. This sermon will address this. We first look at how marriage all started in the Bible.

Why does Man need to go from one person to two? (Why get married?)

1. The other person will be a helper comparable to you
   Gen 2:20
   There was not a helper found comparable to Adam. God saw that it was not good for Man to be alone. So God took a rib out of Adam and created Eve, and brought her to Adam who was very satisfied with what God gave him.

This helper would be able to help him in the garden of Eden and have discussions with him about life.

God was the introducer of this marriage. Even though this was the case, there was no reproduction at that time. The wedding of Adam and Eve was probably attended by animals. The fact that these two persons were made from the same Person means that they’d have the same heart.

None of the created creatures could be a helper to Adam. They’re not fit for him. Humans are different from animals. Between humans, we can communicate deeply. Only humans are able to use language to express complex thoughts and feelings in their hearts.

That’s why there’s a Chinese saying: when a person can’t understand you, it’s like playing piano to a cow.
The Japanese will tell you the beef will taste good LOL but the cow will never know what you’re playing.

People like to keep dogs at pets. Dogs are smart, they can obey commands. But even then they can only understand single words: come, go, shake hand

But if you tell it you were bullied by somebody, the dog can’t respond or comfort you. Parrots can speak words but a parrot only parrots. Some birds may sing very well but it’s their own kind of language. Some people love keeping birds and like hearing them sing. But Man cannot understand or resonate with what a bird sings. The most Man can do is appreciate but there’s no channel of communication. No animal is comparable so we can only shake our heads.

Today many choose to not have a partner and want to be alone. They’re not willing to be married. Why? Because they can’t find someone who can communicate with them.

The world emphasises more and more on individualism. So Man would rather choose to live alone. But when God created Man, He made Man to need community.

People who don’t want to get married don’t want to be alone either. So they replace this void with other things.

In Japan, there’re people who face stress in school, pressures in society. They’re not able to fit into the fast paced world. Youths or even middle aged people live in virtual reality. They can stay at home all day. In the virtual realm they look for their own happiness. They’re described as parasites, living off their parents. Even though they’re 50+ year olds. They just stay in their
They choose to be alone and not have a partner.

Another type of people who don’t want to be alone marry dolls. Dolls without life or speech. But they carry their doll wives around, on dates. Invite friends to their wedding. Such people look for companionship as well.

Yet another type of people marry themselves. We may find this weird but as the frequency of such things increase, others get used to it and no longer find it weird. This is something scary in society.

Man originally has a desire for a partner. But in a fallen human nature, it becomes a twisted desire resulting in abnormal behaviours. Perverts steal undergarments to fulfil their desires towards the opposite gender. A disease of the heart.

So what’s the point of all this? Get married.

We need a partner. When God created us, He already built in the desire for the opposite gender. But because of all the factors in society, Man can no longer make correct decisions with regards to marriage. Two persons may not be able to wed normally. This wasn’t the original intention of God.

Christians need to correctly understand the concept of two persons so we don’t fall into these wrong behaviours.

Going from one to two refers to one male and one female. Not homosexual relationships society allows. Because the Bible tells us clearly this is against human nature and Bible teachings. Even though they may say they have such tendency from birth, but there’s no evidence it’s inborn from medical science today.

If you really say it’s inborn, then consider the following. No one needs to teach a baby to lie. It’s inborn. But is it right? Maybe you’re born with a higher propensity to get angry or murder. But just because it’s inborn doesn’t mean it’s right.

Instead we’d all the more be careful. In other words if you know you have this tendency, you’d need to have more control of yourself and be careful of these desires. Lest you sin and incur the wrath of God.

Before the speaker believed in Jesus, he watched a Japanese show. The female character had feelings for one man but had sexual relations with another man. The show made her seem very pitiful to be torn in between the two. It was really messed up.

The Bible tells us the marriage bed should be honourable. Christians should discern not to follow the world. We cannot let these trends carry us away. One to two must involve a man and a woman.

Also, God created the second person to be a helper. Before the fall of men, God already had this thought. Does it mean we no longer need a helper after the fall of men? Of course not.

1. The other person can give you emotional fulfilment
   Eccl 4:8-9
   This passage doesn’t directly describe marriage (because v12 talks about a threefold cord). In work, if we have partners who help us, we’ll have a reward. If we fall, someone will lift us up. This can apply to marriage as well. If you’re alone, who’s going to help you?

Regarding threefold cord, we can look at it as one man one woman and God. Very steady.

In the relationship of our marriage, there’s a good reward.

The Preacher who wrote Ecclesiastes says it’s vanity. People work and work. They’re so busy until they die and they can’t bring all this with them. Their lives are meaningless. The person that the verses write about has no spouse no son to inherit what they’ve stored up. Who are they working for then? That’s why Ecclesiastes also says to enjoy your days with the wife of your youth. The goodness from love allows Man to have rest from his labours. Indeed, husband and wife can comfort one another. Your spouse can give you emotional fulfilment.

We can have pets for companionship; we can use physical means to fulfil our lives. But it can’t fulfil our emotional desires. Because physical things don’t have life.

1. For more to inherit God’s kingdom
   Gen 1:28
   One of the reasons God created Man was for Man to multiply. Why? Because God’s creation requires inheritance. For somebody to help. The earth is so huge for just two humans. The purpose of bearing children, besides to bring happiness to parents, is also for them to help. To enjoy the garden God has given Man. Unfortunately Man sinned, sin entered into the world and Man can no longer enter God’s kingdom. Man now has to toil and labour on this earth.

Even so, the Bible reminds us that with children, it is better.

A lot of people say they don’t want children because of how stressful life is. They’d rather it be just the two of them. But we know being fruitful and multiplying is something God wants us to do.

Gen 15:2
Even though God promised Abraham to have a child, the promise hasn’t been fulfilled yet. Abraham said it would be his servant would inherit his possessions. But actually he didn’t want this. God knew this and told Abraham to look at the stars to emphasise the promise He had made. Today, don’t our descendants also inherit the Kingdom of God? How can they inherit that if they’re not born? Of course some people have their reasons for not having children.

But we do know having children in the gospel is something God is pleased in.

Two persons becoming one includes having children. But we have a choice of course. Nonetheless we know having children is a blessing God gives us.

1. Helps us understand our relationship with God better
   Mal 2:15
   God has the power to create many people but He chose to make a person out of just one. Why? Because He seeks godly offspring. “Let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.” In terms of having offspring, there’s responsibility involved. If we’re loyal in our marriage, we’d have godly offspring. Having godly offspring has a close

Only when we’re close to our spouse can we be loyal to God. If we can’t stay loyal to our spouse, we can’t stay loyal to God. Because we already don’t follow the word of God when we’re not loyal to our spouse. Because God said we’re not to separate.

If we deal treacherously with our spouse, it’ll also affect our children. They’d get affected and won’t have a correct understanding of marriage. How will they be loyal to God then?

When children are disobedient, we feel sad. When we don’t listen to our Heavenly Father, how does God feel? We can understand the love and forgiveness God gives us from the child. This tells us the importance of bringing up a child that’s loyal and obedient.

Descendants are very much affected by their forefathers. The Israelites were so bad from generation to generation until they met with desolation. Why? They married Canaanite and brought their practices into their lives. Even Solomon. Some say he married these Israelites for political gain, or because of their beauty. Whatever it is, it goes against God’s word.

Solomon actually built temples and created idols to worship. He left behind the earning God gave him. He was no longer loyal to serve God. Even the wisest person did the most unwise thing.

The speaker wants to emphasise that if 2 people are not in the Lord, not just 2 of them but children will be affected too.

One becoming two absolutely must be in the church. But people still choose to disobey and find someone outside. Why? They say they can’t find someone compatible in church. But that’s not right. We can always preach to bring someone in. But not marrying and then bringing the person in. Marriage must be in the Lord.

A brethren married someone outside. A few years later, the person left her. She had children. This was tragedy.

There have been successes of course. But that’s not for our boasting but should give thanks to God.

There’s a problem in True Jesus Church that there’re more sisters than brothers statistically. Some brothers have not married either. Why have people not gotten married yet? They don’t want this, don’t want that.

MF: What’s your criteria?
Sister: as long as in the Lord that’s fine
And then the person thinks many many are incompatible

It’s ok to have criteria but unrealistic expectations are not good.

Not only sisters are picky. Brothers are as well.

The preacher said that even though not all sisters are pretty, their hearts are beautiful. A brother heard of this and thought ok yeah that’s good. But until now he’s still not married.

The speaker will share his testimony in the next sermon.