Special Focus:
A Day and Lifetime for Love

Valentine's Days is a holiday that celebrates the unique love relationship between men and women. The joy of romance, along with its associated products and services, meets with vigorous promotion during this month each year. Properly speaking, there should be a special day set aside to honor one's beloved. But today's popular portrayal of love, especially the romantic variety, is not without difficulties.

Our media culture presents love as a feeling rather than a virtue. Is a fleeting sentiment, however, powerful enough to sustain couples through the torrents that plague today's relationships? Should sexual passions, blazes fanned by media imagery, be the primary basis for serious choices between men and women? One should take this opportunity to consider those factors which contribute to wholesome dating, engaged and married relationships. Thus, we have put together a special focus on this issue.

Categories for this Feature:

Sex and Commitment

Marriage

Men and Women--Differences

SEX AND COMMITMENT:

Why Wait Till Marriage?
Jimmy Williams, revised by Jerry Solomon
This article confronts the contemporary arguments for premarital sex.

Sex and the Single Life
Philip Turner
Sex between single people is common and accepted in our society. Are traditional teachings about sex only within marriage out of date?

Sex and the Search for Intimacy
Dick Purnell
The author addresses the relationship between sex, love and intimacy.

Safe Sex and the Facts
Raymond G. Bohlin, Ph.D.
Is "safe sex" an enjoyable encounter without consequences? Is it the answer to the problem of STD's? The author gives another side to this contemporary discussion.

Why Wait for Sex?
Alice Fryling
The author presents a powerful statement about the place of sex in a relationship.

MARRIAGE:

I Do?
David Blankenhorn
It is common for couples today to customize the vows for their wedding. Do the words that they select have anything to do with their actual marriage?

Marriage Reminders
Jerry Solomon
The communication and responsibilities in marriage, as well as those little extras, are discussed in this article.

A Weekend for Reflection Upon a Life of Relationship
John H. Stoll, Th.M., Ph.D
Most married couples do not understand the basic principles on which marriage is based. It is good to take some time to learn them. The discussion here provides a step in that direction.

Steps to Healing a Marriage
John H. Stoll, Th.M., Ph.D
Many relationships today are in need of healing, especially marriages. Here are some practical steps to starting the process of ending the pain.

MEN AND WOMEN--DIFFERENCES:

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus
Ray and Sue Bohlin
A man and woman discuss the differences between, well, men and women. Inspiration for this discussion was provided by more than the recent bestseller from which this article takes its name.

Men and Women in the Image of God
John M. Frame
This presentation discusses the differences between men and women through an examination of Biblical passages.

Male-Female Equality and Male Headship
Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr.
The equality of the sexes is considered through an examination of the first three chapters of Genesis.

We would love to get your feedback on this special focus. Please tell us what you think.

Go here to see our past Special Focus features.

Updated: 13 July 2002

Special Focus:A Day and Lifetime for Love

SEX AND COMMITMENT:

MARRIAGE:

MEN AND WOMEN--DIFFERENCES:

Special Focus:
A Day and Lifetime for Love