Will you post on my comments too? Trying to make my site look popular lol …

All these things are wonderful parts of life, but they’re nothing to live for. People are constantly boiling it all down to finding “that one special person”. Their attachment to that ideal without considering all the infinate aspects of life and even infinate aspects of love: of God, family, neighbors, complete strangers what have you, is as frivolous as narrowing down a rationalization for existance to be Monty Python.

1) Spencer wants to purge us from all the wrong and goofy things of “Romance” that have so infiltrated our thinking and lives – I agree.

2) Spencer wants to encourage us to know and increase in “Covenant love” for one another – I agree.

3) Spencer wants “Covenant love” to be the foundation/reason people get married to each other – I disagree (After all, I too am supposed to love [your wife] with “Covenant love,” even “Covenant love” that is fervent and abundant.)

I think people should get married for the reason stated in Genesis about why God created marriage [“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh”]. I think that human earthly institution can be an image/imitation of some greater heavenly reality without being mistaken for that reality. Spencer wants to replace the corrupted earthly with the heavenly. I want to replace the corrupted earthly with the God-created-and-intended earthly (which I think is an image of the heavenly).

In fact, I’ll go further. I’ve long complained (just ask my friends ) that one of the chief corruptions of the modern church is its overemphasis on marriage and children. Both Paul (in several places) and Jesus (in Matthew 19) make it clear that, in their opinions, staying unentangled in romantic relationships and family concerns is the better way to go. Yet for centuries the church, perhaps reading a false application into some Old Testament passages, promoted large families. Now we’ve arrived in the 21st Century and the “Family Values” era, where public policy is made based not on right or wrong, ethical or unethical, consistent or inconsistent application of core principles, but whether it makes it easier or harder to raise the kids.

There is great danger in becoming romantically involved (emotionally and/or physically) outside of the confines of marriage. Romance and eros for believers should be celebrations of a covenant, life-long love between a man and a woman.

Since I think you were addressing IM and not me–I now conclude my additional unsolicited 2 cents.

Praying for you.

I think I have matured in my understanding of love since my relationship with my ex. Love is sacrificial, it is more concerned with the others well being than my own. This post was really helpful, can you recommend any books that deal with a biblical view of eros/romance. Thanks.