LOVE & SAINT VALENTINE DEFYING TYRANTS
Another Valentine's Day down, and another Christian Holiday in the books. Wait, what? Christian holiday? Valentine's Day? That is correct.
GOD'S LOVE, OUR FOUNDATION
Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate God's institution of the marriage covenant between one man and one woman and his command to be fruitful and multiply and increase greatly on the earth. In other words, this is a holiday rooted in the creation mandate, a holiday of dominion. This dynamic dominion covenant of a man and a woman becoming one flesh, is a representative type of the Intra Trinitarian love between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As they are distinct persons but are one in essence,(Athanasian Creed) the husband and wife are separate persons who become one through marriage. The two persons, husband and bride, becoming one flesh also is an apparent mystery that refers to Christ and the Church (Eph 5). A divine love that so unites us in Christ, it sends my mind into spirals trying to grip such a concept... fallible creature and divine creator, in wedded union. Paul thought this mystery is beyond the capacity of human language, but still no less wonderful. This metaphysical truth of love is what gives the basis for male and female love for one another. Without this Trinitarian and Christ/Church (Groom/Bride) framework we are left to our creaturely devices to define love by our emotional impulses however we please. Matter of fact, apart from Christ this is what we do. But love is no manufactured widget of our imagination to impress on to culture. Rather it's an objective reality fundamental to the nature of the Godhead that is impressed upon us.
By now you're probably going to be championing Intra Trinitarian Love Day with me for now on every February 14th. Okay probably not. But I do hope that this bite-sized theology encourages you to be unapologetically bold in your love for God and your spouse (or potential spouse) out in the world that hates the Christian witness.
ST. VALENTINE'S TYRANNY RESISTING LOVE
The story of Saint Valentine is also an encouragement.
Saint Valentine was a Roman clergyman in the days of Emperor Claudius II, who became known as Claudius the Cruel. Valentine was on the Emperor's radar for multiple reasons. He spent a lot of his time serving persecuted Christians and aiding them in their protection from tyrants. Valentine was faithful to Christ in this way by his works of love to the Church. Claudius sought to maintain a mighty army, but had a difficult time gaining the interest of men to be soldiers of his bloody campaigns. Exasperated, he believed it was because the men were too attached to their wives and families at home. Imprudently, Claudius decreed all engagements and marriages to be banned in Rome in an attempt to swell his army with single men with no familial ties. Valentine recognized the injustice and in righteous defiance to the tyrant, continued to conduct marriages.
Valentine was eventually imprisoned for his disregarding of the Emperor's unrighteous decrees. He was pressured to renounce his faith and stalwartly declined. Upon keeping the faith, he was ordered to be beaten to death and beheaded.
The love of Saint Valentine moved him to stand firm in righteousness until the day of his martyrdom. Valentine loved Christ and loved His Church and understood this required of him to defend the institution of marriage and answer the cry of his persecuted neighbors. It was because of love he resisted tyrants.
To the King.
RYAN CLARK
Ryan is a husband and father of two daughters. He and his wife are building a Reformed lineage through home liturgy, classical education, covenant community, and an unbending Presbyterianism. Ryan and His family live in Central Florida and attend Ascension Presbyterian Church.