The Mystery and the Masterpiece: The Message of Marriage

In today’s conversation about marriage and sexuality, both inside and outside the church, most people know what the Bible says. But do they know why it says what it does? Why the restrictions? What’s the purpose? Don’t we have freedom . . . to do with our bodies what we will . . . to love whomever we choose to love?
In The Mystery and the Masterpiece, Randy Blankenship, Sr. shows a Biblical portrait of marriage. From cover to cover the Bible presents marriage as a masterpiece. Even in the church, it seems to have been a mystery. But it is a beautiful portrait painted by God for the purpose of revealing the kind of relationship He desires with mankind.
If we only have information, but don’t see the picture, we miss the beauty of the masterpiece. We miss the message marriage was designed to teach us.
The Mystery and the Masterpiece will not only help existing and future marriages, it will help people to be able to talk about marriage and sexuality presenting a viewpoint not with anger or acrimony, but speaking the truth in love.

Endorsements

“God tells us of His deep desire and passion for us in multiple ways: through words (“for God so loved the world”), actions (“that he gave”), and symbolic aspects of our design that touch the soul, the most intimate of which is sexuality. In this insightful book Randy Blankenship, Sr. reveals what God has hidden in plain site for His people from day one, that is, what sex tells us about God and His relationship with His people. Provocative and compelling, I couldn’t put the manuscript down. Discover what was always in front of you, but just out of touch. Discover the message of marriage and sexuality about God, you, and your eternal future.”
—Ron L. Deal
Marriage and family author, speaker, and therapist; Author of The Smart Stepfamily and The Smart Stepfamily Marriage

“Never before have I read a book quite like The Mystery and the Masterpiece regarding the higher purpose of marriage, sex, and fidelity.  Unafraid to tackle intimate, nitty-gritty themes, Randy skillfully and tenderly presents astonishingly fresh insights into the marriage covenant and its ‘bigger picture’ connection with authentic worship of God.”
—Dave Williams
Director of Dave Williams Ministries; Bishop of  Mount Hope Church Network;  Author of The Art of Pacesetting Leadership

“The Mystery and the Masterpiece introduces author and Christian thinker, Randy Blankenship, Sr., to a broader readership. Randy has written a superb, and profoundly reflective, monograph on biblical marriage that is sure to inspire and guide couples into increased intimacy, spiritual connectivity, fulfillment, and personal effectiveness. The core of the book is the core of God’s created order—the union of a man and a woman within the context of a promise to each other that we often call the covenant of marriage. This is what Blankenship identifies as the central relationship that God has ordained for human relationships. He explains that marriage reflects also our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father. A practical and thought-provoking exploration of biblical, Godly marriage.”
—Doug Oss, Ph.D.
Former Director of the Cordas C. Burnett Center for Biblical Preaching at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary & Professor of Biblical Theology and New Testament Interpretation

“We have known Randy Blankenship, Sr. since he and Sharon came as a young missionary couple to the Philippines.  His commitment to modeling a Christian marriage was important then as he shared the gospel in a variety of settings.  In this book, his passion for a healthy, intimate marriage which mirrors a close relationship between the believer and Christ is evident.  During these times we need healthy marriages that reflect a deep, intimate relationship between followers of Christ and the heavenly bridegroom who is returning soon for His bride. May this book inspire Christian couples to be godly examples to those around them.”
—J. Russell Turney
Asia Pacific Mission Director, Assemblies of God World Missions

“The Mystery and the Masterpiece is wonderfully written and wisely thought through. This book is much needed in a society where what is right and wrong is blurred by popular culture. Even more so, the cultural phenomenon of our day has created a void in training Christians how to talk about these important subjects with truth and love. Blankenship does a masterful job at combining what is said in the Bible with how God wants to show His love to people. This book will encourage and equip readers to hear how God is communicating this wonderful truth.”
—Daniel Mundt, M.A.
Heartland District Supervisor of the Foursquare Church

“There are many canyons but only one Grand Canyon!  Many have seen it from a rim; few from the bottom where many hidden wonders are revealed.  Randy Blankenship, Sr. guides us into the depths of God’s Grand original and continuing purpose for marriage.
Sod is the Hebrew word describing the deepest-concealed meaning of the Scriptures.  Randy opens our eyes to discover amazing nuances few books uncover.  He takes us to the theological bedrock of marriage in a most refreshing way!  This book will impact your view of marriage and your awe of God through it!”
—Ron Rand
Director of UpBuilding Ministries

“For so long the church has been content with a conservative view of sexuality but has failed to provide the why behind God’s beautiful, covenantal design.  Randy goes far beyond (and above) the ethics and morality of sexuality, and hits to the heart of a more compelling ‘why’ of godly sexual expression.  This view of sex within marriage actually provides a redemptive take that gives way to greater passion, better sex, and more fulfilling marriage relationships.”
—Ty Wyss
Founder and Director of Walls Down Ministries; Counseling Pastor, Living Truth Church, Carmel, Indiana; Director of Soul Spring Counseling