Biblical Marriage

Biblical Marriage

Marriage is an institution created by God. That much is clear from Genesis 2:18-24.

18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."

19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh.

22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."

24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

(NIV)

Marriage was included as a part of the original creation, it is clear that God's fundamental intention for marriage applies to all human beings. However, a look at the whole of Scripture reveals that marriage has special meanings for the people of God. Marriage is a faith journey toward an unknown destination the discovery that people must share not only what they don't know about each other, but also what they don't know about themselves.

I. The Preparation for Marriage An average of 13,500 Americans get married every day.

Marriage is not gritting your teeth and bearing it but gritting your teeth and making it work. A couple must be:

A. Mentally Prepared

(Mark 10:9 KJV) What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

1. It is for a lifetime!

B. Physically Prepared

(Amos 3:3 KJV) Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

1. A couple must be in realistic agreement. Matthew Henry writes: "Eve was made by God not out of His head to rule over Him, nor out of His feet to be trampled upon by Him, but out of His side to be equal with Him, under His arm to be protected, and near His heart to be loved."

C. Monetarily Prepared

(1 Tim 5:8 KJV) But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

1. No money (or job)-no marriage.

D. Married husbands and wives are:

Happier, healthier more prosperous than people in other types of households across all ages and races, Americans who live alone die at a much higher rate. For example, divorced men in the under 65 ages group have considerably higher mortality rates for a number of diseases than their married counterparts. Their death rate is twice as high for lung cancer and strokes, three times as high for diseases related to hypertension, and seven times higher for cirrhosis of the liver.

II. The Plan for Marriage Must include:

A. Salvation

(Rev 3:20 KJV) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

B. Submission

(Eph 5:22 KJV) Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Eph 5:23 KJV) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (Eph 5:24 KJV) Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

C. Showing

(Eph 5:25 KJV) Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Eph 5:26 KJV) That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Eph 5:27 KJV) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Eph 5:28 KJV) So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. (Eph 5:29 KJV) For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: (Eph 5:30 KJV) For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (Eph 5:31 KJV) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (Eph 5:32 KJV) This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.