Introduction:
How making sure God is the center of your marriage and praying together daily can have a huge impact on your relationship with your spouse and bring you closer to God.
The relation between husband and wife directly correlates with the relation between Christ and the church.
What is marriage?
"The union of two individuals at the deepest possible level and in all areas, which in turn brings the greatest possible sense of fulfillment to the couple and at the same time, serves best the purposes of God for their lives." Gary Chapman
A. Marriage is a covenant
between a man, a woman, and God
Webster's definition of "Covenant"
1. A signed written agreement between two or more parties (nations) to perform some action.
2. (Bible) an agreement between God and his people in which God makes certain promises and requires certain behavior from them in return.
Covenant a contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word _berith_ is always thus translated. _Berith_ is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting," with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a covenant (Gen. 15; Jer. 34:18, 19). The corresponding word in the New Testament Greek is _diatheke_, which is, however, rendered "testament" generally in the Authorized Version. It ought to be rendered, just as the word _berith_ of the Old Testament, "covenant." This word is used (1) of a covenant or compact between man and man (Gen. 21:32), or between tribes or nations (1 Sam. 11:1; Josh. 9:6, 15). In entering into a convenant, Jehovah was solemnly called on to witness the transaction (Gen. 31:50), and hence it was called a "covenant of the Lord" (1 Sam. 20:8). The marriage compact is called "the covenant of God" (Prov. 2:17), because the marriage was made in God's name. Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary.
In eastern cultures the act of cutting animals and walking between them as a sign of their covenant went on for thousands of years. They were basically saying that "If I break this covenant, may my fate be the same as the fate of these animals."
The only scripture we have found to actually mention marriage as a covenant is Malachi 2:14, however, it clearly states that God sees marriage as a sacred covenant between man, wife and God.
Malachi 2:14 (NKJ)
14 Yet you say, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been witness Between you and the wife of your youth, With whom you have dealt treacherously; Yet she is your companion And your wife by covenant.
What is the purpose of marriage?
No particular order…
A. Companionship
Genesis 2:18-24 (NKJ)
18 And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable (help meet) to him." 19 Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.
God saw that the animals were not enough for man
21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said:
"This is now bone of my bones
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man."
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
We all have heard one variation or another of the typical wedding vows. They always have something related to leaving the father and mother and becoming one. This does not mean you have to cut all ties with your family, but it does mean that your spouse is now supposed to be the most important person in your life. A "family" can and does consist of husband, wife, children, and in-laws but a marriage is between the husband and wife only.
You will also hear "forsaking all others" in marriage vows. Once again, this does not mean you have to turn away from all of the world as far as friends or companions, but it does mean that your spouse will now have a higher priority over all others. Your wife/husbands needs now are your main concern in life on this earth.
B. Propagation of the human race
Webster's: The spreading of something (human race) into new regions.
God commanded man to multiply and to fill the earth. He gave us dominion over every living thing for us to use as we needed. In my opinion, His plan was to see the earth's population grow so that His kingdom would be great in number.
Genesis 1:28 (NKJ)
28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
C. Provides a forum for successfully raising children
Deuteronomy 6:5-7
5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
Proverbs 22:6
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Statistics show that children raised in homes where both parents are present and are happily married are more likely to be better behaved, do better in school and have a better overall view on life. Studies have even shown that these children are more likely to be healthier, have closer friendships and even have greater chances of graduating high school and going on to live a productive fulfilling life.
D. To prevent immorality
I Corinthians 7:1-5, 8-9 (NKJ)
1 Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me:
It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. 3 Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4 The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
5 Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
8 But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; 9 but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
This is essentially saying that, because people cannot control themselves and so many are having immoral sex outside of marriage, people should get married. Then they can fulfill their passions in a moral way. I am in no way saying that just because you want to be "physical" with someone, you should get married. When Paul was writing this to the Corinth church, there was so much immorality going on that this was his way of saying "If you are going to do this, at least do it properly."
Hebrews 13:4 (NKJ)
4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
Proverbs 5:15-20 (NKJ)
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
And running water from your own well.
16 Should your fountains be dispersed abroad,
Streams of water in the streets?
17 Let them be only your own,
And not for strangers with you.
18 Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice with the wife of your youth.
19
As a loving deer and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
And always be enraptured with her love.
20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,
And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?
E. To help us develop our spiritual lives and become more Christ-like
Ephesians 5:22-32 (NKJ)
Paul is explaining to the reader how our roles of husband and wife relate to the role of Christ and the church.
Note, Paul uses twice as many words telling husbands to love their wives as he does telling wives that they are to submit to their husbands.
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body,[a] of His flesh and of His bones. 31
"For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the
two shall become one flesh."[b]
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
I Peter 3:7 (NKJ) 7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
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