Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. (Ephesians 5:31)
As Christians God’s beautiful word is our holy standard for life and truth. We can trust that he has given us all that we need to possess for holy living. On the topic of marriage his word is full of loving guidance for how his idea best works. Though we must not believe they are mere suggestions. For the believer they are commands for how we are to define and function in marriage. As we live according to his commands, we find that they are not burdensome, but rather freeing – that our lives sing in beautiful unison with the will of our creator and the creator of marriage.
Marriage belongs to God; it was his idea. Anything other than what he decrees in his word is not marriage at all, but rather so-called marriage. This may sound harsh, but for the believer there are times when our beliefs will place us at odds with the world around us. This does not mean that we are to fight those who disagree with the biblical definition of marriage, namely those outside the household of faith. Nor does it necessarily mean we are to take up “political arms” to coerce those same people to live according to our biblical standards (see Brance’s great post that addresses this). I’m also not saying we should do the opposite and vote for policies that are in opposition to God’s word either. God help us if we do! Rather, as believers we are to stand by the biblical definition of marriage and showcase its glory and beauty to a watching world.
Maybe you are wondering what scripture has to say about marriage. This list is by no means comprehensive, but here are a few important things that the bible teaches us about marriage.
1. Marriage is between one man and one woman for a lifetime (Matthew 19:3-6). This was God’s intention from Genesis and still is his intention for marriage today. He created a man Adam and a woman Eve and instituted marriage.
2. Marriage requires a man to leave his parents and “hold fast” to his wife (Genesis 3:24). There is a separation and joining that take place. We are told that the two become one flesh and that it is a profound mystery because…
3. Marriage is to image the union of Christ, “the groom” and the Church, “his bride” (Ephesians 5:31-32). For the believer to redefine marriage is to destroy this beautiful spiritual realty.
4. Marriage paves the path of submission, for the husband who submits to Christ and the wife who submits to her husband, both mirroring Christ’s humble submission to God the Father (1 Cor. 11:3).
5. Marriage is a place where sexual desires can legitimately be met and where babies are made (1 Cor. 7:1-5, Psalm 127:3-5). Our culture loves to separate the two, like somehow they aren’t connected. Or even hold the two in opposition, hence abortion. Lest you think the Christian marriage bed is a snore though, read the Song of Solomon. And when a baby results we are to joyfully receive him/her as a gift from God!
4. Marriage provides an opportunity for us to bear our cross (Luke 9:23). Yes that is what we as Christians are to do after all. Like all of life, marriage has its difficulties and challenges, even trials. Here too we are to lay down our desires and take up our cross daily and follow Christ. In doing so we will find that his desires and designs are loftier and lovelier than any of our own and that our life will be all the better for submitting our will to the cross. Even our will for marriage.
* Photo is Brance’s mom and dad (Cathey and Rodger) who are now with Jesus.
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