Defining Marriage Part 1 - Martin Wiles

This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Genesis 3:24 NLT

Definitions of marriage are changing.

The senior pastor of a prominent church in South Carolina once commented, “There’s no family value system in the Bible that we would lay into the 21st century. We don’t have two wives and sleep with our maids and have a bunch of children and that be fine. What we believe about marriage and family is culturally driven, not biblically driven” (emphasis mine).

Sadly, many define marriage by what society says it should be and disregard what God says. Mostly, I was fortunate enough to observe healthy marriages in my family. Grandparents who were married to the same partner for a lifetime. Parents who followed suit. I watched them face difficulties and strongholds and yet hold fast. I’ve also watched many marriages in my family disintegrate—some for good reasons and others for not-so-good reasons. Physical abuse versus “I’m just tired of you as my partner.”

God performed the first marriage in the Garden of Eden. After naming the animals, Adam found none other like himself. God recognized Adam’s loneliness wasn’t good, so He created a woman and performed the first marriage. A man and a woman placed in a pristine environment and given the challenge to populate the earth.

Marriage is God’s idea.

Since marriage is God’s idea, we must pay attention to what He says about it rather than what society might say.

Marriage is a significant institution.

Couples who enter it with the “If it doesn’t work out, we’ll get a divorce” set themselves up for failure from the beginning.

Ending a marriage is a serious decision.

Saying the “I do’s” with the intent of staying together through thick and thin strengthens the marriage from the beginning. Jesus permitted ending a marriage for unfaithfulness—but it doesn’t have to even then. Many marriages survive unfaithfulness if the couple will sacrifice and work diligently. What God puts together shouldn’t be ended on a whim. Only serious and dangerous issues should terminate it.

Find ways to keep Satan from stealing the joy and permanency God intends for your marriage.

Father, give us strength to do what’s necessary to have a strong marriage. 

Tweetable: How is your marriage fairing? 

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