God’s Design For Marriage

I believe biblical principles and values are really the heartbeat of the Christian family. Today marriages are ending in divorce at record numbers. Many children learn their values from television, movies, and music instead of from their parents and the Bible.

Let us understand what God’s design and purpose in marriage are at creation.

God- ordained marriage for enriching relationships with God & each other (Gen.1:26-28; Gen.2:24,25) so that they can together build a godly generation (Deu. 6:1-4) 

They were both made equal but different – as male and female-to complete one another not to compete. They thus fulfill each other’s God-given needs.

Both were made equally in His image so that we are called to live Christ-like lives,

Both were blessed to be fruitful,

Both were given dominion/ stewardship over all creation.

God’s design is very good. God was satisfied and said: “It is very good”

Gen. 1:26-28 At creation He made tham both in His own image.

Gen. 2:7 describes how specifically God created man and Gen. 2:21,22 the woman.

Gen. 2:23-24 He brought them together with the the binding words of the marriage covenant:

“For this reasona man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the twowill become one flesh.” 

It is important to note that our Lord Jesus and Paul referred to this verse whenever they were questioned about marriage. As far as I know this is the only verse that occurs four times in the Gospels and Epistles. So we say that the God- ordained purpose of marriage is “to become one-flesh” referring not only to the physical union, but the process of “becoming one”, physically, emotionally, spiritually, throughout their lives. Marriage is therefore a total commitment of the total person for total life. It is permanent, “till death do us apart.” It is not a contract to be broken at any whim of man- for it is not a man-made institution, but God-ordained.

In Gen. 3,at the Fall, we lost the love-relationship and unity enjoyed at creation, giving rise to conflict, divisions, oppression and suppression. But in Christ’s death and resurrection God makes His grace and mercy available to us to help restore His original design and purposes to be worked out in love. Eph.5:15 -33- which describes this restored, renewed relationship – is only possible through Spirit-filled lives(vs. 15-21),when we yield ourselves to the working of the Holy Spirit to experience renewed self-sacrificial loving relationships.

The closer we are to God, the closer we will be with one another.

There is hope and healing only as we go back to God’s original design and purpose for humankind. Our Lord Jesus Christ can take even the broken pieces of our lives and make them whole and beautiful again.

 by Juliet Thomas