What Does God Say About Marriage?

Marriage is a beautiful thing that God created. It is a covenantal relationship between a man and a woman who love each other and are committed to spending the rest of their lives together. Marriage is not just a contract or an agreement between two people; it is a sacred bond that is meant to be cherished and treasured.

Christians believe that marriage is an essential part of Christian life and faith. In fact, the family is the foundation of society and the Church. Marriage and family life provide couples with the opportunity to grow in their love for each other, support each other in good times and bad, and raise children who will one day carry on the traditions of their faith.

For Christians, marriage is a sacred institution that should be respected and honored. But what does God say about marriage? What does the Bible teach us about this institution? Let’s have a look.

What Does the Bible Say About Marriage?

The Bible has a lot to say about marriage! In fact, the very first chapter of the Bible tells us that God created marriage as a good and perfect institution.

“The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.'” Genesis 2:18 (NIV)

From the very beginning, we see that God designed marriage to be a union between a man and woman. This is reaffirmed throughout Scripture:

“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24 (NIV)

The Bible goes on to give us many examples of good marriages, including the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah (Genesis 24:67) and the marriage of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:13). In each case, we see a man and woman who committed themselves to one another, loved and respected each other, and were faithful to their marriage vows.

The Bible also has a lot to say about what makes for a bad marriage. For instance, Scripture tells us that divorce is only to be allowed in the case of marital unfaithfulness:

“And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.” Matthew 19:9 (NLT)

And even then, God’s ideal is always reconciliation whenever possible:

“But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband.  But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.” 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NLT)

The Bible also warns us against marrying unbelievers, as this will likely lead to conflict and division rather than unity and harmony.

“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV)

So what does the Bible say about marriage? Ultimately, it is clear that marriage is a good gift from God. It is a lifelong commitment between a man and woman, and it is intended to be a reflection of Christ’s love for his Church. When marriages are fulfilling their God-given purpose, they are a beautiful picture of the gospel in action.

What does the Bible say about having relationships before marriage?

Before marriage, Scripture only allows relationships in the context of betrothal or courtship. In other words, dating as we know it today is not a biblical concept.

The Bible does not give any explicit instructions on dating. However, it does talk about principles that can be applied to dating.

For example, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (NIV)

These verses can guide us on how we should date. We should date patiently, kindly, without envy or boasting. We should not dishonor others or be self-seeking. And our dating relationships should be based on truth, not evil.

When we are looking to date, we should be looking for someone who shares our faith. This is because our relationship with God should be the most important relationship in our lives. And if we are not equally yoked with someone in our faith, it can be difficult to maintain that relationship with God.

What does the Bible say about marriage and sex?

The Bible is very clear that sex is meant to be between a husband and wife. Sex and procreation are obvious blessings from God, but sex is also a way to experience physical and emotional intimacy with our spouse.

For example, 1 Corinthians 7:2-5 says, ” But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” (NLT)

This passage tells us that marriage is meant to be a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman. And it also tells us that sex is an important part of marriage. Sex is not just for procreation, but it is also a way to express love and intimacy within marriage.

The importance of marital faithfulness

The Bible is clear that marriage is a good gift from God and should be honored as such. And one of the ways we honor marriage is by being faithful to our spouses.

Marital faithfulness means being sexually exclusive with our spouse. The Bible tells us that sex is to be reserved for marriage:

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Hebrews 13:4 (ESV)

Marital faithfulness is not just about avoiding sexual sin. It’s about honoring our spouse with our whole heart. When we are unfaithful, we are not just breaking a rule, we are betraying our spouse’s trust. And that betrayal can be very hurtful.

So whether you are dating or married, make faithfulness a priority. It is one of the best ways to honor God and your partner.

Conclusion

When God created Adam and Eve, He created them to be partners for life. He intended for marriage to be a covenant relationship between a man and a woman, in which they would become one flesh. God’s plan is that marriages would reflect His own relationship with His people – a relationship of love, faithfulness, and commitment.

There are many instructions in the Bible related to marriage where God spells out His ideal for this relationship. In (Ephesians 5:22-33), husbands and wives are instructed to love one another sacrificially, as Christ loved the Church. Wives are to submit to their husbands’ leadership, and husbands are to lead with Christ-like servant hearts. In (1 Corinthians 7:1-16), Paul gives practical advice for married couples, including the instruction that marriage should be entered into carefully and honorably, and once made, should not be broken.

God’s design for marriage is a beautiful picture of His love for us. When we follow His instructions for marriage, we can experience the joy and fulfillment He intends for us in this covenant relationship.