When a man and woman get married, the man leaves his old way of life behind and joins with his wife. They become as one flesh. A married couple are to work together in harmony to live a godly life and raise godly children. When the two are working as one, each one's strengths make up for the other's weaknesses. They compliment each other (Gen. 2:23-24).
These days, in the United States, people will get married without considering the serious commitment that it takes to have a successful, godly marriage. Then, before they know it, they are getting divorced because of a myriad of reasons. Some are serious Biblical reasons such as adultery, but a great number of the reasons stem from immaturity. A spouse may disagree with their mate over something trivial, and they are not willing to tough it out. One person may be a Christian who marries someone who is not a Christian, thinking that they can convert the other over to their beliefs, but a non- Christian has to come to terms with God on their own. We cannot change other people. We can only support them along the way.
Marriage takes a serious, mature commitment on the part of the man and the woman and should be thought out carefully, because it is a vow that is meant to be forever. One man and one woman, for life.
Marriage is an honorable institution when it is shared by a faithful husband and a faithful wife. Those who are sexually immoral and adulterous will be judged by God (Heb. 13:). In the times we now live, unfaithfulness in the bedroom is one of the reasons people get divorced, like it going out of style. God meant sex to be pleasurable, but it was meant to be shared by a married couple, not singles who are dating, and not by strangers involved in one-night stands. Longevity is something that those who desire to get married should strive for. If a person does not think that they or their partner can be faithful forever, they shouldn't get married. God honors people who are upright. People who exhibit integrity, and those who are faithful to each other, to God, and to the standards that He has set for us.
Wives should submit themselves to their husbands, as Christians submit themselves to the Lord. The husband is head of the wife, as Christ is head of the church. He is the Savior of all Christians. Just as the church is subject to Christ, the wives are to be to their husbands, in everything. Husbands are to love their wives, just as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it so that He could sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, in order to present it to Himself as a glorious church. The church, having no spots or wrinkles, but being holy and without blemish.
Husbands are to love their wives, as they love their own bodies. The man who loves his wife, loves himself. No one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord nourishes and cherishes the church. We are members of His body, the body of Christ, which is the church. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
Men, love your wives as you would love yourself, and women respect your husbands.
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