Marriage was created by God and is intended to be a life-long companionship between two people who will stick closer than anybody else to each other—who genuinely love each other at all times. Marriage is a covenant where a man and a woman come together, care for each other, confront each other to build each other up, and counsel each other, in order that there might be growth as individuals and growth as a couple.

The Marriage Covenant

When a man and a woman are married in a church, they are effectively saying, “We want to be married in church by a minister because we recognize the divine dimension of marriage.” That can be quite different from secular thought which assumes that marriage is mankind's idea and that it is evolutionary in its development. So as better ideas emerge, it's acceptable to re-evaluate and redefine both marriage and family. But the Bible affirms that marriage is, indeed, a covenant before God. With God as our witness, we make our marital vows as a solemn commitment to each other before the Lord.

Christian Marriage

But there is more. Marriage is a divine idea and Christian marriage understands and accepts that. When we make a covenant before God something is done to us by God. And what is that? He takes two very different people, and in some remarkable way, through marriage He makes them one. Remember Malachi's words, “Has not the Lord made them one?” (Malachi 2:15). In flesh and in spirit they are His.

To make two people one “in spirit” is different from making them one “in flesh.” Put in very simple terms, when two people become one “in flesh,” it means they have sex. But when two people are one “in spirit” it means something far beyond having sex. It means God is binding their two lives together in marriage, so that over the years, as they pass through changing circumstances, they will discover a oneness of spirit that enables them to respond in ways that serve only to deepen their love and commitment to each other.

The Christian view of marriage is that God joins two people—one male and one female—together, and they become “one flesh.” This unique relationship holds great promise and presents great challenges for all concerned.

How is Christian marriage distinctive?

Why are so many Christian marriages in trouble? We tend to give up on our marriages instead of persevering in them. We consider it success if we don't get divorced, but there's so much more to it than that. In a Christian marriage, the picture is of both spouses graciously serving one another and it is the Holy Spirit who makes this possible.

Marriages need tending and the Bible has much to say about marriage. The resources below can help you find help and guidance in facing the challenges you might have concerning marriage.

Dig deeper into the subject of marriage by exploring the Bible-teaching resources below: