What Is Christian Marriage, According To The Bible
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Unsplash Some people dream of hearing this for the entirety of their young adult lives. How many movies have you seen that show a little girl prancing around in a beautiful dress, pretending it’s her wedding day?
Being surrounded by the people you love, feeling absolutely stunning, and looking into the eyes of the person that you are going to happily spend the rest of your life with are just a few of the greatest parts of marriage.
But a Christian marriage elevates those feelings even further, and it's something Christians who are dating should talk about.
Dating someone is the romantic phase of a Christian relationship, but when a couple marries life gets more complicated as children arrive, jobs change, and hardships begin to pile up while facing the world as a unified front.
As people walk with faith, they learn how to love deeper and fuller. They learn how to accept the ugly things about each other while celebrating their greatest traits, through the teachings of the Bible.
When you love God, you experience love in its truest form. There are no obligations and no expectations in a relationship with Him. That teaches you to love others with that same intention. Christian marriage celebrates the love of two people moving forward as one with Christ.
Maintaining each personal connection with God is the connecting tie that will keep two people in a happy marriage. Of course, the church does not acknowledge divorce as anything less than sin.
Matthew 5:32 tells us, “Whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.”
So, ensuring that the foundation of your relationship is solid can increase the longevity of the commitment.
Gary Thomas, an American writer and evangelical minister has written many books and lectured many couples on the characteristics of Christian marriage.
In his book, Sacred Marriage, he says, "We have to stop asking of marriage what God never designed it to give — perfect happiness, conflict-free living, and idolatrous obsession.”
We have to accept that all of our actions are not perfect in the eyes of the Lord. But through His forgiveness, we continue to walk with Him.
Those in Christian marriage must also remain aware of the purpose of their spouse. Though your husband will support your love of Christ and your commitment to faith, he cannot remain a constant supply of devotion.
"The problem with looking to another human to complete us is that spiritually speaking, it's idolatry,” Thomas goes on to say. “We are to find our fulfillment and purpose in God and if we expect our spouse to be 'God' to us, he or she will fail every day.”
1. Two people take on one shared identity within the context of marriage.
“The two will become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh.” — Mark 10:8
In a Christian marriage, two people become one entity of the church. This about the creation story. God made Eve from Adam’s rib. They were incomplete until they came together. The husband and wife share mutual respect and dedication to each other.
2. Your values need to align.
“Be all like-minded, compassionate, loving as brothers, tenderhearted, courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or reviling for reviling; but instead blessing; knowing that to this were you called, that you may inherit a blessing.” — 1 Peter 3:8-9
Within a religious marriage, there are many layers. But at the basis of every trial, the couple can rely on their shared beliefs. God calls us to share our thoughts with each other to reach the greater goal of serving Him.
He asks us to open our compassionate hearts to others and invite those falling off the path of faith to join again. A husband and wife are the greatest responsibility partners. They keep each other grounded in faith and aid each other in the overall goal of serving God.
3. You have one another.
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him who is alone when he falls and doesn't have another to lift him up.” — Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
Married Christians create a bond that becomes a support system within the larger support of the church. They are supportive of each other through good times and bad using the love and passion they have to the other to keep success in their future.
They find themselves happier when together than when apart. They know that through their vows, they have made a commitment to support each other. They place their full trust in each other and know that God will guide their way to happiness and love.
Madison Kerth is a writer who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationship topics.