Some Key Thoughts on Christian Marriage
According to Scripture marriage is ordained by God as an intimate and permanent partnership between a man and a woman in which the two become one in the whole of life. The ideal is an active lifelong monogamous heterosexual relationship. Sexual, emotional, physical and spiritual fulfillment are important goals of a marriage relationship that places God at its centre. Christian marriage is the ideal foundation for the birth and raising of children.
Some key biblical passages on marriage principles: Gen 1:26-28; 2:21-24; Mt 19:6; 1 Cor 7:1-40; 13:1-13; 2 Cor 6:14; Eph 5:21-33; 1 Th 4:3-7; Heb 13:4; 1 Pet 3:1-7.
Marriage is a solemn commitment, a holy event before God. It is a covenant -- the highest level of union in humanity. The vows one takes are not only vows to their beloved one, but also vows to God, witnessed by the church.
"I the groom, take thee, the bride, to be my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health 'til death do us part."
"I, the bride, take thee, the groom, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health 'til death do us part."
Those words or a slight variation of them have served Christians for centuries, and we couldn't find anything that better expressed what we were committing to each other. They expressed the vows we are making — an irrevocable commitment to each other with God as our witness.
No comments:
Post a Comment