What does the Bible say about Marriage? Marriage is a critical issue in the Bible. Not only is it a core part of human life but it is also an institution that God uses to reveal His love to us.
The Bible addresses marriage from many angles but three aspects stand out; willingness, conditions and the image of God’s love.
The bible advocates that marriage should be willful. Whoever wants to get married or marry must make a conscious choice.
This is needed because it takes faith to preserve a marriage. And since God hates faithlessness, He demands that only those who are ready to put up a fight to keep their marriage should get married.
It is common to hear the phrase ‘God hates divorce’ thrown around in wedding speeches. It is true that God hates divorce.
The Bible also addresses conditions that must be met before someone is eligible to get married. Once two people are married, the Bible has further conditions on how to sustain a marriage.
The general demand from the Bible before marriage is purity. No intimate acts are expected between lovers before marriage.
After marriage, love and submission is the general requirement of the Bible. Husbands are expected to love their wives as Christ loved the church while wives are required to submit to their husbands.
Lastly, the Bible addresses the aspect of God’s love through marriage. The husband takes the position of Christ while the wife represents the church. A perfect marriage according to the Bible is one where the husband treats the wife exactly as Christ treats the church.
A marriage too is expected to bear fruit. Though it is not a law in the Bible, generally, it is a blessing when a marriage produces children.