Marriage is a sacred covenant between two people, a union that can last for eternity. The Bible teaches us many things about marriage, such as how to have a successful marital relationship and how to avoid common pitfalls. But one of the essential lessons from scripture is that marriage is more than just a legal contract or an obligation between two people.
Marriage is also a gift from God. When we treat it as such, our marriages will flourish in ways we never thought possible. The Bible teaches us that marriage is a picture of Christ’s relationship with His church. We will better understand the biblical definition of marriage and how God wants us to treat our spouses.
Contents
What Is The Biblical Meaning Of Marriage?
Although the Bible does not give a single biblical definition of marriage, it gives us a clear picture of God’s ideal. In the Bible, marriage is portrayed as an intimate relationship between one man and a woman who are joined together by God and the Holy Spirit.
The biblical definition of marriage is “one flesh union” or “one body” (Genesis 2:24). It is the consummation of their love for each other and the symbol of their relationship with God. When we marry someone, we become one flesh with them—their bodies become part of ours, and vice versa. This is why sex outside of marriage[1] is immoral—it breaks this one flesh union between two people who are not married to each other.
The Lord God created Eve by Adam’s side as a companion—someone who would be like him in every way (Genesis 2:18–24). God also created Eve for Adam so they could have children together (Genesis 1:28). This means that God intended for sexual intimacy to occur only within marriage because it’s part of His design for humanity.
Marriage is also a picture of Christ’s relationship with His Church. In that sense, it is also a picture of how God relates to us as individuals. The Bible says that we are joined together with Christ in marriage (Ephesians 5:31–32). As members of His body, we are joined physically, emotionally, and spiritually with Him by faith. We depend on Him for everything we need, and He depends on us for what He wants to be done.
What Is The Biblical Significance Of Marriage?
As mentioned, the biblical definition of marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman, which God ordains as the foundation of human society. A biblical marriage is designed to provide a man and a woman with an exclusive and lifelong relationship to nurture the physical and spiritual needs of each other, following the laws of God.
The Bible teaches that God blessed us with biblical marriage at creation and that it reflects His love for His people. It is the primary institution where we learn to love and be loved by others. Marriage allows us to grow spiritually, emotionally, relationally, physically, and socially. The Bible describes marriage as companionship, protection, intimacy, faithfulness, friendship, responsiveness, commitment, nurturing children, and more.
God designed marriage to last forever (Matthew 19:8; Mark 10:9). Jesus said in Matthew 19:4–6 that “from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason, a man shall leave his father and mother, and the two shall become one flesh [i.e., married].” This passage refers back to Genesis 1, where God created a woman from a man’s rib so that they could become “one flesh” together.
Lastly, the Biblical significance of marriage is that it is a picture of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:21–33). The Bible uses marriage as a metaphor to describe God’s love for us. He is a husband who loves and cherishes His bride. He walks with her, protects her, and provides for her every need. This is how we should think about our relationship with God.
What Is The Purpose Of Marriage?
The purpose of marriage is to glorify God. When we are married, we become one flesh with our spouse. This means that our relationship with Christ should be reflected in how we treat each other as husband and wife. There are purposes behind marriage, and it’s better to know them.
Beginning
Marriage is the foundation of family life, and a marriage union should last a lifetime. Serving your wife and children can allow you to grow in selflessness. Marriage involves both the body and spirit, not just the two people involved. This union mirrors the relationship between God and humankind.
In marriage, a man and woman become one flesh, which is the primary reason God created mankind. They are to work together to build a strong bond of love and trust in their marriage relationship. This means that both spouses must be willing to sacrifice for each other and prioritize their partner’s needs over their own desires.
Oneness
This is a crucial element of marriage. The Bible says, “Husbands love your wives” (Colossians 3:19). Husbands need to be considerate and patient with their wives. They need to demonstrate affection and sensitivity toward them. In contrast, wives should be submissive to their husbands. This does not mean wives should be doormats or passive, but rather that they should show respect for their husbands and willingly submit to their decisions.
Purity
The Bible says, “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure” (Hebrews 13:4). Both spouses must maintain sexual purity before marriage. The Bible stresses that this is extremely important because sex is a gift from God intended for married couples who are deeply in love with each other. Marriage is a bond that gives us the support we need to resist temptation by engaging in satisfying love—a love that engages your own body, mind, and soul.
Parenting
The Bible says, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). This means that both the father and mother should instill their moral values in their children. They should encourage them to be obedient and respectful.
Children can learn this by watching how their parents treat other people. One of the many purposes behind marriage is parenting, so we must have a strong relationship with our spouse. That way, our children will learn how to treat others by watching us every day.
Love
The Bible says that God is love. He wants us to love Him and others (1 John 4:8). When we do, it shows that we follow God’s example. Love means showing kindness even when it’s difficult or unpleasant. It means accepting differences in opinions without judging someone else’s beliefs.
We get married out of love, making it one of the most important decisions we will ever make. When we choose to marry someone, we commit ourselves to them for life. We promise that no matter what happens tomorrow, next year, or decades from now, we will love each other and be there for each other.
Does The Bible Define Marriage As Covenant?
The Bible is clear: Marriage is a covenant relationship. However, what does that mean? It’s not just two people saying “I do” and walking down the aisle.
A covenant is a binding agreement between two parties committing themselves to each other for life. In the Bible, marriage is often called a “covenant between a man and his wife” (Genesis 2:24). This means that when you get married, you agree with your spouse that both of you will be faithful to one another until death.
God created marriage as an institution that was supposed to reflect His love for His people. He gave us the man-woman marriage relationship as an example of Christ’s love for His bride, the church (Ephesians 5:22–33).
Marriage is one of the most important relationships in life. You should enter it with great care and diligence because it affects so many aspects of our lives—emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
While there are no promises made in marriage other than what God has promised us, we should still consider making vows with each other at some point during the marriage ceremony or reception. Vows are promises we make to each other during the marriage ceremony before God and witnesses that declare our intentions for our future together as husband and wife.
What Is God’s Ultimate Design For Marriage?
God’s plan for biblical marriage is simple yet profound: He intends for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
But what does it mean for a husband to love his wife as Christ loved the church? It means that he sacrifices himself for her. It means that he seeks her best interests above his own. It means that he gives himself up to protect and provide for her.
As we consider God’s design for marriage, it is essential to understand that God had a purpose in mind when He created marriage. He did not make a marriage simply because He wanted two people who were attracted to each other to live together. God created marriage so that husband and wife could become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). God created an intimate sexual union designed to reveal His perfect love for us.
God wants our marriages to express His perfect love for us. As we relate to one another in marriage, we should strive to be like Jesus in His love for us. Just like He did not choose us because of any good in us or any merit that we had earned, He chose us based purely on His grace alone (Ephesians 1:4–6).
In fact, the Bible is the ultimate authority on marriage and divorce. The Bible defines marriage as a monogamous relationship between one man and one woman for life (Genesis 2:24).
Marriage is a covenant between two people. Marital covenants are like any other contract. They can be entered into freely, but they can also be broken. The Bible teaches that marriage is permanent, except in cases when one of the partners is guilty of sexual immorality (Matthew 19:9).
Is Marriage Only Between Men And Women?
The Bible teaches that God made male and female in His own image (Genesis 1:27). The same Bible also teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman, thus establishing the boundaries of sexuality.
Sexual union outside of monogamous marriage is considered adultery (Exodus 20:14). Marriage provides an environment for sexual fulfillment, but it can also provide a safe haven from temptation. However, in the modern generation, same-sex marriages are increasingly becoming the norm. This can be attributed to the rise of the LGBT movement and its efforts to fight for equal rights.
Regarding worldly marriage, same-sex marriages are legal in some countries today. In fact, the United States is one of the few countries that observes same-sex marriage. On the other hand, regarding a biblical perspective on marriage, yes, there is an explicit prohibition against same-sex marriages.
It is evident in the book of Genesis that God created man and woman, not man and man or woman and woman. When God created Adam, he said it was not good for him to be alone. So then He created Eve. In the book of Leviticus, God also commanded that a man not lie with another man as he would with a woman.
Conclusion
We can see that the Bible does not provide a clear biblical definition of what marriage is. However, we can indeed say that God created it as an institution for man and woman to be united in holy matrimony. It is a sacred covenant between two people who love each other and want to share their lives forever.
This is why marriage is so important. God created it to be the foundation of every family, and He wants us all to honor Him by maintaining this sacred institution for His glory. Marriage is beautiful, and we should all be thankful that God has given us such an incredible gift. It’s a sacred institution that unites two people.