God's Word on Marriage:
the one for life

Male/female relationships (or possible ones) are often a major point of confused feelings and decisions in most people's lives. Then to become a Christian and try to let God be Lord of this most unruly area of human emotion becomes a new, big challenge. To live life God's way and limit our number of marriage "relationships" (as God wants) to ONLY ONE for life, well, that's a BIGGER challenge. Yet God's expressed will and His only best.

 
For each Christian, there is meant to be only ONE husband (or wife) for each of us (forever) for the rest of our life.

The Biblical term, husband, refers to a male.  Wife, refers to a female.  Each male marrying a female is Jesus' definition of marriage.  
Mark 10:2-16   Jesus replied..."At the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."


One lifelong marriage (permanence).  Between one male & one female (a heterosexual couple or relationship is the only permissible approach, by God's design).  Lifelong faithfulness, one man with one woman, this is God's definition of marriage.  


One lifelong marriage, lifelong faithfulness, is God's will and made clear by these words...
1Tim. 3:2   Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach...
 
1Tim. 3:12   A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well.
 
Titus 1:6   An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife,a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.
 
 
1Cor. 7:10-11   To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.
 
Notice God's Word consistently says: one husband, one wife, for life. Despite the numerous failures around us, in God there is a different way called for. And no truly legitimate exceptions. No separation. No divorce. Ever. Remarriage never becomes an issue. Because you do things God's way the first time. Any looking for loopholes or joining the unfaithfulness of our generation is somewhere you never want to go. Unfaithfulness or multiple marriages is never recommended or encouraged anywhere in scripture (except in the case of unavoidable widowhood). God's character and heart is faithfulness. Patient, persevering love. Lifelong trueness of heart. Faithful, steadfastness. Purity of life. One husband. One wife. Everlasting covenant.
 
 
Romans 7:2-3   By law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man.
 
1Cor. 7:39   A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord.
 
1Tim. 5:9   No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband...

Notice God describes here the kind of woman He considers blessed and commendable.  One who has lived His appropriate way: in unbroken, lifelong faithfulness to ONE husband. And this, God's expressed desire for each marriage. Scripture constantly defines the male/female relationship of marriage as lifelong.  The faithful way God says marriage needs to be done, lifelong with ONE.
 
Mark 10:2-16   Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" "What did Moses command you?" he replied. They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." "It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this. He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

Notice Jesus here 'raised the bar' and said that, in God, divorce is no longer an option. And whenever it was permitted in the history of man's choices it is revealed as only an act of sinful hardheartedness. And such sin, Jesus says, is not what God wants in the lives of His children. Hardhearted separation & divorce misses God's will (in many ways).  And is clearly against His Word.  What Love calls for in each marriage & each home is unity, lifelong faithfulness & love between man and wife.  
 
2Cor. 11:2   "I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him."

Notice, even with the love of Heaven, God calls us to one Husband, heart faithfulness to One Love. And no other gods!


The above message was written & put together by brother Jeff.  Most scripture quotes throughout this website are from the NIV Bible.  



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