Marriage

God designed marriage, during the act of creation, as one way to help reflect His image and glorify Himself. Although not everyone is called to be married1, for those that are, marriage is a unique calling to a lifelong covenant relationship between one man, one woman, and God2. God recognized it was not good for man to be alone and as a result, He formed the woman from man. God presided over the first marriage, by presenting Eve as the first bride, to her husband Adam3. In the covenant of marriage, God is joining a man to his wife, and they become one flesh4.

Not only are man and woman created in the image of God5, they are both co-heirs of the grace demonstrated through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ6. As a result, they are equal in value in God’s eyes, yet have been uniquely designed to fulfill different roles within a marriage. A husband is called to sacrificially love his wife, as Christ loved the Church, sanctifying her in the Word and putting her needs above his own. A wife is called to respectfully submit to the servant leadership of her husband, as she ultimately serves the Lord7. As husbands and wives walk in these uniquely created roles, they glorify God and reflect the relationship between Jesus Christ and His church to the world around them8.

Footnotes:1 1 Corinthians 7:6-92 Matthew 19:4-63 Genesis 2:18-254 Genesis 2:245 Genesis 1:26-276 1 Peter 3:77 Ephesians 5:22-308 Ephesians 5:31-33