By Riley Nelson Richmond Hill Church of Christ
Marriage is a blessing given to mankind by God. “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam … but for Adam there was not found help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed” (GEN.2:18-25).
Marriage is purposeful in its design. First marriage provides the companionship as we noticed earlier. Two lives are joined to form a union that can face most anything. If they are united in their love for God they can face anything. Second, marriage was designed to propagate the human race. In a day when the home is being attacked, and marriage itself is being attacked this purpose of marriage must be noticed. The home is the foundation of our society and children brought into the union of man and woman, are the future of the world. Again God must be the focal point of both the couple and the family’s life. A third purpose seen in marriage is to prevent immorality. God’s word teaches us, “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency” (1 Cor. 7:2 – 5). Today many couples young, middle aged and even older live together outside of the marriage bond. This is fornication and is condemned by God. The love and devotion God intends for man and woman can never be attained without the marriage bond.
Marriage is a great blessing for mankind from God. Those who are married need to love God and their spouse more and more, as they go through this life.