Marriage: A Divine Institution from God
Introduction
From the very beginning, God designed marriage as a sacred covenant — not a human invention, but a divine gift. In the Garden of Eden, before sin ever entered the world, God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. Out of His goodness and wisdom, He created woman and joined them together in a lifelong union. Every true marriage since then reflects God’s heart, His order, and His covenant love. It is a type of gospel relationship we see fulfilled in the Churches relationship to her Savior.
📖 Biblical Summary of Marriage
| Aspect | Biblical Explanation | Key Verses |
|---|---|---|
| Origin of Marriage | God created marriage in Eden before sin entered the world. It is His design, not a human tradition. | Genesis 2:18–24; Matthew 19:4–6 |
| First Married Couple | Adam and Eve were joined by God and blessed to “be fruitful and multiply.” | Genesis 1:27–28; 2:22–24 |
| Definition of Marriage | A lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, joined by God as one flesh. | Malachi 2:14; Matthew 19:4–6; Ephesians 5:31 |
| Purpose of Marriage | Companionship, love, unity, fruitfulness, type of the gospel, and reflecting God’s image. | Genesis 2:18; Proverbs 18:22; 1 Corinthians 7:2–5 |
| God’s Role | God Himself joins the husband and wife; no one should separate them. | Matthew 19:6 |
| Husband’s Role | Love your wife sacrificially, as Christ loves the Church. | Ephesians 5:25–28; Colossians 3:19 |
| Wife’s Role | Respect and submit to her husband’s godly leadership, as the Church submits to Christ. | Ephesians 5:22–24, 33; 1 Peter 3:1–5 |
| Marriage as a Symbol | Earthly marriage mirrors the relationship between Christ (the Bridegroom) and His Church (the Bride). | Ephesians 5:31–32; Revelation 19:7–9 |
| Eternal Fulfillment | The ultimate wedding is the union of Christ and His redeemed people—the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. | Revelation 19:7–9; 21:2 |
🕊️ God’s Design in Scripture
“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
— Genesis 2:24
“What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
— Matthew 19:6
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
— Ephesians 5:25“In the same way, you wives, be subject to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, as they observe your pure conduct with fear.” —1 Peter 3:1-2
💍 Marriage and the Gospel
Marriage is more than companionship — it is a living picture of the Gospel. The husband’s love for his wife should mirror Christ’s sacrificial love for His people, and the wife’s devotion should mirror the Church’s loving submission to Christ.
Together, their union displays the covenant faithfulness, forgiveness, and steadfast love of God Himself.
Just as Christ will one day return for His bride, the Church, every faithful marriage points forward to that final celebration — the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when Christ and His redeemed people will be united forever in glory.
Before any of you get the wrong idea, my wife, and I do not have the perfect marriage. Nobody does. There were times when each of us were tempted with the idea of divorce, but I want to offer an idea to you all, that might change the way you think about marriage. Marriage is from God. He has given it to us, and has defined it in His word.
In a way, your relationship with your spouse is like your relationship with Jesus. When things get difficult, are you going to walk away from your spouse? You wouldn’t think of walking away from Jesus, but for some reason the sinful temptation to leave your spouse seems alright. We aren’t meant to ever get divorced. When times are hard, we are meant to persevere in our marriage covenant to our spouse, in the same way we persevere in the Faith.
Jesus never gives up on us when we are His. He never tries to save someone, and fails. If you rest in that peace, and then love your spouse the way Jesus loves you, with an unrelenting, grace-full, sacrificial, super-generous, love, without any degree of giving up on them, or your marriage, and they do likewise, you will see each other off to death do you part. Don’t give up on the gospel centered, Christ centered, marriage! The world is watching us. Be the salt, and light, you were called to be. Be a witness, and a testimony, to the great goodness of our Lord Jesus.
🙏 Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for creating marriage and making it a reflection of Your love and faithfulness.
Help husbands to love as Christ loves, and wives to honor and submit as the Church honors, and submits to Christ.
Strengthen every marriage to display Your grace, unity, and truth in this world.
And remind us daily that our deepest fulfillment is found in You — the Bridegroom of our souls.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Snyder's Soapbox 