Marriage, Purpose and Duration

            The institution of marriage is as old as the family of man.  It was ordained of God in Eden and has come down to us with divine blessings upon it.  Around it cluster all the purest joys of the home and the human race.  It was guarded in tones of thunder upon Mt. Sinai and given in gently accents in the Sermon on the Mount.  God Almighty himself is its author.

            Mankind must turn to the beginning to observe the plan of God in the purpose and definition of marriage.  Genesis 2:18 states: “And Jehovah God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him”(ASV).  During the beginning time of the creation God made man.  He made man to rule over the earth and to tend to it, but alas man was incomplete.  There was something missing in mans life, God saw what was lacking and made man complete by giving him a wife.  The Purpose of marriage first off to make one complete. 

            Another purpose of marriage that is seen in the book of Genesis is that which is found in Genesis 2:23f “And the man 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”.  The purpose of marriage that is seen in this verse is cleaving.  The purpose of marriage is the joining of two into one.  When a man and woman come together in the marriage bond they become one flesh.  They become one flesh in the sexual sense in which their bodies are joined, and they become one flesh in that they are now considered one entity in which they have one purpose and goal.  It is the natural progression of ones life that he or she break off the relationship with their parents, and then find one to join with where they together can serve one another and God. 

            The next area of marriage that must be examined is the duration of marriage.  In our modern world marriages do not seem to last.  Divorce and adultery runs rampant.  Many times there is no remorse when a marriage ends because our world has come to believe that marriage has no set duration.  The Bible however does give us a set duration.  Rom 7:2f says:

                        For the woman that hath a husband is bound by law to the husband while he liveth; but if the husband die, she is discharged from the law of thehusband. So then if, while the husband liveth, she be joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if the husband die, she is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though she be joined to anotherman.

Marriage is supposed to be “till death do us part”  the duration of marriage is life.  An institution as wonderful as marriage was meant to last.  Divorce is not supposed to happen for Malachi 2:16 tells us that God “Hates divorce”.  And in Matthew 19:6 it states “For what God has joined together let no man separate”.  Marriage is for life. 

            Divorce is often a question that many raise when discussing marriage.  Divorce is never supposed to happen, for marriage is supposed to be till death.  Jesus does however give us the one reason for divorce and remarriage in Mathew 19:9 “And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her when she is put away committeth adultery”.

            Not only is there a set purpose and duration of marriage, there is also God ordained responsibilities in marriage.  In this Post-Modern age in which we live many do not like to take responsibility.  God however, has set up certain responsibilities of the husband and wife as seen in the institution of marriage.  The most clear cut listing of what responsibilities are necessary in marriage are those of Ephesians 5:21ff.

                        Wives, be in subjection unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the  husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the church,being himself the saviour of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it;…Even so ought husbands also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his own wife loveth himself: for no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as Christ also the church; because we are members of his body…Nevertheless do ye alsoseverally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she fear her husband. 

            We see clear cut responsibilities of the husband and wife in this passage.  The responsibilities of the wife that are listed are that a wife must be in subjection to her husband as she would to the Lord.  The reason being is that the husband is the head of the wife, he is responsible for the physical and spiritual well-being of the family.  In the way that the church is in subject to Christ, wives also need to be to their husbands. In this passage there are also responsibilities listed for that of the husbands.  Husbands love their wives as Christ loved the church.  Christ was willing to die for the church and husbands should be willing to do that for their wives.   If husbands would treat there wives as Christ does the church, we would not have the problem of spousal abuse, and wives would not have a problem submitting to there husbands.  If God’s plan for marriage is upheld, the marriage will last and it will be the wonderful institution that God ordained it to be. 

            In conclusion, marriage is created, ordained and purposed by God.  God’s plan for marriage must be upheld, if one wants there marriage to be successful.  We must enter marriage with Godly fear and respect, for God will not hold one guiltless who defiles or disrespects this holy union. It is a perfect union in which two separate entities join together and become one. The one unit that they become is the unit that provides mutual support and affection in which thoughts can be focused on God by glorifying this holiest of all unions.