Christian Marriage

"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,' and said, '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." (Matt. 19:4-6)

The marriage service says that marriage is a “holy estate.” Christian marriage is more than physical, economic, cohabiting and child bearing and rearing. It is a spiritual fellowship; it is a picture on earth of Christ and His body, the Church.

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Eph. 5:22-28)

I have seen quite a few Christian marriages break up after over twenty years of marriage, and I am watching several more in the process. Is anyone trying to stop it? Yes! However, there is encouragement for divorce from counselors, attorneys, family members, and Christian friends. Intruding, teaching, and discipline may be in order, but what is really needed is the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Each of you know friends of yours who are in this situation. Pray for the heavy hand of God to be upon them until there is repentance.

If there is any sign of trouble in your own marriage, repent to God and call for help from the saints.

In case this all sounds too discouraging, I know of several marriages that have been wonderfully saved.

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Roots by the River

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