Scripture Text: Ephesians 5:22-33
Memory Verse: He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord. Proverbs 18:22
Lesson Aim: To consider the purposes of marriage and essential factors that will enable people to live a “different” marriage.
Key Points
- God designed marriage and He made it good.
- The marriage relationship is only surpassed in importance by one’s relationship with God.
- The marital union is designed to develop us into the image of Christ and to be an earthly example of oneness.
- God must be at the center of whatever method you use to find a mate.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 4th Edition defines marriage as “the legal union of a man and woman as husband and wife.”[1] Marriage is God’s idea. It is sacred. God designed it and ordained it in the Garden of Eden. He made it good. In the same way that Adam had a perfect body, a perfect mind, incredible living quarters, etc., he had a perfect marriage, until….
God intended for marriage to be a blessing, not a curse. It is not His will for your marriage to be the peak of pain, frustration, and disappointment in your life. Instead, His desire is that you would prosper and be in health. A successful marriage is part of the prospering. However, your marriage will only be what you make it.
The marriage relationship is only surpassed in importance by one’s relationship with God. Our relationship with God is for eternity and the parenting relationship only lasts for a generation. The marriage relationship is in the middle. It is a covenant relationship and is intended to be successful and last a lifetime.
God had several things in mind when He established marriage. He realized that Adam was alone, and that was not good. Through the marital union, God addressed Adam’s need for companionship and help. Eve was a help suitable for him. Adam was dependent on her for them to fulfill God’s command to be fruitful and multiply. God expected them to create a godly legacy and God knew Adam could not do that by himself. Ultimately, God wants to see His reflection on the earth. Adam and Eve were made in God’s image. By its very nature, the marital union is designed to develop us into the image of Christ and to be an earthly example of oneness. In that context, marriage represents the relationship of Christ and His bride, the Church.
We must understand the importance of getting a proper start. Even though there are many ways to find one’s spouse, God should be at the center of whatever method used. God knows your need better than you do. When you ask, be sure that you do not ask amiss because it is most important that you be in God’s will. We can look at some Biblical examples and learn from them.
With all the resources and tools available to us, there should be no excuse for bad marriages in the church today. However, we know the facts. In this lesson and the one that follows we will consider some important ingredients to laying a foundation for a successful marriage that will glorify God.
[1] Pickett, Joseph P. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language – 4th Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000. p. 1073
Questions and Discussion
- What are the three dominant purposes for marriage? Genesis 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:11; Genesis 1:26-28; Ephesians 5:23-25, 32
- What approaches can one take in finding a mate? Consider the following examples in the Bible. Genesis 24 (Isaac); Genesis 28 (Jacob); Judges 14-16 (Samson); Ruth 4 (Boaz); Hosea 1:2-3 Discuss.
- Based on Ephesians 5:23, 25-30, identify three responsibilities of the husband.
- Based on the following Scriptures, identify four responsibilities of the wife. Proverbs 31:27; Ephesians 5:22, 33b, Titus 2:4
- Discuss how a couple can successfully fulfill the responsibilities identified in Questions 3 and 4 above and some of the challenges to fulfilling these responsibilities.