CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE

INTRODUCTION

Marriage is a social and a spiritual institution meant for adults, those who are not only of age but well informed about societal values and expectations. They are supposed to know the various responsibilities that go with being a husband or a wife. For it to last and be able to withstand the vicissitudes of nature and human affairs, a Christian marriage must be founded in Christ and His words.

WHAT IS DIVORCE?

Divorce is the ending of a marriage by legal process. Divorce was a problem in Israel just as it is today. Couples in which husband and wife were both members of the covenant community were ending their marriages in divorce and not “till death do us part”.

            The purpose of God in bringing two persons together is not for the marriage to end in divorce. Death which the ultimate end of man is the only phenomenon that should end such covenant relationship. “For I hate divorce!”
Says the Lord, God of Israel “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her cruelty”, says the Lord of Heavens Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife” (Malachi 2:16) NLT. God’s stand on divorce is very clear not minding what the people or our society says about it.

            Mathew 5:31-32, “You have heard the law that says, a man can divorce his wife by merely giving her a written notice of divorce. But I say that a man who divorces his wife, unless she has been unfaithful, causes her to commit adultery. And anyone who marries a divorced woman also commits adultery”. Divorce is as hurtful and destructive today as in Jesus’ day. God intends marriage to be a life time commitment, He says this to explain why a man leaves father and mother and is joined to his wife and the two are united into one.

            The issue of divorce is one of the problems that Jesus will say, “In the beginning it was not so”. If the Lord says “I hate divorce” it means there is no way it shall be permitted by the church except under those rare circumstances. Research shows that America and Europe have the highest incidents of marital divorce. In their clime many marriages are contractual between two who perhaps are mutually collaborating for the other to fulfill requirements to secure a Green Card and the work permit. Such arranged marriages are not meant to last longer than the period of the contract. “In the beginning it was not so”.

            Some couples start with God in their marriage, but along the way, they jettison holiness and obedience to the word of God and fill the space with things, ideologies, customs and traditions of their people. God’s ways become tortuous and cumbersome. “And even as they did like to retain in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to those things which are  not fitting; been filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness,  maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, backbiters, haters of God, violence, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedience to parents, undiscerning, untrust worthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of destruction not only do they practice the same but also approve of those who practice them” Romans 1:28-32.

CONCLUSION

Everything in marriage must be viewed spiritually as unto the Lord “Marriage is about making someone special, if we follow the word of God we can enjoy marital bliss here on earth and not allow our shortcomings to lead to divorce”. God is love in His nature and essence, He is the designer of the marriage institution and actually gave out the first bride. Therefore, in my view, love is the most essential virtue necessary for the establishment of any Christian marriage, this will go along way to prevent the   cankerworm called divorce because God hates it and we must as a matter of necessity hate what God hates which is divorce and remarriage.