Pre-Marital Counseling (Session 1)

INTRODUCTION

Tell me about yourselves.

Why do you want to get married?

Tell me about your salvation.

PURPOSE OF MARRIAGE

Genesis 2:18 “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.””

It was God’s decision to institute the marriage relationship. He had specific reasons for marriage—the first was the relationship. God observed the first man’s interaction with all that He had created and found no suitable companion for Adam. God then decided to make a custom fit partner.

Genesis 2:19–24 “Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”

What does “helper” mean? It means that Adam could not fulfill his created purpose alone.

Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

IDENTITY

in marriage you don’t lose your individual identity but you do give up individualism. It’s now about “we” and not “me.”

That sounds easy but it’s against our fallen human nature.

Two becoming one flesh

ROLES

MAN—HEAD//RESPONSIBLE

Spiritually lead

Ephesians 5:22–33 ESV

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

1 Peter 3:7 ESV

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

THE FALL

blame game

Homework—pages 1-8