Purpose of marriage

Marriage is part of God’s plan for the human race

From creation

Matthew 19:4 KJV 1900

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,

See also Ge 1:27; 1 Co 11:11–12 Man and woman are not independent of each other.

It is to provide companionship

Genesis 2:18 KJV 1900

And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

See also Ge 2:20–22; Ge 3:12; Pr 31:10–12

It is to be a committed, exclusive relationship

Genesis 2:23–24 KJV 1900

And Adam 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.

See also Mt 19:5; 1 Co 7:2; Eph 5:31

It is a lifelong partnership

Matthew 19:6 KJV 1900

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

See also Ro 7:2; 1 Co 7:39

It is the intended context for raising children

Malachi 2:15 KJV 1900

And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

See also 1 Co 7:14

It will not exist in the life to come

Mt 22:30; 1 Co 7:29–31

Marriage as a covenant relationship

Malachi 2:14 KJV 1900

Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, Against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: Yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

See also Pr 2:17; Eze 16:8

Sex and marriage

Sex belongs within marriage

1 Corinthians 7:9 KJV 1900

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

See also Ge 29:21

Men who violated virgins were expected to marry them:

Ex 22:16–17; Dt 22:28–29

Dt 22:13–21 A woman was expected to be a virgin when she married.

The sexual relationship is exclusive

Song of Solomon 2:16 KJV 1900

My beloved is mine, and I am his: He feedeth among the lilies.

See also Dt 22:22–24 Marital unfaithfulness is condemned; Pr 5:15–19; 1 Co 6:16; 1 Co 7:3–5

Love and submission in marriage

Falling in love prior to marriage

Genesis 29:20 KJV 1900

And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

See also Ge 34:3–4; 1 Sa 18:20

Husbands are to love their wives

Ephesians 5:25 KJV 1900

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

See also Ge 24:67; 1 Sa 1:5; Ec 9:9; Ho 3:1; Eph 5:28–29; Eph 5:33; Col 3:19

Wives are to submit to their husbands

Ge 3:16; Eph 5:22–24

See also Col 3:18; Tt 2:4–5; 1 Pe 3:1–6

Celibacy as a calling from God

1 Corinthians 7:7–8 KJV 1900

For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.

See also Je 16:2; Mt 19:10–12; 1 Co 7:36–38 Whilst Paul commends the unmarried state, for those not so called it is no sin to marry; 1 Ti 5:11–14