In God’s “very good” creation, there was one thing “not good.” “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). It was not companionship that the man needed. It was relationship, a relationship that would be like God’s relationship with him. Adam may have found a companion as all the animals paraded before him, but he found no one suitable for this kind of relationship (Genesis 2:20). He who bore the image of God needed someone who also bore the image of God in order to have a God-like relationship. So God made a woman. She was created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). She was like the man (Genesis 2:23). She was different from the man. She was created at a different time, in a different way, and for a different purpose (Genesis 2:22, 2:15, 3:20). It was that difference that made possible the kind of relationship God wanted.
Adam and Eve were capable of becoming one flesh and in that relationship could mirror their relationship with their Creator. God brought them together in this relationship called marriage (Genesis 2:24). Marriage was a part of all that was “good” in God’s perfect creation. Marriage was not given as an institution to curb sin. There was no sin. Marriage was given as the foundation for the one flesh relationship.
Marriage was also the relationship through which procreation would continue. “Be fertile, increase in number” (Genesis 1:28). Marriage is to produce children. The effect of sin upon God’s biological process for procreation sometimes makes it difficult or impossible for a marriage to fulfill this blessing. However, barring such unfortunate circumstances, children are to be the result of this one flesh union.
Sin has certainly brought problems to marriage. The reality of problematic marriages, however, does not abdicate the essence of what marriage is. Jesus makes this clear. “But God made them male and female in the beginning, at creation. That’s why a man will leave his father and mother and will remain united with his wife, and the two will be one” (Mark 10:6-8). What God intended marriage to be in the beginning, he still intends marriage to be.
Throughout Scripture marriage is a picture of God’s relationship to his people. God is Israel’s “husband” (Isaiah 54:5, Jeremiah 3:14, Hosea 2:19-20). As such, he rejoices over his bride (Isaiah 62:5). Jesus is pictured as the bridegroom and the Church his bride (Revelation 19:7). It is Jesus’ unconditional love for his bride the Church that caused him to give his life for her (Ephesians 5:25).
Marriage, then, is a God-given institution between a man and a woman. This one flesh union reflects our relationship with our Creator and Redeemer and is the means God has chosen for procreation. Based on this, those who are married are compelled to humble ourselves before God and ask his forgiveness for all the times they have dishonored marriage by trivializing its importance, by failing to reflect Christ’s love in their marriages, and by their failure to connect the importance of marriage and their relationship to God.
This view of marriage also compels God’s people to reject homosexual unions as contrary to the Word of God. The “sameness” of homosexuals prevents a one-flesh union as well as the possibility of the procreation of children. Such unions do not and cannot reflect our relationship with our Creator and Redeemer. Such unions are based upon a lie rather than the Word of God (Romans 1:25-27). Such unions cannot constitute a marriage.
Marriage is founded upon the promise publicly exchanged between one man and one woman. Similarly, our Redeemer binds himself to his Church with his promise, “I am always with you” (Matthew 28:20). “I will never abandon you or leave you” (Hebrews 13:5). Living together without the public promise of mutual love, respect, and fidelity dishonors marriage and is fornication. Adultery breaks the marriage vow, whether by marital infidelity, abuse, or abandonment. We must reject as contrary to the Word of god these and all practices which would not keep the marriage bed pure-impurity of thought, word, or deed (e.g. the use of pornography).
God says, “Marriage is honorable in every way” (Hebrews 13:4). Marriage is good! May God give us the faith, wisdom, and courage to bring honor to this great blessing from him.