CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE       

 

Bible Passage: I Cor. 7: 1-15.

 

Memory Verse:  “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the Lord.”

Proverbs 18: 22. NIV.

LESSON OBJECTIVE  

The Study is designed to teach us a number of important lessons on marriage.

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

Marriage is a life-long union between a man and a woman in fulfillment of the law of God.

It is a permanent vow, agreement or union which should not be tampered with except by death.

I Cor. 7: 10-11, 39.

 

LESSON OUTLINE 1: WHY MARRY?

i). To obey the commandment of God. Gen 1: 26-28.         ii). To have fellowship. Gen. 2: 18.

iii). For partnership, i.e. to become one flesh, 1+1=1. Gen 2:24.

iv). To satisfy perfectly legitimate sexual desires in a manner that is God-approved. I Cor.7: 4-5; 8-9.

v). For propagation of the human race. Gen. 9:1.

 

LESSON OUTLINE 2: THE MARRIAGE PARTNER

i). Who should a Christian marry?

A Christian woman should marry only a Christian man, and vice versa. II Cor. 6: 14-17.

 

ii). Why should a believer marry a believer? See II Cor. 6: 14-16.

a). God commands it.                                         b). Believers are light, unbelievers are darkness.

c). God’s temple has no agreement, or working arrangements, with the devil’s temple.

Believers are God’s temple, God’s dwelling place. “As God has said: ‘I will live among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people’”, II Cor. 6:16(b).

Those who are not the temple of the living God are indeed in-dwelt by the evil one. In a similar way to what God said in the passage we have just read, Satan can also say, “I live with them and walk among them, and I am their master and they are my people”.

The Lord and the devil cannot peacefully co-exist under the same roof. War is bound to break out every now and then.

 

LESSON OUTLINE 3: WHEN SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN MARRY?

i). After attaining the age of maturity & some measure of financial stability. I Tim. 5:8.

ii). The Christian also needs to be convinced it is God’s time, and not just a matter of emotion.

iii). After obtaining the approval of the parents. The Christian man is not expected to “steal” a wife, nor is the Christian woman expected to “run away”, or elope, with a husband

 

LESSON OUTLINE 4: SOME ASK, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF COURTSHIP?

i). It is the time of getting to know each partner better. It is a time to plan for the wedding and their future together.

ii).  It is not a time for pre-marital sexual knowledge of each other. The temptations will occur, but it is not a time to succumb to them, which will only cheapen and make you look down on your future partner. Keeping yourselves holy and pure at this time will only lead to increase in the respect, honour, esteem and love you have for each other.

 

LESSON OUTLINE 5: WHAT ARE THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE?

i). Genuine love (I Cor.13:4-7), and not just lust or infatuation, which will wear out with time and is discarded.

ii). Solid foundation, with Christ as the Head, followed by the husband as the human head, the wife as the better half and the children as the heritage from the Lord, Acts 16: 31-34.

iii). Family altar, which is a practical, day by day demonstration of the family’s complete dependence on the Lord.

iv). Determination and commitment to make the marriage succeed because the couple see it as a life-long union, and not a get-together for only when the going is good. It is “For better, for worse; for poorer, and for richer; in sickness and in health; until death do us part. So help me, Oh God.”

 

What do you consider to be responsible for marriage break-ups?

SUMMARY: The greatest wedding ceremony will soon occur, and that will be the day the Lord Jesus Christ will marry His bride, the spotless, radiant and holy Church. Eph. 5: 25-27. It will be a glorious occasion. Be sure you are a part of His bride on that day.