Biblical Answer

Step 1: Understanding the Purpose of Marriage

The Bible presents marriage as a multifaceted institution with various purposes. The first purpose of marriage is relationship or fellowship, oneness, wholeness, and love. This is evident in Genesis 2:18-25, where God declares that it is not good for man to be alone and creates a helper suitable for him. Marriage is a union of two people in love, which means binding themselves to another and surrendering to each other.

Step 2: The Biblical View of Marriage

In the Bible, marriage is not primarily seen as a means to individual happiness or romantic fulfillment, but rather as a relationship that reflects God's design for humanity. The biblical view of marriage is shaped by the principle that God is love and that marriage is a reflection of this love. The relationship between Christ and the church is used as an analogy to describe the relationship between a husband and wife, with the husband loving his wife sacrificially to help her grow spiritually (Ephesians 5:22-23).

Step 3: The Ultimate Purpose of Marriage

The ultimate purpose of marriage is to help each other become our future glory-selves, the new creations that God will eventually make us. This is achieved through a lifelong commitment to love and cherish each other, as reflected in the biblical principle of oneness in marriage. Marriage is a gift from God, but it is also a task to be accomplished through persistent seeking and effort. As stated in Matthew 7:7 and Luke 11:9, the blessings of God may only be found and enjoyed when they are persistently sought.

The final answer is: There is no final numerical answer to this question. The purpose of marriage according to the Bible is multifaceted, including relationship or fellowship, oneness, wholeness, and love, as well as helping each other become our future glory-selves, the new creations that God will eventually make us. Marriage is a gift from God, but it is also a task to be accomplished through persistent seeking and effort.