Biblical Answer

The Purpose of Marriage: A Biblical Perspective

The Bible presents a multifaceted understanding of the purpose of marriage. At its core, marriage is a friendship between two people who are committed to one another for life. This relationship is rooted in the principle of oneness, wholeness, and love. In the book of Genesis, we see that God created man in his own image, male and female, and that they were incomplete without each other (Genesis 2:18-25). This understanding is echoed in the words of Jesus, who teaches that marriage is a union between two people who become one flesh (Matthew 19:3-6). This oneness is a reflection of the unity and love that exists between Christ and his church (Ephesians 5:25-30).

The purpose of marriage is not merely to provide companionship or to fulfill one's emotional or physical needs. Rather, it is a relationship that is designed to help each other become our future glory-selves, the new creations that God will eventually make us. This is achieved through the love and support that husbands and wives provide for one another, as they work together to grow spiritually and to build each other up in their faith. In Ephesians 5:22-23, the Bible instructs husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and to give themselves up for her. This selfless love is the foundation of a healthy and fulfilling marriage.

The Bible also presents marriage as a gift and a task to be accomplished. It is a relationship that requires effort and commitment from both partners. As the Bible teaches, marriage is a means of experiencing the blessings of God, but it can only be found and enjoyed when it is persistently sought (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9). Therefore, marriage is not just a social or emotional experience, but a spiritual one that requires a deep commitment to one another and to God. By understanding the purpose of marriage as a biblical perspective, we can see that it is a relationship that is designed to bring us closer to God and to help us become the people we were created to be.