Biblical Answer

The First Purpose of Marriage: Relationship or Fellowship

The Bible teaches that the first purpose of marriage is relationship or fellowship, oneness, wholeness, and love. This is evident in the account of creation in Genesis 2:18-25, where God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone, and so he created Eve to be his companion. The Bible emphasizes that marriage is a friendship, and that love in marriage means binding ourselves to another and surrendering to one another. This is in line with the principle that God is love and that from the overflow of this love among the Father, Son, and Spirit came the creation of humanity (Eph 5:1).

The Second Purpose of Marriage: Fellowship in Christ

The Bible also teaches that the second purpose of marriage is to be a fellowship in Christ. In Ephesians 5:22-23, husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loves the church, and wives are called to submit to their husbands as the church submits to Christ. This analogy highlights the importance of marriage as a reflection of the relationship between Christ and his church. In Christian marriage, husbands and wives are to love and serve each other, and to help each other grow in their faith. This is in line with the principle that marriage is a task to be accomplished, and that the blessings of God are only found and enjoyed when they are persistently sought (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9).

The Third Purpose of Marriage: Becoming Our Future Glory-Selves

The Bible teaches that the third purpose of marriage is to help each other become our future glory-selves, the new creations that God will eventually make us. This is evident in the text, which states that marriage is for helping each other to become our future glory-selves, the new creations that God will eventually make us (Eph 5:1). This purpose of marriage is rooted in the idea that God is love, and that from the overflow of this love among the Father, Son, and Spirit came the creation of humanity. In Christian marriage, husbands and wives are to love and serve each other, and to help each other become the people God created them to be. This is in line with the principle that marriage is a gift and a task to be accomplished, and that the blessings of God are only found and enjoyed when they are persistently sought (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9). Divine love is the root of marriage, and from it comes the possibility of marriage. The more we learn of one relationship (whether the heavenly or the earthly), the more we are able to understand the other. In Christian marriage, husbands and wives are to love and serve each other, and to help each other grow in their faith. This is in line with the principle that marriage is a task to be accomplished, and that the blessings of God are only found and enjoyed when they are persistently sought (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9).