5 Compelling Reasons Why Marriage Matters More Than Ever

1. Marriage Offers the Opportunity for Unparalleled Companionship

When God arranged the first marriage, the man was ecstatic.

“At last!” the man exclaimed. “This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man’” (Genesis 2:23, NLT).

God created people with a longing for companionship and intimacy. We desire to be fully known and fully loved. He established the marriage relationship to address this need.

The sexual union of marriage, coupled with the lifelong commitment, invites spouses to become transparent with one another. They can be their authentic selves without fear of rejection.

Any married person knows companionship and intimacy in marriage sometimes fails to live up to its promise. Sin interferes with our ability to totally satisfy one another’s needs. But God promises complete satisfaction in Him.

Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things (Psalm 107:8-9, NLT).

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2. Marriage Offers a Unique Opportunity for Spiritual Growth

Apostle Paul exhorted us to “encourage each other and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NLT). Proverbs says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend” (27:17, NLT).

“Wait a minute,” you may say. “We don’t need to be married to do these things.” You’re right; God uses relationships outside of marriage, such as friendship, coworkers, and extended family, to sharpen us spiritually.

While we can learn to know God better through any relationship, a well-functioning marriage actively promotes unifying growth within both spouses.

Have you ever seen a rock tumbler? The rocks go into a cylinder along with bits of grit. As the cylinder turns, the rocks bump into one another, and the friction of the sand polishes them. By the time they emerge, they have transformed from rough, dull stones to polished gems.

When spouses enter marriage, they come with sharp edges — idiosyncrasies, sins, and untested strengths. Marriage provides an opportunity for more closeness than any other relationship on earth except our connection with God.

While God tells the husband to lead his wife to greater spiritual growth, both spouses build one another up.

Their committed relationship enables them to partner in applying the biblical principles they learn to every part of life, including managing possessions and finances, raising children, working, and serving God. Throughout their lives together, their growth intertwines and produces a strong, godly character.

A marriage relationship also provides built-in accountability for spouses. We may succeed in hiding our flaws or sins from coworkers or friends, but our spouses are almost always of our inadequacies. If we’re humble and grace-filled, we can both give and receive loving feedback. In the end, both spouses grow in integrity.

Sometimes growth in marriage is lopsided because one spouse is more committed than the other. God uses even this less-than-ideal situation as spouses learn to bear one another’s burdens, practice forgiveness, and persevere in seeking the good of their loved one.

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3. Marriage Showcases Dependence on God

In the perfect world in which God created Adam and Eve, the first couple related to one another without sin. Can you imagine the beauty and ease of their bond?

Since sin entered the world, all marriage relationships have suffered from self-centeredness. With the help of God, each person must fight the natural urge to look out only for their own interests.

Only God can overcome the tendency to put the self first. Apostle Paul wrote, “Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:3-5, NLT).

Jesus was able to put our needs above His own because He knew His Father took care of Him. Likewise, in marriage, through complete dependency on God, husbands and wives sacrificially love one another.

Not only does this demonstration of love without fear impact spouses and children, but it also bears witness of God’s love to a watching world.

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4. Marriage Protects and Nurtures Children

Reproduction is part of God’s plan for people. His physical design of male and female body parts provides obvious, irrefutable biological evidence.

He also created marriage as the institution — the parameters — for human reproduction. Any physical union has the potential to produce offspring, but the marriage relationship provides the ideal space for both physical and spiritual reproduction.

God told the first man and woman to become one —marriage (Genesis 2:24). To the first couple, He said “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it” (Genesis 1:28, NLT).

In the perfect kingdom He created, God expected people to govern according to His plan. Their job was to bring children into the world and teach them to live according to His Word.

Together the husband and wife provide, protect, and nurture their children physically and spiritually. They teach them to know, love, and live for God.

Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth (Micah 2:15, NLT).

Marriage is the primary training ground for children to become disciples of God. Anytime they are born outside of a male-female marriage relationship, they are deprived of their best opportunity to know and love God.

A woman or man on their own can never provide the stability and holistic nurture of a couple in a committed marriage relationship.

Does that mean that a child born out of wedlock or a child whose parent leaves or dies is doomed? What about children born to imperfect married parents (that would be all of us)?

We must never forget God’s grace and mercy can fill in the gaps left by human sin. Parents who love God but fail to measure up to His standard can entrust their children to Him (Romans 8:28).

Though we can depend on God’s mercy, we should never presume upon Him by willfully producing children outside of a marriage relationship. Those children begin life with a deficit that creates a lasting impression.

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5. Marriage Reflects the Gospel of Christ to the World

God designed the oneness of the marriage relationship to reflect the unity of the Trinity — Father, Son, and Spirit.

The Trinity, three distinct Persons who are one in essence and purpose, reveals Himself through human marriages. That mind-blowing concept represents an awesome privilege God bestows upon every married couple.

Furthermore, a well-functioning marriage relationship and the children it may produce shine the good news of Jesus to the world. We can think of the family as a demonstration of the kingdom of God.

Immanuel, God with us, brought the kingdom of God to earth when He was born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. He submitted to His Father in heaven and sacrificed His life on the cross to save people from their sins.

His actions created the way — indeed, He is the Way — that unites everyone who will call on Him as Lord with the Father in heaven.

Christ’s sacrifice created the Church, which is not a particular denomination or building. Rather, the Church is the Body of Christ, all the people across the world who trust in Him for salvation and surrender their lives to follow Him. Jesus calls the Church His bride whom He loves.

See how Apostle Paul compares the submission of the wife to the submission of the Church.

For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything (Galatians 5:22-24, NLT).

In our culture today, submission gets a bad rap. Many believe that suggesting that a woman submit to her husband is a declaration that she is a less valuable person.

Unequal in some way. Less able. The fact that Jesus submitted to His Father proves our culture’s notion of submission is deeply flawed.

The Father, Son, and Spirit are equally God, and the act of submission did not detract power or value from Jesus.

Likewise, a wife may submit to the authority her husband has received from God without diminishing her own value. As she does so, she reflects the kingdom of God.

Apostle Paul also delegates a weighty responsibility to husbands.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself (Ephesians 5:25-28, NLT).

God tasks husbands with demonstrating servant leadership to their wives in the same way Jesus sacrificed to save His beloved Bride. He gave up His right to have His own way. He sacrificed everything, including His life, for the Church (Philippians 2:7).

Jesus did not lord His power and authority over people. Instead, He wooed them with His compassionate love. Likewise, a husband showcases the character of our Savior when he sacrificially loves his wife and children.

When husbands and wives function as one according to God’s plan, they create a concrete image of the spiritual reality of God’s kingdom and the gospel of Christ. This image prompts a thirst for God that draws the children in the family and others to Him for salvation.

Have you ever considered your marriage to be a lens through which your children and others can see the character of God? Perhaps you think your marriage is too difficult, or too imperfect, to succeed in this holy mission.

Because of sin, every marriage has gaps and weaknesses. God shines brightest through these holes. He says to you, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NLT).

Be assured that the God who ordained the union with your spouse is also the One who equips you to live out His plan.

If your spouse is willing, pray together over your marriage and ask Him to strengthen your union for His glory. If not, pray on your own for yourself and your spouse to recognize and value God’s purposes.

Commit yourself to God, and He will direct and empower your marriage.

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