God’s Purpose in Marriage

It is vital that we understand from the very beginning that man and woman were created by God. They were to share life together in love. Yet the woman was made to be a “helper” to the man. She was made from man and—despite all the pronouncements of the modern “experts”—a woman can find her greatest joy and fulfillment in relating to, helping, supplementing and assisting her husband in their life together, in bearing children, and in managing a household. A very real Satan the Devil is doing all he can to obliterate this concept from the minds of young people today. Through the psychologists and marriage counselors, through the media and even through the educational system, Satan is busily attacking God’s plan for the family. He is vigorously pumping out the concept that mankind was not created by a real God. He wants us to believe that we just “happened” to evolve, that there is no supreme purpose for our lives, and that men and women are not essentially different in many ways, so it does not make any difference as to the roles they play and which one is the leader in the family.
Now, Satan has even begun to influence certain segments of our society to accept the idea that a “family” need not consist of a husband and wife. It may be two or more people of the same sex just “living together.” However, if you believe the Bible, notice what Jesus said about marriage: “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:4–6). Jesus puts God squarely in the picture. He shows that God did create the first woman for the first man. He then caused them to come together, as man and wife, to become “one flesh” in this God-ordained relationship. God intends all marriages since to follow this example. Jesus explained that only because of the “hardness” of their hearts did God permit a husband and wife to divorce. And that was only for sexual immorality. Jesus clearly referred to the Genesis “creation story” as a fact. Jesus acknowledged that God “made us male and female” (v. 4). Again, Jesus said, regarding marriage: “What God has joined together, let not man separate” (v. 6). If this profound realization —that it is God who ordained marriage—is at the very heart of your marriage, you will have an infinitely better chance at success.
Every man alive has the opportunity to be the direct representative of God over his own home—in teaching, instructing, leading and inspiring his wife and children to learn and obey the words of the Holy Bible and to worship and serve the God who made them. Most wives and children will instantly and gladly respond if given half a chance! Men need to realize this. They must set a dynamic example of dedication to their Creator, study of His Word, prayer to God at mealtimes—and family prayer as well as private prayer on one’s knees in the bedroom, closet or other private place. The man should set an example of self-discipline in the fear of God.