Last month we celebrated Mother’s Day and this month we will be celebrating Father’s Day. I believe that God, Jehovah, would have me to preach this message on marriage in he middle between the two celebrations.

The big question before us today seems to be, How do we define marriage? I submit to you today that the only way to find the true definition of marriage is to look to the word of God, the holy scriptures. We will not look to the writings of dead men, but to the writings of the only true living God, Jehovah. His word is alive and sharper than a two edged sword!!!!

There are those who want to establish a traditional definition of marriage. Others oppose any traditional definition and are seeking to redefine marriage. The battle lines are drawn. The sanctity of marriage is under attack like never before.

How does the Bible define marriage? Why did God institute marriage in the first place? It must be clear from the outset that our final authoritative standard for our lives is the Word of God. God’s standards do not change. Let us consider what the Bible says about the sanctity of marriage.

I. The Personal Of The Marriage.

    1. The biblical standard of marriage is a man and a woman

        (Verse 5) (Gen.2:24) Therefore shall a man leave his father

        and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall

        be one flesh.

    2. Both the Old and New Testament words translated wife literally

         mean woman (Female)

    3. This standard precludes

       A. Polygamy
           1. … they two shall be one flesh?

           2. Marriage is a covenant joining a man and a woman.

               Covenants in the Bible are always made between two

                individuals or parties.

           3. Mr. Smith, founder of Mormons, missed it again. 

      B. Same sex marriage

         1. One man – one woman. God instituted marriage between

             Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.

         2. Homosexual behavior is sin and a violation of nature.

       3. It goes against everything the Bible teaches“.

       4. It’s a direct attack against our morals

  C. Cohabitation

       1. One does not have to be a trained sociologist to know there is

           a growing problem in America involving couples simply living

           together out of wedlock.

      2. Scriptures plainly condemn cohabitation under the heading

           of adultery and Fornication (Hebrews 13:4)

         (1 Corinthians 7:2)

II. The Purpose Of The Marriage  (Genesis 2:18) And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

    1. The world’s view of marriage is “what can I get out of this

          relationship?” Will it fit my needs? This is the exact opposite

           view of biblical marriage.

    2. Often we hear that marriage is based on emotion and feelings

        A. Marriage is not based on emotion any more than any other

             partnership in life is.

        B. Marriage, like many human activities, involves emotion but it

            is not constituted by the presence of any particular set of

            emotions.

    3. Marriage was intended to be a union of two who complete each

         other.

        A. The mindset is what can I do? What can I give? How can I

             help? (Eph.5:25)

     It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, “What will you give me if I release you?” “The half of my wealth,” was his reply. “And if I release your children?” “Everything I possess.” “And if I release your wife?” “Your Majesty, I will give myself.” Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, “Wasn’t Cyrus a handsome man!” With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, “I didn’t notice. I could only keep my eyes on you—the one who was willing to give himself for me.”

III. The Permanence Of The Marriage(Matthew 19:4-6) And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

    1. Marriage is an institution and appointment of God, and therefore

         not to be changed and altered by man at his pleasure; this not

         merely a civil, but a sacred affair, in which God is concerned.

    2. Marriage is a lifelong commitment and partnership between a

         man and a woman with exclusive love and fidelity with one

         another.

    3. Bible calls for absolute fidelity on the part of both husband and

        wife. (Exodus 20:14)

        A. They are to be true to each other. The Bible gives no ground

             on this issue.

        B. The man is to be faithful to his wife and she is to be faithful to

              him.

    There is a custom in an area of the Netherlands where newlywed couples enter their house through a special door. The door is never used again until one dies and the body is carried out through that same door. God designed marriage like that house. It has one door that is locked tightly. That lock, which keeps the marriage bond secure, is loving commitment for life, which includes a commitment to being reconciled if the relationship should break.

IV. The Personal Relationship Exhibited In The Marriage

(Ephesians 5: 21-32) Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

    1. Just as a husband is to love his wife, so Christ loves us

        sacrificially

    2. Just as marriage is to be a lifelong commitment of mutual

          faithfulness – so our relationship with Christ is to a mutually

          lifelong commitment.

The other day we heard about a conversation between a teenager and his grandfather. The young man said, "Gee Grandad, your generation didn't have all these social diseases. What did you wear to have safe sex?"

The wise old gentleman replied, "A wedding ring."