I don’t know about you, but I am learning a great deal from the “Marriage Is Spiritual” series. We’re now on part 14—how amazing! Time truly flies.
Since we’ve already covered 13 parts, I want to pause here to review some of the key points and truths of God that we’ve discussed so far. These key points are both fundamental and crucial, and we should always keep them at the forefront of our minds as we continue to delve deeper into the biblical understanding of marriage.
It is also important to remember that every major point we discuss in this series reflects God’s truth, not our imaginations, opinions, or suggestions.
- So, we’ve established that this universe had a Designer, a Creator.
The Bible says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 ESV) This is the overarching truth of God that we see throughout the Bible. If we fail to understand and believe this truth, the rest of God’s truth will not make sense to us at all.
- We also discussed that this Creator, God, made man and woman in His own image and likeness, as stated in Genesis 1:
“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; – – -.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it;” Genesis 1:26a, 27, 28a NKJV
- We also discussed that life itself has an Author.
I often like to view life as a theater, with the Author as its Director, who determines all the characters and their roles. The Director decides how the story begins, unfolds, and ultimately concludes.
The Word of God says that after creating everything, God “formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7 ESV).
Regarding how a human being comes to life and lives, King David describes it this way:
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Psalm 139:13-16 ESV
- We also noted that God gave a command to the man He created, saying:
“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”” Genesis 2:15-17 NKJV
- After the six days of creation, there was one thing God said was “not good.”
What was that? It was “not good that man should be alone.” So God said, “I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Then the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. The rib that the Lord God had taken from the man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:18a, 21-24 NKJV)
This is the very first human institution that God created: the marriage of one man and one woman.
- We also discussed how God created everything, including marriage, for His glory and for the joy of all His creations, especially human beings.
There are many passages in the Bible that illustrate this truth of God. Here are a few of them:
“For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” Colossians 1:16 ESV
“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:36 ESV
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1 ESV
“For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 ESV
- We then discussed a fundamental truth of God: how man (Adam and Eve) disobeyed the one command God had given them, resulting in a curse upon them and all of humanity (Genesis 3).
As a result, every human being is born spiritually dead, meaning they are disconnected from the things of God. The Word of God says,
““There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”” Romans 3:10-18 NKJV
- We then discussed how, because of the fall, God and man became enemies.
After the fall, God himself became humanity’s greatest and most terrifying enemy. Jesus said, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing more they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” (Luke 12:4-5 ESV).
- Yet, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 NKJV).
So, God sent His own Son to die on the cross for the sins of humanity so that man could freely come to God through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus destroyed the hostility and enmity between God and man by being the Sacrificial Lamb of God, so He would be “our peace” (Ephesians 2:14).
The Word of God, from Genesis to Revelation, speaks of this Savior, the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Here are two passages as examples that speak about this Savior:
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NKJV
“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” 1 Timothy 2:5-6a
This brings us back to our topic, “marriage is spiritual.” God, who is Spirit, created marriage before the fall of man. After the fall, we do not see God canceling marriage or its divine purpose; instead, He left it as it is, allowing this institution to remain part of human life. If the husband and wife come to God through Christ, their marriage—their one-flesh relationship—glorifies God, as it was intended before the fall. By striving to live according to God’s Word, they honor God and find joy in both Him and their union, once again fulfilling its original purpose. Their joyful and blessed relationship then becomes a safe haven for the children they bring into the world.
Otherwise, if anyone attempts to reshape this God-made institution according to their own thinking, choices, likes and preferences, it will ultimately become a source of pain, sorrow, and grief—not only for the couple but also for their children, neighbors, and society as a whole.
Why?
Remember, marriage was created by God and for His glory. Unless God takes the central place in this institution, it will inevitably begin to fall apart. For the husband and wife to make God central in their marriage, they need to be free from the curse of sin. They can only be freed from this curse if they both are saved from God’s wrath by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and striving to live in accordance with His Word. This reflects the spiritual aspect or nature of marriage. . . . cont’d ///