August 20, 2006

How can you build a marriage that will last?

Four Bible Principles for Built to Last Marriges

I. Adjustment

Genesis 2:18, The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone.

I will make a helper suitable for him.

Adjustability for compatibility is the responsibility of both people in marriage.

Suitability is a willingness to make adjustments to each other. It's saying ‘I choose to be less selfish with my time, money, attention and effort. I choose to think about the needs of my mate like I think of my own.' “I will choose to give of myself, so that the two of us can thrive and respond to each others needs and longings. Therefore our marriage will be more fully alive.”

II. Leave

Genesis 2:24, For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife…

God's purpose in that is to start a new family.

What does “leaving” mean?

•  It does not mean total independence from our families of origin.

•  It does mean are we not codependent on a parent.

•  Instead we've entered a new kind of relationship with both families of origin of interdependence .

III. Union

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife. The Hebrew word for “united” means “to be glued together so that it cannot be separated.”

Jesus: A t the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one . Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate (Mark 10: 6-9).

The purpose of the wedding is the point in time where God glues a man and woman together as husband and wife.

The purpose of marriage is to become more fully alive in all of God's benefits and blessings of being glued together.

God does not hate the divorcee, but He hates what divorce does to relationships .

IV. One Flesh

The one flesh principle describes two things:

1) It describes a physical and sexual relationship. God purposes your sexual union with your marriage partner. He designed sex for pleasure and reproduction. Sex is a key ingredient in the glue God uses.

2) The second thing the “one flesh principle” describes is an exclusive relationship – one, an exclusive relationship of one glued to one – to the exclusion of all others.

The only third party to your exclusive relationship with your spouse is God .

Understand that the God who made marriage is the God who can save a marriage!

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