The clear teaching of the New Testament is that marriage is (1) a ceremony, John 2:1-10, (2) a spiritual union, Ephesians 5, and (3) a physical union, Hebrews 13:4.* See also Covenant below.

Marriage is God’s Idea

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

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 (purpose) 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. Matthew 19:4-6

Cleave – “to join fast together, to glue, cement,…..primarily said of metals…..”.** God is the joiner or welder. The two becoming one flesh is God’s work. We are not to mess with it (Proverbs 6:32).

Marriage Is a Physical Union

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Hebrews 13:4a

Christian Marriage is a Picture of Christ & the Church

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. Ephesians 5:22-24

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. Ephesians 5:25-27

So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. Ephesians 5:28

Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. Ephesians 5:33

Marriage Is a Covenant

Marriage is a covenant but not in the sense of the English use of the word. “In contradistinction to the English word covenant (lit., a coming together), which signifies a mutual undertaking between two parties or more, each binding himself to fulfill obligations, it does not in itself contain the idea of joint obligation, it mostly signifies an obligation undertaken by a single person.”**

In other words the covenant of marriage does not depend upon the action or lack of action of the other party. It is dependent upon the keeping of the vow by the one making the promise.

…let the word of Christ (Messiah) dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

*John P. McGraw, M.A.

**W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Copyright 1984, 1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN.

The following is part of a letter from the apostle Paul to the Corinthian church.

I Corinthians 5

It is reported commonly that there is fornication (illicit sexual intercourse)* among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother (Christian) be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. I Corinthians 5:1-13

…let the word of Christ (Messiah) dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

*W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Copyright 1984, 1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN.

If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him (John 14:21).

John MacArthur, in his book “Walk Worthy”, explains that there are three common Greek words for love:

Eros – This is the love that takes, that loves someone for what it can get out of them. It’s the love that’s typical of the world – sexual and lustful. It’s self-gratifying.*

Phileo – This is the give-and-take love that typifies friendship. The love because of what I can get from you and what I can give to you.*

Agape’ – This is the love that gives, no taking involved. It’s the kind of love that seeks the highest good for another no matter the cost. It is completely selfless. God loved mankind in this way: He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16). Jesus said, ”Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Agape’ is unconquerable benevolence; it is invincible goodness. It is the Greek word Ephesians 4:2 uses – the fruit which the Holy Spirit alone can produce in the believer’s life, of humility, which leads to gentleness, which leads to patience, which leads to forbearing love.*

In John 21 Jesus asked Peter twice; Do you love (agape’) me? Twice Peter answered to that question; Lord, you know that I love (phileo) you. Finally Jesus asked; Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (phileo) me? To which Peter answered yet again; Lord,…..you know that I love (phileo) you.

Peter, knowing his own heart, could not honestly say that he loved (agape’) the Lord in that way. However, Peter’s life and his death, demonstrated the very love (agape’) that Jesus was asking for.

How about you and I? Can we be as honest as Peter was about our own heart and yet as submissive to God’s will as Peter became in following the Lord to the very end?

Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me (John 14:22-24).

If you love (agape’) me, keep my commandments.

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

*Walk Worthy – copyright 2025 by John MacArthur, page 132.

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

Refrain:
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me. [Refrain]

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Refrain]

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [Refrain]

Charles Wesley, pub.1738 – copyright status is Public Domain. Courtesy of Timeless Truths Publications – Copyright © 2002-2020 Free Online Library.

He (Abraham) staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what he (God) had promised, he (God) was able also to perform.

And therefore it was imputed to him (Abraham) for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 4:20 – 5:2

Imputed – “credited to his account.”

Justified – “declared righteous”.

Faith – “A firm persuasion or conviction from hearing God’s word”.

Peace – as opposed to being at war with God.

Through Christ – “Neither is there salvation in any other…”

Access – Faith is the gang plank used to board the ship of grace.

Grace – “God’s help or enabling”.

Rejoice – having been justified (declared righteous) – WHAT JOY!

Hope – Confident assurance……that God will be glorified.

And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord; and He (God) counted it to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6

Are you fully persuaded?

...let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

Definitions from W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words – Copyright 1984, 1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN.

“The Hebrew word leb means heart; mind; midst.  Leb and its synonym lebab appear 860 times in the Old Testament.”*

“Heart is first used of man in Gen. 6:5; And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  In Gen. 6:6 leb is used of God: And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”*

“The seat of desire, inclination, or will can be indicated by heart.  Pharoah’s heart is hardened (Ex 1:16): whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it (Ex 35:5); I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all mine heart.”*

“The heart may be the seat of conscience and moral character.  How does one respond to the revelation of God and of the world around him?  Job answers: …my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live (27:6).  On the contrary, David’s heart smote him (II Sam 24:10).  Hezekiah walked with a perfect heart.  Only the man with clean hands and a pure heart (Ps24:4) can stand in God’s presence.”*

“Leb may refer to the seat of rebellion and pride.  God said: …for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth (Gen 8:21). The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?(Jer 17:9)”*

“God controls the heart.  Because of his natural heart, man’s only hope is the promise of God: A new heart also will I give you…and will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh (Ezek. 36:26).  So the sinner prays: Create in me a clean heart, O God (Ps 51:10).”*

“The heart stands for the inner being of man, the man himself.  As such, it is the fountain of all he does (Prov 4:4).  All his thoughts, desires, words, and actions flow from deep within him.  Yet a man cannot understand his own heart (Jer 17:9). But God will cut away (circumcise) the heart of His people, so that they will love and obey Him with their whole being (Deut 30:6).”*

*W.E. Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Heart –  pg 108 & 109, Copyright 1984, 1996, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN.

Only God can change a heart.  It is His work.

Mom didn’t drive, so on occasion Dad would have to take her somewhere. When that happened and we were left alone, it was like “the rules are suspended!” I don’t recall doing anything really delinquent while they were gone, but a lot of rules were broken while they were out. Mom had rules for living in her house. She was a cleaner. No she didn’t work outside the home. She just constantly cleaned and did laundry but to be fair she had six kids.

There was an occasion where three of my siblings were left at home alone and a fight broke out between the younger two. The disagreement resulted in some pushing and shoving and one of the two landed on the coffee table. This particular coffee table had a single pedestal under it with four legs curving out from the bottom of the pedestal. You can imagine the results.

We never really had anything nice, but what we had was well taken care of. This was not going to be good.

The two younger siblings were busy trying to glue the coffee table back together when the sound of the car door shutting came from outside. Mom and Dad were home…….and no one was ready.

I wonder what you and I will be doing when the Lord returns?

And when he (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:9-11

The faithful in Christ Jesus are those who live as though the Word of God is true.

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

“The days of creation were ordinary days in length. We must understand that these days were actual days, contrary to the opinion of the holy fathers. Whenever we observed that the opinions of the fathers disagree with Scripture, we reverently bear with them and acknowledge them to be our elders. Nevertheless, we do not depart from the authority of Scripture for their sake.” Martin Luther

Love is not about feelings. Love is about making right choices. Love is not about feeling warm and fuzzy. It is about obedience. Love is not about physical desire. Love is about choosing the highest good for the one loved.*

…let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…

*From the blog article ”Are You Thinking Biblically or Culturally?” dated June 11, 2016.