Every Christian knows that God has a purpose for everything.
This includes marriage.
God’s intentions for marriage extend far beyond what many of us can discern, and so it is essential to explore them in great detail.
Most people enter into marriage with a diverse range of motivations, but oftentimes these motivations fall far short of what God intended for marriage.
According to Scripture, God’s first purpose for marriage is to create godly offspring.
In Malachi 2:15, God declares, “Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring.”
This scripture is often overlooked, but it goes on to say that God will judge those who are faithless in their marriage.
God’s first purpose for marriage was to create couples who would provide a loving environment to raise godly children.
The purpose of marital union was the foundation for building a strong and Godly family that would obey and serve the Lord.
Creating Godly offspring
It is easy for many Christians to discredit the idea that creating godly offspring is God’s first purpose for marriage.
However, the scripture in Malachi 2:15 is not one that should be disregarded.
When two people decide to enter into marriage, they are not just forming a partnership for companionship or more significant social standing.
They are accepting a vocation from God.
God also created marriage as a means of procreation. “Be fruitful and multiply,” he said to Adam and Eve.
(Genesis 1:28) Children are a gift from God, and marriage provides a stable environment for them to grow and thrive.
When we have children, we have the privilege of nurturing them and teaching them about God’s love.
Our marriages become a legacy that we pass on to future generations.
Companionship
The very first reason why God created Eve was to be a companion to Adam.
“It is not good for man to be alone,” God said. “I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18) God knew that Adam needed someone to share his life with and to help him in his daily tasks.
The same is true for us today.
Marriage is a gift from God that provides us with a partner to walk through life with.
Having a spouse to support and encourage us is one of the greatest blessings we can experience on earth.
Husband and wife become one flesh
In a Christian marriage, the husband and wife sometimes become one flesh as part of God’s divine plan.
They are created to be complementary and to work together to create not only a union but a family.
Central to this plan is the creation of godly offspring.
These little lives will be raised up in a Christ-honoring environment, giving rise to a godly heritage for generations to come.
Marriage is more than procreating
Many Christians are well aware that some marriages fall apart when couples realize they do not have children, and some couples take drastic steps to conceive or adopt.
In such cases, it is important to remember that marriage is about more than procreation.
God looks for all types of couples who seek His love and blessing in their marriage, whether married couples are blessed with children or not.
Marriage is a reflection of God’s love
Marriage is more than just a relationship between two people; it also symbolizes the relationship between Christ and his church.
In the Bible, the church is often referred to as the bride of Christ.
The love that a husband and wife share in marriage is a beautiful picture of the love that Christ has for us.
Ephesians 5:25-27 says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy…so that he might present the church to himself in splendor.”
When we love our spouses as Christ loves us, we are reflecting God’s love to the world.
Marriage is a covenant
Marriage is not just a romantic relationship; it is a covenant that we make with God and each other.
When we exchange vows on our wedding day, we are making a solemn promise to love, honor, and cherish our spouse for the rest of our lives.
This covenant is not to be taken lightly; it is a sacred commitment that requires sacrifice, patience, and forgiveness.
When we honor our marriage covenant, we are showing the world the faithfulness and commitment of God.
God’s first purpose for marriage was companionship and procreation.
He created marriage to provide us with a partner to share our lives with and to help us in our daily tasks.
But marriage is also a reflection of God’s love, a covenant, and a means of procreation.
When we understand these purposes, we can approach our marriages with a sense of purpose and meaning.
We can honor God by loving and serving our spouses, by being faithful to our marriage covenant, and by raising children who will continue God’s work in the world.
Let us always remember that marriage is a gift from God, and let us use it to bring him glory.
When two people commit and submit to God’s purpose for marriage, it is a beautiful thing.
They are given the task of creating an atmosphere of love and grace in which their children can grow and thrive.
As a result, families that do this not only bless their children and future generations but also honor God.