Marriage is a pair of imperfect people learning to grow into the image of Jesus. Because God has showered us with grace, love in marriage shares that grace with our spouse. We know love isn't just an emotion but a choice we make. Marriage is meant for one man and woman to be bound to Christ for life. It is that covenant, celebrated relationship that lived for Jesus Christ's glory.
Best Steps for a Healthy Marriage:
1. Keep healing yourself. Hurt people, hurt people but healed people heal people. None of us is perfect, but in Jesus, we are a work in progress.
2. Trust God to build your house. The Bible says in Psalm 127:1, "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain."
3. Pray for your marriage. Praying together is the most important thing you can do. Invite your spouse to pray, but don't force them to join you.
4. Embrace God's attitude about marriage and divorce. The Bible says that when two are united in marriage, they are no longer two but one (Genesis 2:23-24; Mark 10:8), and God hates divorce. Therefore, you and your spouse are "one," no matter how poorly your marriage is functioning.
5. Surround yourself with a healthy Christian community. Encouragement through hard times works in both directions. When we are healthy, we can encourage others. When we struggle, they can help us. For example, a healthy church family and active faith walk foster a thriving marriage.
Below are some scriptures to help you know what God says about our roles in marriage and the nature of that covenant relationship. In addition, we have included devotions and resources on the main Marriage page to assist you with questions and struggles. If you want prayer or to talk about your current situation, feel free to call the pastoral care team at 800-525-5683.
Additional Scriptures:
“Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man. At last! the man exclaimed. This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called woman, because she was taken from man. This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” - Genesis 2:22-24 NLT
“Haven’t you read the Scriptures? Jesus replied, they record that from the beginning God made them male and female. And he said, this explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one. Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.” - Matthew 19:4-6 NLT
“Now regarding the questions, you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations. But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.” - 1 Corinthians 7:1-2 NLT
And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. 25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. - Ephesians 5:21-26 NLT
“Give honor to marriage and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.” - Hebrews 13:4 NLT
