Face To FaithSample

What do you mean?

It’s a pretty well known fact that speaking the same language does not guarantee that we communicate. For this reason, it’s nice to have a clear definition, and here in scripture, God gives us one that couldn’t be clearer. It also could not be more relevant to our culture today, which is crying out to have this term well defined.

The term I am talking about is marriage. God defines marriage in our verse today, saying, “Let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.”

There are a number of things this tells us. First, it does not say that men can have men or women can have women. Men have wives, not husbands, and women have husbands, not wives. I think that’s pretty clear.

Second, it says that each man should have his own wife and each woman should have her own husband. That says to me that marriage is supposed to be between one man and one woman, not between one man and two women, or one man and two hundred women. The same goes for women. We are to have one spouse. Why? Because Jesus has one bride—the Church—and all marriages are to be an image of His.

Third, notice that it says each man has a wife, not a woman, and that each woman has a husband, not a man. This means there is to be a covenant exchanged. When we talk about consummating a marriage, that indicates the covenant has already been made or there would be nothing to consummate. Copulate and consummate are not the same. One is just sex, while the other is the fulfillment of a lifelong promise and commitment.

Fourth, do you see that word, “Have?” That word in context is not talking about having someone as a possession, which would be abusive, but to have someone in the context of sexual relationship. This means that sexual relationships are only appropriate with our covenanted spouse, not with anyone else before or outside of that holy relationship.

This is the biblical definition of marriage, which means that it is our definition of marriage. This is the answer our culture is looking for, and they will find it when we simply start to live it.

Prayer
Lord God,
Thank You for marriage. Marriage is important enough to You that You will one day get mar- ried. I take Your definition of marriage as my own. Please help me to live it.
Amen