MIDWESTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
The Christian Doctrine of Marriage
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE
M-MN 5468 LEADERSHIP PRACTICUM
BY
JONATHAN REED
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
APRIL 1, 2017
Marriage exist for the glory of God and is the avenue which God has ordained for the procreation of humanity and the fundamental building block of society. The Christian doctrine of marriage is san be summed up the statement that marriage is lived for the glory of God. To understand this truth we must answer the question: What is marriage? Why was marriage instituted? Why does marriage exist and why do we live in marriages? Yet to unpack this issue we must first view this as a microcosm of a larger debate: Why does anything exist? What is the purpose of sex? What is the meaning of life and the reason for the Sun the moon and the stars? The all these questions, and specifically pertaining to marriage is: everything exists to and for the glory of God.
Therefore, a proper Christian doctrine of marriage affirms that marriage exists to and for the glory of God, is the sole avenue for sexual activity, and serves as the societal building block through procreation, and serves to mirror God’s covenant relationship with his people. We shall look at these four aspects of the Christian doctrine of marriage: Marriage existing to and for the glory of God, Marriage as the sole confines of sexual expression, as the foundational building block of
companion. This at last is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone. She
Marriage has always been a convoluted subject to every era of time, especially when wealth is brought into the equation of it. During the Romantic Era, the state of marriage illustrated women’s continued inequality in society. For instance, women lacked legal equality once they entered marriage due to coverture, which is the condition of a woman during her married life, when she is under the law of being the authority of and protection of her husband. This basically entails that once a woman marries, she is property of her husband. In later decades, women would make great strides to gain legal recognition. However, during the late eighteenth century, Romantic feminists voiced more practical concerns rather than that of law (Feldman 280). Before the nation could acknowledge women as equals, husbands must first accept their wives as true partners in marriage. This was considered not only logical, but practical. Feminists located one of the sources of inequality within women’s own behavior and the methods they employed to gain husbands. Women had been taught to use beauty and love to attract husbands, but beauty and love are only temporary states. These states do not establish a solid foundation for a lasting marriage. As illustrated in Jane Austen’s novel Emma, a successful marriage is founded upon the match between two personalities, and not upon looks.
The striking Christian concept of marriage theology, in which God is understood as having an allegorical and spiritual marriage with His people, showed both great change and great constancy in the face of the challenges of the Protestant Reformation. Some concepts, such as the importance of unity in conceptualizing mystical marriage, were constant characteristics of marriage theology, although varying in emphasis. Other concepts, such as mystical marriage as sacramental, were distinctly Catholic and rejected by later Protestants. By comparing the ideas of Bernard of Clairvaux and Gertrude of Helfta, monastic theologians preceding the Reformation, with the ideas of Francis Rous and Cotton Mather, Puritan theologians following the Reformation, the impact of early Protestant concerns on marriage theology will be observed.
Marriage is a union between two people. The purpose of marriage is to love and support the other person, through good times and through bad. With this being said, marriage has the opportunity to make you a better person, who is more flourished and happier. Although marriages have the opportunity to happy, lifelong relationships, they also have the opportunity to be loveless and more of a burden than a gift.
In this discussion, Dr. Lewis talks about how Christian marriage is a spiritual connection where two people become one and form a permanent arrangement for life. In modern marriages, though, the author says, people make adjustments in partners when they are no longer in love. This is mainly for the reason that people get married because they share feelings of being in love, which are rarely permanent. Nonetheless, some Christians
There is a big discussion occurring in Australia about the redefining of the definition of marriage. Over the next few issues of the Messenger I want to share with you a biblical Christian view on God’s values and design for sex, sexuality and relationships. I believe it is important that Christians know what we believe about sex, sexuality and relationships, but more importantly I believe we should also know the why or the basis of what we believe.
The importance of the marriage relationship is that it is the only picture of Christ and His people that exists on earth. If
The social institution under which a man and woman establish their decision to live as husband and wife by legal loyalty, the state, condition, or relationship of being married; wedlock, a relationship in which two people have pledged themselves to each other in the manner of a husband and wife, these definitions describe one of Gods greatest honors given to man . Marriage is the binding of two people into one union. In today’s society people get married and the easy way out of the situation is to get a divorce. In some cases there is nothing else to do, but there are also people who are selfish and do not want to be held down. In this paper I am going to show you the customs and traditions of marriages before Christ, compared to the
1. According to the Homily of Matrimony, what is the religious justification for the necessity of marriage? Women needed to get married “to avoid sin and offence as to increase the kingdom of God” (22).
Ritual and Vows of Christian Marrage and Their Influence on the Differing Ways that Couples Approach Marraige and Marital Breakdown
Christian ideology is often associated with strict guidelines for marriage. According to common Christian thought, marriage must be between a man and a women, and they must remain in a monogamous marriage. Today, many people wish to challenge this traditional view of marriage and reenvision marriage through a new lens. Maguire gives several points in his article that specifically challenge the traditionalist view of marriage. Ellison and Martin also had their own views that combatted with the Christian ideal of marriage. Personally, I have my own views on the matter and have an open opinion on what the institution of marriage should be in the future.
Adam and Eve were once the only couple on earth and their job was to create begin a new society. The purpose of marriage is to create life, nourish that life, and train that new life (43). Multiple studies in multiple cultures show that a child has the highest rate of success under the guidance of the birth mom and dad. Civilizations want to promote marriage and sex because thats how civilizations grow. Society cares a lot about marriage because society knows too that great kids come from great marriages (45). If marriages do not fulfill the purpose to grow a civilization, society does not need that marriage. And most importantly, if that marriage does not fulfill God’s command of what marriage is supposed to do, then God is not pleased. Genesis one verse twenty-eight says, “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth”
Although a Biblical marriage and cohabitation differ when compared, they have diminutive similarities. In cohabitation, people reside together under different circumstances and erroneous reasons. Unlike cohabitation, a biblical marriage is centered in the principles of the bible, love and fidelity. A multiplicity of marriages have derived from cohabitation but a biblical marriage in centered on the foundation and law of the bible. Cohabitation imitates the essence of a biblical marriage by demonstrating two individuals residing under one roof.
Christian Marriage, also called Matrimony is a sacrament in which a man and a woman publicly declare their love and fidelity in front of witnesses, a priest or minister and God. The It is seen by all Christian churches as both a physical and spiritual fulfillment. Christianity emphasises that the sacrament of Holy Matrimony is a lifetime commitment. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate."' —Matthew 19:6.
Having a sound Christian perspective on a biblical marriage is just as important today as it was when God first ordained and designed the sacred union of marriage between a man and a woman. He ordained them to come to join together as one flesh and that they “be fruitful and multiply”. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” God is the one who designed the marriage and family. The marriage and family follow God’s biblical principles. That is the true essence and understanding of biblical marriage and family. Governmental laws have been implemented, to redefine the understanding of biblical marriage and family. No matter what man-made laws