Articles
Lesson 1: Marriage: The Way It Was Meant to Be
Introduction: There is no relationship known to man that is more beautiful or wonderful than marriage as God designed it. The world in which we we live is trashing marriage, and consequently, many young people are being prejudiced against the idea of marriage before they acutally understand it. This lesson focuses on the joy of marriage - the way it was meant to be.
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Marriage: It is good!
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God designed marriage for man's happiness (Genesis 2:18-25).
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After creating the man, God declared "It is not good for man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18).
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Our culture now questions the "goodness" of marriage. Marriage, the way it was meant to be, is good.
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According to the Bible, marriage was meant to be God's answer to loneliness.
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God knew, from the Beginning, that men and women have an innate need (longing) for companionship. This is a design characteristic! (Genesis 2:18-25).
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Our crowed interstates and apartment buildings are filled with lonely people!
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Life was meant to be shared. We long for someone to know us and share with us.
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The Bible affirms that marriage was meant to be God's answer to sexual passion.
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God created us as distinct sexual beings (Genesis 2:22-25; Matthew 19:4-6).
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The sexual desire between a man and a woman is both wonderful and powerful, and intended by God to be very special.
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Because of its unique nature, the marriage relationship is used by God as an illustration for the relationship of Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:22-33).
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In the Bible, marriage was meant to be the context in which children are conceived and born.
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God knew the ideal arrangment for bringing children into this world (Genesis 4:1; Psalm 127:3).
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God intended that a child would be nurtured in the loving care and security of a mother and a father who are committed to one another and to their children (Ephesians 5:22-6:4).
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The Scriptures consistently affirm this truth: marriage was meant to be God's lifelong blessing!
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From the Beginning, God intended that a man and a woman joined together in marriage would remain married until one of them died (Genesis 2:24-25; Matthew 194-6).
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God has said it before, and He has not changed is mind: "I hate divorce" (Malachi 2:16).
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Conclusion: In marriage, God has provided a lifelong companion with whom you may satisfy your sexual passions and with whom you can bear and raise children. This is marriage, the way it was meant to be - and it is good
