Introduction
As an institution, marriage has received less than stellar reviews from modern society. Marriage may be regarded as functional, workable or even tolerable, but few see it as God sees it. These sessions explore marriage as God's beautiful institution, how it is corrupted by sin and how we might begin recovering God's perspective on marriage.
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Part 1: Marriage is God's Beautiful Institution
Many contemporary Christians have difficulty with a proper perspective on marriage because they have a distorted view of the central subject of the Scripture itself. In Genesis 1 and 2, creation is not the main subject; the God of creation is the primary subject. In fact, the major subject of all of Scripture is not humanity but the Creator and Sustainer of all things who reveals Himself as the Savior of His people. This makes marriage God’s institution, which He pronounces “very beautiful.”
Part 2: What Makes Marriage Such a Thing of Beauty?
Marriage is beautiful because the God who ordained marriage is beautiful. The marital union is intended to reflect the God who is fruitful and adorns His creation. Likewise, the one flesh relationship of marriage images the relational nature of the triune God.
Part 3: If Marriage is Beautiful Why Does Mine Look Like Such a Mess?
The beautiful marriage God designed was terribly disfigured by humanity’s sin against God. Adam and Eve challenged God’s Word, defied His command and rebelled against His authority. In the process, Adam failed to lead and protect His wife while Eve usurped authority over Adam. The two were no longer companions but combatants.