Marriage

Marriage is the legal union or relationship between a man and a woman to become husband and wife. Marriage was instituted by God right from the time of creation.  After creating Adam, God saw that it was not good the man to be alone, He decided to make a woman as a help-meet for man.  Therefore the original plan of God was and is still that a matured man and a matured woman will come together as husband and wife.  The idea of homosexuals/lesbians i.e. people of the same sex getting married or sleeping together as married people is sin. Polygamists i.e. a man marrying many wives is not God’s plan for His people. This is not according to the word of God and should be discouraged. All these are evil practices of men that are against God’s plan for man.

Sub Topic 2: Functions of Marriage

1. Companionship – God saw that man was alone and it was not good. So He created the woman as a helper and companion for man so that man is not lonely.
2. Procreation – God commanded man to be fruitful, multiply, replenish and subdue the earth. Through marriage and child bearing God’s plan is being fulfilled.
3. Chastity – Marriage is to prevent man from living like animals. It discourages all forms of bestial behavior, prostitution and sexual immorality that God instituted marriage for human beings. This is to make them different from lower animals because man is the image of God.

         Other functions include:

4. Raising godly generation for God. God intend to raise God fearing generation through marriage as they procreate
5. Prevention of Terrible Diseases – Marriage is to prevent all forms of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, syphilis, Herpes, HIV/AIDS and forms of deadly diseases that are attacking disobedient people today.
6. Responsibility: There are responsibilities or duties for husband and wife in marriage in the home and in the home and in the community (Read Ephesians 5: 21-31)

Moral Lessons:

1. Man is to encourage life and not to terminate life. So Christians are to avoid and discourage abortions.
2. God has created all things that will make man enjoy the earth, so there is no need for any lack or for man to become selfish or greedy.
3. Marriage is an institution established by God for man and woman to come together as husband and wife. Other form of human relationships like homosexuality, lesbianism or gay marriage etc are very sinful and should be discouraged.
4. Sexual immorality is not part of God’s plan for man. It is a sin before God and shall attract punishment from Him

EVALUATION:

1. Define marriage
2. List five functions of marriage

Reading Assignment: (Read Ephesians 5: 21-31)