Marriage is a unique and wonderful relationship that requires dedication and perseverance. The children of God must reflect his love in all our relationships and marriage gives us daily opportunities to show it.
The Bible talks a lot about marriage and gives us very good advice. It is such an important issue for God that he even compares his relationship with the Church to the marriage relationship. Let’s look at some Bible verses that talk about marriage.
1. Spouse first, then parents
That is why the man leaves his father and his mother, and joins his wife, and the two merge into one being.
– Genesis 2:24
This verse says that the marriage that God instituted requires two actions. First, leave the parents physically. When we get married we form a new family, a new home and that should be our priority. Of course we have to love and honor our parents to the death, but we must understand that as a new family, we will make plans and decisions with each other.
Second, unite in one flesh with our spouse: sexual unity and emotional unity. From the moment we get married we will enjoy each other sexually and we will seek to walk together in all areas, such as family finances, service to God and the education of children when they arrive.
2. It’s forever
Have you not read, replied Jesus, that in the beginning the Creator “made them male and female,” and said, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall come to be one body”? So it’s not two anymore, it’s just one. Therefore, what God has united, let not man separate.
(Matthew 19:4-6)
God’s original design is for marriage to be forever. Divorce is not part of his plan, he wants us to be together until death. In this verse from Matthew Jesus admits that Moses allowed divorce “because of the hardness of man’s heart.” There are borderline situations of abuse or infidelity that require drastic action, but God’s original plan for marriage is for a man and a woman to stay together until death do them part.
3. Bring happiness
Whoever finds a wife finds happiness: tokens of his favor the Lord has given him.
– Proverbs 18:22
God must guide us in choosing our partner. We receive blessing when we choose within his will for us. We should marry someone who brings joy to our hearts, someone who brings us closer to God and His purpose for our lives. In this way we will walk together and with joy the path that God leads us.
4. Unity in Christ
Do not team up with unbelievers. What do justice and evil have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony does Christ have with the devil? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
(2 Corinthians 6:14-15)
The word spouse means united by the yoke, in reference to the yoke that keeps the oxen together so that they can plow in the same direction. Marriage must be united in every way and spiritual union is vital. We must be united in Christ, both loving and obeying Jesus in order to live in harmony and for Christ to be glorified in everything we do.
Learn more about marriage in the Bible with these verses
5. Submission as to the Lord
Submit to one another, out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.
– Ephesians 5:21-22
There is no fear of submitting to each other when we are both filled with God’s love. We trust that God guides the other person within his will and we do not fear that he will take advantage or hurt us on purpose. That is why it is important to marry someone who fears God and is filled with His Holy Spirit. If we know that his actions and words are guided by the Lord, we will not be afraid to submit to each other. The perfect love that God gives us casts out any fear (1 John 4:18).
6. Love like Christ
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy.
(Ephesians 5:25-26a)
Christ’s love for the church should be our example. Jesus was willing to go to the cross for each of us and he did it out of love. Human beings tend to be selfish, to seek our own good before that of others. But the Christian husband needs to be filled with the love of Christ seeking at all times the spiritual well-being of his wife, which brings her closer to God and sanctifies her.
Verses of love to dedicate to your partner
7. The correct order
For the husband is the head of his wife, just as Christ is the head and Savior of the church, which is his body.
-Ephesians 5:23
Everything in life works better when we follow advice and instructions, and marriage is no exception. For there to be peace and harmony, the order of leadership must be clear. The husband must seek God’s direction on what is best for him and his family, must have a healthy prayer life and study the word. The woman also needs to go to God asking for wisdom for her and her husband and support her husband in making decisions that rejoice the Father’s heart.
8. Encourage sexual intimacy
Blessed be your source! Enjoy with the wife of your youth! She is a loving gazelle, she is a lovely fawn. May her breasts always satisfy you! May her love captivate you all the time!
(Proverbs 5:18-19)
God wants husband and wife to have a satisfying sex life throughout their lives and to be exclusively for each other. Marital sexual intimacy should bring joy and satisfaction, not shame or fear, and should also bolster our self-esteem. In the sexual act we express our love, our total trust in our spouse and also the appreciation of the way in which God created us and the other person.
9. Stronger with God
Only one can be beat, but two can resist. The three-strand rope is not easily broken!
-Ecclesiastes 4:12
It is said that in union there is strength and this is even truer in marriage. A united marriage is a great example in this world that applauds individualism so much. If both serve God, they will have his help in difficult times, they will receive his wisdom to make the right decisions and the strength to overcome trials. They will not only support and encourage each other in times of temptation or difficulty, but will seek God’s direction and persevere until they achieve the desired result.
10. Be a team
Two are better than one, because they get more fruit for their effort. If one falls down, help him up. Woe to the one who falls and has no one to pick him up! If two lie down together, they will warm up; one alone how will it warm up?
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-11)
Marriage must work together for common goals, joining efforts to see fulfilled the dreams and desires that God places in their hearts. Each one must ensure the well-being of the other, take care of him and help him. If one falls, the other picks him up, bandages his wound, encourages him to continue.
11. Get off to a good start
Do not send any newly married man to war, nor impose any other duty on him. He will have a whole year off to tend to his house and make the woman he took as his wife happy.
-Deuteronomy 24:5
It is interesting to see that the Old Testament mentions the importance of creating a solid and happy foundation in marriage from the beginning. In his great wisdom, God encourages us to make marriage the focus of the first year of marriage, building a strong foundation together, and being happy. Everything else can wait, there will be time for other duties or concerns.
You may be interested in these 10 verses with advice for before you get married
12. Understanding and respect
In the same way, you husbands, be understanding in your conjugal life, each one treating your wife with respect, since as a woman she is more delicate, and both are heirs to the pleasant gift of life. Thus nothing will hinder your prayers.
(1 Peter 3:7)
Marriage is built and strengthened with respect and understanding between the two. If we understand and appreciate the other as he is, with his strengths and his weaknesses, we will be happier and all other areas of our life will be affirmed, including our spiritual life.
Verses of gratitude for our family
13. Fidelity and purity
Everyone esteem marriage and marital fidelity, for God will judge adulterers and all who commit sexual immorality.
-Hebrews 13:4
For God, marriage has a lot of value and He commands us to see it that way. Marriage is sacred, fidelity between husband and wife is not negotiable: we must be faithful to each other. Any type of sexual immorality, adultery, fornication, pornography, any misuse of the sexual act to shame or manipulate another is unacceptable and will be judged. We must always treat the other with love, with purity and respect.
14. The power of love
Engrave me like a seal on your heart; take me as a mark on your arm. Strong is love, like death, and tenacious passion, like the grave. As a divine flame it is the burning fire of love. Neither the many waters can quench it, nor the rivers can extinguish it.
(Song 8:6-7a)
True love is powerful and eternal, it is a commitment to be by each other’s side no matter what. The seal over the heart and the mark on the arm do not refer to tattoos that can be erased but to embedded marks that last and can never be removed. True love is strong and deep, it will endure through all seasons or storms that may come. There will be no disease, scarcity or disagreement that can turn it off.
Look at these 18 biblical quotes for weddings
15. Build Wisely
With wisdom the house is built; with intelligence the foundations are laid.
-Proverbs 24:3
We need wisdom and the Bible says that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7). If we want to build a solid marriage that lasts, we must go to the source of wisdom, to God. He will help us overcome our differences and make wise decisions. If we go to him each day with our concerns and desires, he will guide us, and as the years go by we will look back and rejoice at how he worked for us and our marriage.