Is Marriage A Christian Term?

In Christian theology, marriage is often considered a divine calling from God, offering a deep friendship, sexual intimacy, life-long experiences, and family. The biblical view of marriage is that it is a God-given, voluntary, sexual, and public social union between one man and one woman, from different families, for the purpose of fostering a covenant relationship. However, the Bible does not explicitly state when a man and a woman are considered married. Instead, Ayers asserts that marriage is ordained and ordered by God, a contract and a union of two hearts and lives.

Married couples are meant to be unified in every possible way, with sexual intimacy being an expression of love that brings unity. The Bible emphasizes the importance of keeping covenant and that it exists for God’s glory. While it is not necessarily wrong for a boy and a girl to get to know one another before marriage, permission to marry given by the parents of the girl remains a biblical requirement.

In India, marriage is thought of in terms of “marriage and love” rather than “love and marriage.” Culture plays a significant role in our attitudes and actions regarding marriage, but the cross of Christ, the Word of God, and the Spirit of God should shape the Christian life.

Marriage provides several benefits, including providing a helper, a partnership of love made deeper through sex, and portraying the covenant love between Christ and his church. The ultimate purpose of marriage, according to Genesis 2:24 and Ephesians 5:32, is to portray the covenant love between Christ and his church.