Marriage Matters
Biblical Help for Homes, Hearts, and Marriages
By Joe Soares
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Ephesians 5:33 KJV
A Christian marriage is not merely a legal agreement, a romantic partnership, or two people trying to stay happy together.
At its heart, a Christian marriage is a covenant lived before God.
That one truth changes everything.
It changes how a husband leads. It changes how a wife responds. It changes how conflict is handled, how forgiveness is practiced, how love is understood, and how two sinners learn to walk together under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
A Christian Marriage Belongs to God
Modern culture often treats marriage as something people define for themselves. If it feels good, stay. If it becomes painful, leave. If emotions fade, assume love is gone.
But Scripture begins in a different place.
What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Mark 10:9 KJV
Marriage is not man’s invention. It is God’s design.
That means a Christian husband and wife do not get to define marriage by culture, feelings, convenience, or personal happiness. They must come back to the Word of God.
A Christian Marriage Is Built on Sacrifice
The world often says love is about being fulfilled. Scripture teaches that love gives, serves, forgives, bears, and sacrifices.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Ephesians 5:25 KJV
That is not shallow love. That is not emotional love. That is cross-shaped love.
A Christian husband is not called to dominate his wife. He is called to love her with humility, faithfulness, patience, and sacrifice.
A Christian wife is not called to compete with her husband. She is called to walk in reverence, wisdom, strength, and obedience to God.
A Christian Marriage Requires Forgiveness
There is no such thing as a marriage between two sinless people.
Every marriage will face selfishness, pride, harsh words, disappointment, misunderstanding, and pain. The difference in a Christian marriage is not that sinners never wound each other. The difference is that Christ teaches them how to repent and forgive.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 KJV
Forgiveness is not optional for the Christian. It is part of walking with Christ.
A Christian Marriage Is Not Ruled by Feelings
Feelings matter, but they must not rule.
If a marriage is led only by emotion, it will rise and fall with every mood, wound, fear, and disappointment. But when a marriage is submitted to Christ, truth becomes stronger than temporary feelings.
Love is not proven only when feelings are strong. Often, love is proven when feelings are weak and obedience remains.
Scripture for Meditation
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.
1 Corinthians 13:4 KJV
Take time today to read 1 Corinthians 13 slowly. Do not read it as a wedding poem. Read it as a mirror.
Ask the Lord: Am I loving my spouse according to Your Word?
Continue Studying
The One True Language of Love
A Biblical Response to Popular Marriage Counsel
A Christ-centered book calling couples away from emotional love systems and back to repentance, obedience, forgiveness, and biblical love.
Listen While You Study
The Grace To Stay
Private Collection Duet
A marriage worship song about covenant, mercy, repentance, and the grace of God to remain faithful.
Read Next
- Why Feelings Make Terrible Marriage Counselors
- Biblical Forgiveness Is Not Forgetting
- Love Is More Than a Feeling
Continue Growing in God’s Word
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About the Author
Joe Soares is a Bible teacher, worship songwriter, and author whose ministry is devoted to pointing people to the authority of God’s Word. Through books, music, and Bible teaching, he seeks to encourage believers to examine every doctrine carefully in the light of Scripture and to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ faithfully.