The biblical concept of husband and wife being one flesh, originating in Genesis 2:24, signifies a profound union where a man leaves his father and mother to be joined to his wife, becoming one flesh. Jesus Christ reinforces this in Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:8, emphasizing that they are no longer two but one flesh, highlighting the depth of this bond beyond mere illustration. This principle of one flesh, appearing seven times in Scripture, reveals a spiritual correspondence in I Corinthians 6:16, where uniting with Christ by covenant mirrors the marital bond, making any un-Christian behavior akin to infidelity. God does not view the sexual union of man and wife as cheap, as affirmed in Hebrews 13:4, where marriage is honorable and the bed undefiled, with judgment reserved for fornicators and adulterers. To Him, each act of intimacy binds the couple more closely, enhancing the preciousness of marriage. The focus of the one flesh principle, however, is on the closeness of union and togetherness, as expanded in I Corinthians 6:18-20 and 7:2-4, where individuals in marriage are not their own but belong to their spouse, subsumed within the covenant bond. This principle leads to absolute unity—living, thinking, planning, and working as one. God expects married couples to strive toward such commitment and harmony, functioning as a perfectly oiled unit. Marriage serves as a type of a greater spiritual reality, preparing individuals to be one spirit with Him, as noted in I Corinthians 6:17. It is a primary testing ground to learn unity with another, akin to a yoke of oxen pulling in the same direction for the same purpose, aiming for ultimate glory as the Bride of Jesus Christ. In Song of Songs 6:3, the Shulamite grasps this one flesh principle, declaring, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine," recognizing mutual ownership and commitment. The perfect marriage embodies total dedication, with each partner wholly committed to the other and to the relationship, striving to live according to God's will by showing true love and outgoing concern, developing His character in themselves and their spouse.

Marriage, as introduced by God, is placed on a spiritual plane, reflecting the divine image in which humanity was created. Our relationships, especially marriages, should embody this God-plane quality, prioritizing spiritual preparation for the Kingdom of God over mere physical aspects. Jesus Christ, in Matthew 19:4-6, reaffirms this by referencing Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, emphasizing that God intended marriage as a lifelong, divinely ordained union between a man and a woman, unchanged by human failings over time. He declares that what God has joined together, no one should separate, highlighting marriage as a sacred institution for producing righteous character in His children. The first purpose of marriage is to provide a fitting environment for developing divine character, as seen in God's blessing immediately after creating humans as male and female in Genesis 1:28. This blessing, akin to a wedding ceremony, endues the couple with power for success, granting them the authority to enter this union and produce what God expects. With God's eager blessing, a married couple has significant potential for success in their relationship. The marriage ceremony, as practiced, underscores that the bride and groom enter a covenant before God and man. This covenant is sealed by God Himself through a laying on of hands, setting the couple apart in their union. Accompanying prayers request blessings on their relationship, offspring, and prosperity. God's faithfulness ensures that His blessings are fulfilled, providing the power needed to make the marriage work, as His Word accomplishes what He desires. Thus, a second purpose of marriage is to provide godly blessings, offering unique advantages because God is intimately involved as a party in the covenant. Marriage is a blessed arrangement, sanctioned by God and loaded with benefits from His hands, equipping a Christian marriage with divine support for success.

Marriage has been under assault for many years, facing challenges from societal shifts and moral erosion. Over the past several decades, various movements and changes in laws have undermined the sanctity of this union, from the sexual revolution and eased divorce laws to the rise of feminism and the acceptance of practices contrary to its foundational purpose. Despite these challenges, marriage remains a vital and important part of life for most, second only to baptism in the significance of decisions one makes. It is a lifelong commitment that requires continuous refinement and growth, not merely a vow taken at the beginning. God created mankind, both male and female, in His own image, emphasizing a spiritual dimension to the marriage relationship. This union is not just a physical bond but a God-plane institution, intended to be life-long and taken with utmost seriousness. Marriage serves as a vehicle for producing divine character, reflecting God's purpose in creating humanity in His likeness. It is a blessed arrangement, sanctioned and approved by God, with His presence providing unique advantages and power to succeed in fulfilling its purpose. Through marriage, God endues couples with the authority and blessing to enter this union and produce what He expects. This blessing, evident from the beginning of creation, parallels the ultimate spiritual marriage between Jesus Christ and His Bride, the church. Physical marriages are types of this greater union, preparing individuals for oneness with God. The covenant of marriage, sealed by God Himself, offers the power and gifts necessary to make it work, despite the inherent difficulties and differences between two individuals. Marriage also serves multiple purposes: it provides a sanctioned relationship for producing children, creating the ideal environment to raise them in God's image. It teaches proper government, instructing in God's manner of governance through the roles and responsibilities within the family. Additionally, it embodies the principle of becoming one flesh, a bond so strong that it surpasses individual identity, uniting husband and wife as a single unit in commitment and purpose. This one flesh ideal is a training ground for becoming one spirit with God, emphasizing total togetherness and mutual ownership in the relationship. The Bible underscores that marriage is intended to be for life, with a clear command for a man and woman to remain joined until death, barring exceptional circumstances. The concept of leaving one's parents to cleave to a spouse establishes a new, independent household, essential for the proper development of the marital relationship. Ultimately, the perfect marriage is one where each partner is fully committed, striving to live according to God's will, showing true love and concern for the other, and developing character both individually and together.

Psalm 128 illustrates how honoring and working with God within marriage and family life yields the finest outcomes for His Kingdom. When a marriage is founded on the fear of the Lord, the couple starts on the right path, and they can anticipate positive results and fruitful blessings over time. Such a foundation leads to happiness, satisfaction, unity, and blessedness, with the potential for a long, fulfilling life. God portrays a family that is content and fruitful, brimming with potential for growth and expansion, and such families contribute to the peace of the entire nation. In Malachi 2:13-16, God expresses displeasure with His people for allowing their marriage relationships to deteriorate, as husbands treacherously divorced their wives for trivial reasons, breaking the covenant and vow they had made. This failure prevented the creation of a proper environment for producing godly seed for His Family. A key purpose of marriage is to establish the right setting for raising children, not only for one's own family but for God's greater purpose. A fourth purpose of marriage, as seen in Genesis 1:28, is to provide a basis for proper government. God instructs mankind to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it, and have dominion over creation. These terms imply exercising authority and control, teaching humanity how to govern as God governs. Marriage serves as a primary institution to learn this, mirroring the spiritual relationship where we, as the Bride of Christ, learn to rule with His Son in His Kingdom. Through marriage and family life, from childhood to parenthood, we experience various levels of authority and responsibility, learning to govern ourselves and others, preparing us to rule in God's Kingdom.

Marriage, as a sacred covenant, stands as a cornerstone of God's design for humanity, reflecting His divine purpose and order. God established marriage as a holy bond between one man and one woman, sanctifying it in Genesis 2:18 and 2:24, where He declared that they should be joined as one flesh, forming a family unit by leaving their parents and clinging to each other. This institution, created before sin entered the world, was dignified by God to serve as a foundation for a healthy society, embodying righteousness and unity. The purpose behind God's creation of man and woman as partners in marriage extends beyond companionship. As revealed in Malachi 2:11, God desires godly children, and within the structure of a strong, unified family free from the threat of separation, the best conditions for raising such children are provided. This elevates marriage to a moral level far above worldly perceptions, making it a vital part of God's plan and a partnership with Him in His creative works, preparing children to answer His calling. Any alteration to this divine structure is an affront to God and His intentions. The current societal shift, evident in places like Massachusetts and Connecticut where marriage is redefined as a mere legal contract between any two persons, disregards its sacredness. Such changes, which sanction behaviors God condemns, are a clear sign of cultural decay and rebellion against the Creator. God is not caught off-guard by these developments, yet He is deeply displeased with the unraveling of an institution He blessed. Spiritually, marriage holds even greater significance for God's people, symbolizing the relationship between Christ and His church. In both Old and New Testaments, Christ is portrayed as the Husband or Bridegroom, with the church or Israel as His wife or bride, as seen in passages like Ezekiel 16:8-14, Jeremiah 31:1-4, Isaiah 54:5, and II Corinthians 11:2. This parallel, further elaborated in Ephesians 5:22-33, underscores the intimacy and love inherent in both physical and spiritual unions, rooted in God's esteem for the marriage covenant. Just as a man and woman are joined as one flesh, so too are Christ and His church united in one Spirit. The sanctity of marriage is further upheld by God's commandments, with the fifth, seventh, and tenth directly aimed at strengthening and preserving its unity. The fifth commandment establishes the foundation of responsibility between parents and children, fostering a home environment that benefits society when upheld. The seventh commandment forbids adultery, protecting the marriage covenant from internal betrayal through sexual sins, which Christ in Matthew 5:28 teaches begins in the heart. The tenth commandment guards against coveting another's spouse, defending marriage from external threats and highlighting the potential harm of such desires, as exemplified by King David's actions with Bathsheba. In a world that increasingly devalues marriage, treating it as old-fashioned or trivial and promoting lax divorce laws, the consequences are dire. History shows that the undermining of marriage and family values, as seen in the fall of Rome, leads to societal collapse. America is following a similar path, with many marriages ending in divorce and families being torn apart. As long as God's laws concerning marriage are disregarded, the trend toward national ruin will persist. For those called out of this world, holding tightly to the sacred values of marriage is imperative, especially as societal conditions mirror the days of Noah. God's Word, from Genesis to Revelation, resounds with the importance of marriage in His creative purpose and plan, urging all to honor and keep it undefiled as taught in Hebrews 13:4.

Any given doctrine must be built layer by layer, combining and comparing scriptures rather than allowing a single scripture to determine the doctrine. When we understand that porneia includes all the hideous perverted sexual sins that go beyond ordinary adultery- including bestiality, pedophilia, homosexuality, incest, and every other imaginable sexual perversion, we understand that Jesus gave a greater latitude and flexibility in these divorce decisions than we had earlier assumed (based exclusively upon adulterous 'fraud'). Any violence against the marriage contract (stemming from unconversion) would constitute grounds for divorce, and would permit the converted partner to remarry. Mutual access to the tree of life (God's Holy Spirit) gives marriage the best (actually the only) chance to succeed.