Here’s some interesting facts about marriage in America, taken from pewresearch.org.
“Half of Americans ages 18 and older were married in 2017, a share that has remained relatively stable in recent years but is down 8 percentage points since 1990.
“The number of U.S. adults cohabiting with a partner (living together outside marriage – KS) is on the rise. In addition to the half of U.S. adults who were married, 7% were cohabiting in 2016.
The number of Americans living with an unmarried partner reached about 18 million in 2016, up 29% since 2007. Roughly half of cohabiters are younger than 35 – but cohabitation is rising most quickly among Americans ages 50 and older.
“Remarriage is on the rise. In 2013, 23% of married people had been married before, compared with just 13% in 1960.” (This statistic does not distinguish between marriages ending by the death of a spouse and those ending by divorce. – KS)
“Support for the legalization of same-sex marriage has grown in the past 10 years. In 2007, Americans opposed legalizing same-sex marriage by a margin of 54% to 37%. In 2017, more favored (62%) than opposed (32%) allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally.”
It should be obvious that Christians are faced with the crucial choice of following God’s plan for marriage or conforming to the world (Romans 12:2). And this emphatically includes issues besides divorce/remarriage and same sex marriage.
What is the nature of marriage?
Marriage is the first divine institution (Genesis 2:18-24). When the Pharisees tested Christ on divorce (Matthew 19:3; Mark 10:2), He pointed them to the words of the Lord God in the garden. Thus, Genesis 2:18-24 records the divine beginning and foundation of marriage.
“And the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone” (Genesis 2:18). The morally pure single life is not sinful (cf. 1 Corinthians 7:25-38), but the single life is incomplete.
“I will make him a helper comparable to him’” (Ibid). The term “comparable” (NKJV), “meet” (KJV, ASV), “suitable” (NASB), “fit” (ESV), means
“literally, an helper, as over against him, i.e. corresponding to him…. The expression indicates that the forthcoming helper was to be of similar nature to the man himself, corresponding by way of supplement to the incompleteness of his lonely being, and in every way adapted to be his co-partner and companion” (Whitelaw. The Pulpit Commentary. 2:50).
In relationship the wife is the husband’s helper, and he is the leader (Ephesians 5:23). In nature she is “comparable… corresponding.” Spiritually she is his equal. Each has a spirit in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
After the Lord God caused Adam to name the lower creatures, showing him that each had a mate, unlike Adam, and that none of them was suitable to be Adam’s mate, the Lord God:
“caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:21-22).
Eve was literally to Adam “bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh” (Genesis 2:23). She was “called Woman , because she was taken out of Man” (Genesis 2:23).
The ancient theologian Jerome is the first recorded writer to observe that the Lord chose to fashion the woman, not from Adam’s foot, so he wasn’t to walk on her, nor from his head, so she’s not over him, but from his rib, the place closest to his heart, symbolizing that the marriage relationship is the closest fleshly tie. We love our children, but children grow up, leave, and start their own homes (Genesis 2:24), whereas God intends nothing but death to sever the marriage tie (Matthew 5:31-32; 19:3-12; 22:23-30; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:10-16). The Lord Himself makes the two one flesh (Matthew 19:4-6).
When Christ stated His law concerning divorce, He called the Jews back to the garden, to Genesis 2:18-24 (Matthew 19:3-12; Mark 10:2-12). Thus, when the Lord God brought the woman to the man in the garden, He was instituting marriage as a divine institution, while fulfilling man’s innate need for companionship. Marriage approved of God did not evolve as a human construct; it was revealed and instituted by the Lord God as the first divine institution and the basis for a stable, moral society (cf. Malachi 2:15).
Of course, He created them Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve, and divinely approved marriage is between a man and a woman (cf. Matthew 19:4-6). He gave the man one mate, and divinely approved marriage is between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6). The Lord is the witness to the marriage (Malachi 2:14), and He is the One Who ties them together as one (Matthew 19:6). “Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Ibid).
Our nation and the Lord’s church in our nation will be no more secure than our homes are strong.
